diff --git a/src/tool_cfgable.h b/src/tool_cfgable.h
index f27a8e24e9..adbb446270 100644
--- a/src/tool_cfgable.h
+++ b/src/tool_cfgable.h
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ struct Configurable {
   char *range;
   long low_speed_limit;
   long low_speed_time;
-  bool showerror;
+  int showerror; /* -1 == unset, default => show errors
+                    0 => -s is used to NOT show errors
+                    1 => -S has been used to show errors */
   char *userpwd;
   char *tls_username;
   char *tls_password;
diff --git a/src/tool_getparam.c b/src/tool_getparam.c
index bb36b4246e..bd7375fd9d 100644
--- a/src/tool_getparam.c
+++ b/src/tool_getparam.c
@@ -1426,11 +1426,15 @@ ParameterError getparameter(char *flag,    /* f or -long-flag */
         config->mute = config->noprogress = TRUE;
       else
         config->mute = config->noprogress = FALSE;
-      config->showerror = (!toggle)?TRUE:FALSE; /* toggle off */
+      if(config->showerror < 0)
+        /* if still on the default value, set showerror to the reverse of
+           toggle. This is to allow -S and -s to be used in an independent
+           order but still have the same effect. */
+        config->showerror = (!toggle)?TRUE:FALSE; /* toggle off */
       break;
     case 'S':
       /* show errors */
-      config->showerror = toggle; /* toggle on if used with -s */
+      config->showerror = toggle?1:0; /* toggle on if used with -s */
       break;
     case 't':
       /* Telnet options */
diff --git a/src/tool_operate.c b/src/tool_operate.c
index 481116ddf9..65f4b60b85 100644
--- a/src/tool_operate.c
+++ b/src/tool_operate.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ int operate(struct Configurable *config, int argc, argv_item_t argv[])
 
   /* inits */
   config->postfieldsize = -1;
-  config->showerror = TRUE;
+  config->showerror = -1; /* will show errors */
   config->use_httpget = FALSE;
   config->create_dirs = FALSE;
   config->maxredirs = DEFAULT_MAXREDIRS;