diff -u b/modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
--- b/modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/database_test.test
@@ -3756,6 +3756,7 @@
       $this->insertRow('row');
       $this->executeDDLStatement();
 
+      set_error_handler(array($this, 'rollBackWithoutTransactionErrorHandler'));
       try {
         // Rollback the outer transaction.
         $transaction->rollback();
@@ -3765,13 +3766,25 @@
         }
       }
-      catch (Throwable $warning) {
-        $this->assertSame('Rollback attempted when there is no active transaction. This can cause data integrity issues.', $warning->getMessage());
+      catch (Exception $e) {
+        $this->assertEqual('Rollback attempted when there is no active transaction.', $e->getMessage());
       }
+      restore_error_handler();
       unset($transaction);
       $this->assertRowPresent('row');
     }
   }
 
   /**
+   * Special handling of "rollback without transaction" errors.
+   */
+  public function rollBackWithoutTransactionErrorHandler($error_level, $message, $filename, $line) {
+    // Throw an exception if this is a "rollback without transaction" error.
+    if (strpos($message, 'Rollback attempted when there is no active transaction.') !== FALSE ) {
+      throw new Exception('Rollback attempted when there is no active transaction.');
+    }
+    _drupal_error_handler($error_level, $message, $filename, $line);
+  }
+
+  /**
    * Insert a single row into the testing table.
    */