diff --git a/contrib/search_api_views/includes/handler_argument_more_like_this.inc b/contrib/search_api_views/includes/handler_argument_more_like_this.inc
index 15cc3ef..12b3598 100644
--- a/contrib/search_api_views/includes/handler_argument_more_like_this.inc
+++ b/contrib/search_api_views/includes/handler_argument_more_like_this.inc
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ class SearchApiViewsHandlerArgumentMoreLikeThis extends SearchApiViewsHandlerArg
     $server = $this->query->getIndex()->server();
     if (!$server->supportsFeature('search_api_mlt')) {
       $class = search_api_get_service_info($server->class);
-      throw new SearchApiException(t('The search service "@class" does not offer "More like this" functionality.',
-          array('@class' => $class['name'])));
+      watchdog('search_api_views', 'The search service "@class" does not offer "More like this" functionality.',
+          array('@class' => $class['name']), WATCHDOG_ERROR);
+      $this->query->abort();
       return;
     }
     $fields = $this->options['fields'] ? $this->options['fields'] : array();
diff --git a/contrib/search_api_views/includes/query.inc b/contrib/search_api_views/includes/query.inc
index c79807e..b71fa74 100644
--- a/contrib/search_api_views/includes/query.inc
+++ b/contrib/search_api_views/includes/query.inc
@@ -51,6 +51,13 @@ class SearchApiViewsQuery extends views_plugin_query {
   protected $errors;
 
   /**
+   * Whether to abort the search instead of executing it.
+   *
+   * @var bool
+   */
+  protected $abort = FALSE;
+
+  /**
    * The names of all fields whose value is required by a handler.
    *
    * The format follows the same as Search API field identifiers (parent:child).
@@ -264,7 +271,7 @@ class SearchApiViewsQuery extends views_plugin_query {
    * $view->pager['current_page'].
    */
   public function execute(&$view) {
-    if ($this->errors) {
+    if ($this->errors || $this->abort) {
       if (error_displayable()) {
         foreach ($this->errors as $msg) {
           drupal_set_message(check_plain($msg), 'error');
@@ -305,6 +312,16 @@ class SearchApiViewsQuery extends views_plugin_query {
   }
 
   /**
+   * Aborts this search query.
+   *
+   * Used by handlers to flag a fatal error which shouldn't be displayed but
+   * still lead to the view returning empty and the search not being executed.
+   */
+  public function abort() {
+    $this->abort = TRUE;
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Helper function for adding results to a view in the format expected by the
    * view.
    */