diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index ef48934..6c4f8ec 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -4025,8 +4025,6 @@
 
 /*
  * Evaluate an expression that the client sent to a string.
- * Handles disabling error messages and disables debugging, otherwise Vim
- * hangs, waiting for "cont" to be typed.
  */
     char_u *
 eval_client_expr_to_string(expr)
@@ -4036,15 +4034,21 @@
     int		save_dbl = debug_break_level;
     int		save_ro = redir_off;
 
+     /* Disable debugging, otherwise Vim hangs, waiting for "cont" to be
+      * typed. */
     debug_break_level = -1;
     redir_off = 0;
-    ++emsg_skip;
+    /* Do not display error message, otherwise Vim hangs, waiting for "cont"
+     * to be typed.  Do generate errors so that try/catch works. */
+    ++emsg_silent;
 
     res = eval_to_string(expr, NULL, TRUE);
 
     debug_break_level = save_dbl;
     redir_off = save_ro;
-    --emsg_skip;
+    --emsg_silent;
+    if (emsg_silent < 0)
+	emsg_silent = 0;
 
     /* A client can tell us to redraw, but not to display the cursor, so do
      * that here. */