diff --git a/message/output/email/message_output_email.php b/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
index 958a64f09dc..43b1e18cc02 100644
--- a/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
+++ b/message/output/email/message_output_email.php
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ class message_output_email extends message_output {
         $result = email_to_user($eventdata->userto, $eventdata->userfrom,
             $eventdata->subject, $eventdata->fullmessage, $eventdata->fullmessagehtml);
 
-        return $result===true; //email_to_user() can return true, false or "emailstop"
-        //return true;//do we want to report an error if email sending fails?
+        return ($result===true || $result=='emailstop'); //email_to_user() can return true, false or "emailstop"
     }
 
     /**