diff --git a/includes/errors.inc b/includes/errors.inc
index 7393148..6af8d5d 100644
--- a/includes/errors.inc
+++ b/includes/errors.inc
@@ -150,12 +150,11 @@ function _drupal_render_exception_safe($exception) {
  */
 function error_displayable($error = NULL) {
   $error_level = variable_get('error_level', ERROR_REPORTING_DISPLAY_ALL);
-  $updating = (defined('MAINTENANCE_MODE') && MAINTENANCE_MODE == 'update');
   $all_errors_displayed = ($error_level == ERROR_REPORTING_DISPLAY_ALL);
   $error_needs_display = ($error_level == ERROR_REPORTING_DISPLAY_SOME &&
     isset($error) && $error['%type'] != 'Notice' && $error['%type'] != 'Strict warning');
 
-  return ($updating || $all_errors_displayed || $error_needs_display);
+  return ($all_errors_displayed || $error_needs_display);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/upgrade/upgrade.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/upgrade/upgrade.test
index 784a091..d84e048 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/upgrade/upgrade.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/upgrade/upgrade.test
@@ -491,6 +491,23 @@ class BasicStandardUpdatePath extends UpdatePathTestCase {
     $result = db_query('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM {menu_links} WHERE link_path = :user_autocomplete', array(':user_autocomplete' => 'user/autocomplete'))->fetchField();
     $this->assertFalse($result, 'No {menu_links} entry exists for user/autocomplete');
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Test for error messages on screen during update.php, even when the site is
+   * configured not to.
+   */
+  public function testErrorsOnUpdatePage() {
+    variable_set('error_level', ERROR_REPORTING_HIDE);
+    module_enable(array('poll'));
+    $location = drupal_get_path('module', 'poll');
+    rename($location . '/poll.module', $location . '/foo.module');
+    $update_url = $GLOBALS['base_url'] . '/update.php';
+
+    // Load the first update screen.
+    $this->drupalGet($update_url, array('external' => TRUE));
+    $this->assertNoText('The following module is missing from the file system:');
+  }
+
 }
 
 /**