diff --git a/core/install/resources/classes/install.php b/core/install/resources/classes/install.php
index a341e209b5..a41c7c37d4 100644
--- a/core/install/resources/classes/install.php
+++ b/core/install/resources/classes/install.php
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ if (!class_exists('install')) {
 			$conf .= "xml_handler.reg_as_number_alias = false\n";
 			$conf .= "xml_handler.number_as_presence_id = true\n";
 			$conf .= "\n";
-			$conf .= "#error reporting hide show all errors except notices and warnings\n";
-			$conf .= "error.reporting = 'E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE ^ E_WARNING'\n";
+			$conf .= "#error reporting options: user,dev,all\n";
+			$conf .= "error.reporting = 'user'\n";
 
 			//write the config file
 			$file_handle = fopen($config_file,"w");
diff --git a/resources/require.php b/resources/require.php
index 08c53e4b08..cc8980668a 100644
--- a/resources/require.php
+++ b/resources/require.php
@@ -41,9 +41,25 @@
 	define("PROJECT_PATH", $conf['project.path']);
 
 //set the error reporting
+	ini_set('display_errors', '1');
 	if (isset($conf['error.reporting'])) {
-		ini_set('display_errors', '1');
-		error_reporting($conf['error.reporting']);
+		$error_reporting_scope = $conf['error.reporting'];
+	}
+	else {
+		$error_reporting_scope = 'user';
+	}
+	switch ($error_reporting_scope) {
+	case 'user':
+		error_reporting(E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE ^ E_WARNING);
+		break;
+	case 'dev':
+		error_reporting(E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE);
+		break;
+	case 'all':
+		error_reporting(E_ALL);
+		break;
+	default:
+		error_reporting(E_ALL ^ E_NOTICE ^ E_WARNING);
 	}
 
 //get the database connection settings