diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 6bfbc11da8..78c4de62a3 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ define('INSTALLDIR', dirname(__FILE__));
 define('STATUSNET', true);
 define('LACONICA', true); // compatibility
 
-require_once INSTALLDIR . '/lib/common.php';
-
 $user = null;
 $action = null;
 
@@ -68,52 +66,63 @@ function getPath($req)
  */
 function handleError($error)
 {
-    if ($error->getCode() == DB_DATAOBJECT_ERROR_NODATA) {
-        return;
-    }
+    try {
 
-    $logmsg = "PEAR error: " . $error->getMessage();
-    if (common_config('site', 'logdebug')) {
-        $logmsg .= " : ". $error->getDebugInfo();
-    }
-    // DB queries often end up with a lot of newlines; merge to a single line
-    // for easier grepability...
-    $logmsg = str_replace("\n", " ", $logmsg);
-    common_log(LOG_ERR, $logmsg);
-
-    // @fixme backtrace output should be consistent with exception handling
-    if (common_config('site', 'logdebug')) {
-        $bt = $error->getBacktrace();
-        foreach ($bt as $n => $line) {
-            common_log(LOG_ERR, formatBacktraceLine($n, $line));
+        if ($error->getCode() == DB_DATAOBJECT_ERROR_NODATA) {
+            return;
         }
-    }
-    if ($error instanceof DB_DataObject_Error
-        || $error instanceof DB_Error
-    ) {
-        $msg = sprintf(
-            _(
-                'The database for %s isn\'t responding correctly, '.
-                'so the site won\'t work properly. '.
-                'The site admins probably know about the problem, '.
-                'but you can contact them at %s to make sure. '.
-                'Otherwise, wait a few minutes and try again.'
-            ),
-            common_config('site', 'name'),
-            common_config('site', 'email')
-        );
-    } else {
-        $msg = _(
-            'An important error occured, probably related to email setup. '.
-            'Check logfiles for more info..'
-        );
-    }
 
-    $dac = new DBErrorAction($msg, 500);
-    $dac->showPage();
+        $logmsg = "PEAR error: " . $error->getMessage();
+        if ($error instanceof PEAR_Exception && common_config('site', 'logdebug')) {
+            $logmsg .= " : ". $error->toText();
+        }
+        // DB queries often end up with a lot of newlines; merge to a single line
+        // for easier grepability...
+        $logmsg = str_replace("\n", " ", $logmsg);
+        common_log(LOG_ERR, $logmsg);
+
+        // @fixme backtrace output should be consistent with exception handling
+        if (common_config('site', 'logdebug')) {
+            $bt = $error->getTrace();
+            foreach ($bt as $n => $line) {
+                common_log(LOG_ERR, formatBacktraceLine($n, $line));
+            }
+        }
+        if ($error instanceof DB_DataObject_Error
+            || $error instanceof DB_Error
+            || ($error instanceof PEAR_Exception && $error->getCode() == -24)
+        ) {
+            $msg = sprintf(
+                _(
+                    'The database for %s isn\'t responding correctly, '.
+                    'so the site won\'t work properly. '.
+                    'The site admins probably know about the problem, '.
+                    'but you can contact them at %s to make sure. '.
+                    'Otherwise, wait a few minutes and try again.'
+                ),
+                common_config('site', 'name'),
+                common_config('site', 'email')
+            );
+        } else {
+            $msg = _(
+                'An important error occured, probably related to email setup. '.
+                'Check logfiles for more info..'
+            );
+        }
+
+        $dac = new DBErrorAction($msg, 500);
+        $dac->showPage();
+
+    } catch (Exception $e) {
+        echo _('An error occurred.');
+    }
     exit(-1);
 }
 
+set_exception_handler('handleError');
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR . '/lib/common.php';
+
 /**
  * Format a backtrace line for debug output roughly like debug_print_backtrace() does.
  * Exceptions already have this built in, but PEAR error objects just give us the array.
@@ -238,10 +247,6 @@ function main()
         return;
     }
 
-    // For database errors
-
-    PEAR::setErrorHandling(PEAR_ERROR_CALLBACK, 'handleError');
-
     // Make sure RW database is setup
 
     setupRW();
diff --git a/lib/common.php b/lib/common.php
index 8d2e6b420b..45946c216a 100644
--- a/lib/common.php
+++ b/lib/common.php
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ if (!function_exists('dl')) {
 # global configuration object
 
 require_once('PEAR.php');
+require_once('PEAR/Exception.php');
 require_once('DB/DataObject.php');
 require_once('DB/DataObject/Cast.php'); # for dates
 
@@ -127,6 +128,17 @@ require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/subs.php';
 require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/clientexception.php';
 require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/serverexception.php';
 
+
+//set PEAR error handling to use regular PHP exceptions
+function PEAR_ErrorToPEAR_Exception($err)
+{
+    if ($err->getCode()) {
+        throw new PEAR_Exception($err->getMessage(), $err->getCode());
+    }
+    throw new PEAR_Exception($err->getMessage());
+}
+PEAR::setErrorHandling(PEAR_ERROR_CALLBACK, 'PEAR_ErrorToPEAR_Exception');
+
 try {
     StatusNet::init(@$server, @$path, @$conffile);
 } catch (NoConfigException $e) {