diff --git a/lib/capybara.rb b/lib/capybara.rb
index 0c1ae9c5..785e2401 100644
--- a/lib/capybara.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module Capybara
     attr_accessor :asset_root, :app_host, :run_server, :default_host, :always_include_port
     attr_accessor :server_host, :server_port, :exact, :match, :exact_options
     attr_accessor :default_selector, :default_wait_time, :ignore_hidden_elements
-    attr_accessor :save_and_open_page_path, :automatic_reload
+    attr_accessor :save_and_open_page_path, :automatic_reload, :raise_server_errors
     attr_writer :default_driver, :current_driver, :javascript_driver, :session_name
     attr_accessor :app
 
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ Capybara.configure do |config|
   config.automatic_reload = true
   config.match = :smart
   config.exact = false
+  config.raise_server_errors = true
 end
 
 Capybara.register_driver :rack_test do |app|
diff --git a/lib/capybara/session.rb b/lib/capybara/session.rb
index e0a515fc..dc1ab002 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/session.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/session.rb
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module Capybara
     def reset!
       driver.reset! if @touched
       @touched = false
-      raise @server.error if @server and @server.error
+      raise @server.error if Capybara.raise_server_errors and @server and @server.error
     ensure
       @server.reset_error! if @server
     end
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/session/reset_session_spec.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/session/reset_session_spec.rb
index 980e5e9c..95bd6722 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/session/reset_session_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/session/reset_session_spec.rb
@@ -31,12 +31,20 @@ Capybara::SpecHelper.spec '#reset_session!' do
     @session.should have_no_selector('.//h1')
   end
 
-  it "raises any errors caught inside the server" do
+  it "raises any errors caught inside the server", :requires => [:server] do
+    quietly { @session.visit("/error") }
     expect do
-      quietly { @session.visit("/error") }
       @session.reset_session!
     end.to raise_error(TestApp::TestAppError)
     @session.visit("/")
     @session.current_path.should == "/"
   end
+
+  it "ignores server errors when `Capybara.raise_server_errors = false`", :requires => [:server] do
+    Capybara.raise_server_errors = false
+    quietly { @session.visit("/error") }
+    @session.reset_session!
+    @session.visit("/")
+    @session.current_path.should == "/"
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb b/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 325a19b1..dd47b54f 100644
--- a/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/lib/capybara/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ module Capybara
         Capybara.ignore_hidden_elements = true
         Capybara.exact = false
         Capybara.exact_options = false
+        Capybara.raise_server_errors = true
         Capybara.match = :smart
       end