diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
index 4480924..9e0e65f 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/mysql/Connection.php
@@ -68,11 +68,10 @@ public static function open(array &$connection_options = array()) {
     }
     // Allow PDO options to be overridden.
     $connection_options += array(
-      'pdo' => array(
-        PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
-      ),
+      'pdo' => array(),
     );
     $connection_options['pdo'] += array(
+      PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
       // So we don't have to mess around with cursors and unbuffered queries by default.
       PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_USE_BUFFERED_QUERY => TRUE,
       // Because MySQL's prepared statements skip the query cache, because it's dumb.
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/pgsql/Connection.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/pgsql/Connection.php
index db72f0a..30e9e01 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/pgsql/Connection.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/pgsql/Connection.php
@@ -86,11 +86,10 @@ public static function open(array &$connection_options = array()) {
 
     // Allow PDO options to be overridden.
     $connection_options += array(
-      'pdo' => array(
-        PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
-      ),
+      'pdo' => array(),
     );
     $connection_options['pdo'] += array(
+      PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
       // Prepared statements are most effective for performance when queries
       // are recycled (used several times). However, if they are not re-used,
       // prepared statements become ineffecient. Since most of Drupal's
diff --git a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/sqlite/Connection.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/sqlite/Connection.php
index 0647c85..7d05b1f 100644
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/sqlite/Connection.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Database/Driver/sqlite/Connection.php
@@ -110,11 +110,10 @@ public function __construct(PDO $connection, array $connection_options) {
   public static function open(array &$connection_options = array()) {
     // Allow PDO options to be overridden.
     $connection_options += array(
-      'pdo' => array(
-        PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
-      ),
+      'pdo' => array(),
     );
     $connection_options['pdo'] += array(
+      PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE => PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION,
       // Convert numeric values to strings when fetching.
       PDO::ATTR_STRINGIFY_FETCHES => TRUE,
     );
diff --git a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
index ba940ca..4bcc54f 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/lib/Drupal/system/Tests/Database/ConnectionUnitTest.php
@@ -259,4 +259,31 @@ public function testConnectionSerialization() {
 
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Tests pdo options override.
+   */
+  public function testConnectionOpen() {
+    $connection = Database::getConnection('default');
+    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($connection);
+    $connection_property = $reflection->getProperty('connection');
+    $connection_property->setAccessible(TRUE);
+    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($connection)
+      ->getAttribute(\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE);
+    $this->assertEqual($error_mode, \PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION, 'Ensure the default error mode is set to exception.');
+
+    $connection = Database::getConnectionInfo('default');
+    $connection['default']['pdo'][\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE] = \PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT;
+    Database::addConnectionInfo('test', 'default', $connection['default']);
+    $connection = Database::getConnection('default', 'test');
+
+    $reflection = new \ReflectionObject($connection);
+    $connection_property = $reflection->getProperty('connection');
+    $connection_property->setAccessible(TRUE);
+    $error_mode = $connection_property->getValue($connection)
+      ->getAttribute(\PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE);
+    $this->assertEqual($error_mode, \PDO::ERRMODE_SILENT, 'Ensure PDO connection options can be overridden.');
+
+    Database::removeConnection('test');
+  }
+
 }