diff --git a/src/message.c b/src/message.c
index 985e1eb..ab193f0 100644
--- a/src/message.c
+++ b/src/message.c
@@ -605,7 +605,8 @@
 #ifdef FEAT_EVAL
     /* When testing some errors are turned into a normal message. */
     if (ignore_error(s))
-	return msg(s);
+	/* don't call msg() if it results in a dialog */
+	return msg_use_printf() ? FALSE : msg(s);
 #endif
 
     called_emsg = TRUE;