diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 8ee671255..9608ad8cc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -32,11 +32,9 @@ protected
     @exception = exception
 
     if exception.is_a?(::ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid) && exception.to_s =~ /statement timeout/
-      @exception = nil
       @error_message = "The database timed out running your query."
       render :template => "static/error", :status => 500
     elsif exception.is_a?(::ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound)
-      @exception = nil
       @error_message = "That record was not found"
       render :template => "static/error", :status => 404
     else
diff --git a/app/views/static/error.html.erb b/app/views/static/error.html.erb
index e2aebe784..60e169309 100644
--- a/app/views/static/error.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/static/error.html.erb
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
       <li style="list-style-type: none;"><%= b %></li>
     <%- end -%>
   </ul>
+<% elsif @error_message %>
+  <p><%= @error_message %></p>
 <% else %>
   <p><%= @exception.message %></p>
 <% end %>