diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Debug/ExceptionHandler.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Debug/ExceptionHandler.php
index a0d03236de..74346a5d00 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Debug/ExceptionHandler.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Debug/ExceptionHandler.php
@@ -384,11 +384,6 @@ EOF;
      */
     private function formatArgs(array $args)
     {
-        if (PHP_VERSION_ID >= 50400) {
-            $flags = ENT_QUOTES | ENT_SUBSTITUTE;
-        } else {
-            $flags = ENT_QUOTES;
-        }
         $result = array();
         foreach ($args as $key => $item) {
             if ('object' === $item[0]) {
@@ -429,7 +424,7 @@ EOF;
             $str = iconv($charset, 'UTF-8', $str);
         }
 
-        return htmlspecialchars($str, ENT_QUOTES | ENT_SUBSTITUTE, 'UTF-8');
+        return htmlspecialchars($str, ENT_QUOTES | (PHP_VERSION_ID >= 50400 ? ENT_SUBSTITUTE : 0), 'UTF-8');
     }
 
     /**