diff --git a/src/callbacks.py b/src/callbacks.py
index bde7536de..cba199cd6 100644
--- a/src/callbacks.py
+++ b/src/callbacks.py
@@ -615,15 +615,13 @@ class ReplyIrcProxy(RichReplyMethods):
 
     def error(self, s, msg=None, **kwargs):
         if 'Raise' in kwargs and kwargs['Raise']:
-            if s:
-                raise Error(s)
-            else:
-                raise ArgumentError
+            raise Error()
         if msg is None:
             msg = self.msg
-        m = _makeErrorReply(self, msg, s, **kwargs)
-        self.irc.queueMsg(m)
-        return m
+        if s:
+            m = _makeErrorReply(self, msg, s, **kwargs)
+            self.irc.queueMsg(m)
+            return m
 
     def reply(self, s, msg=None, **kwargs):
         if msg is None:
@@ -1050,19 +1048,13 @@ class NestedCommandsIrcProxy(ReplyIrcProxy):
     def error(self, s='', Raise=False, **kwargs):
         self.repliedTo = True
         if Raise:
-            if s:
-                raise Error(s)
-            else:
-                raise ArgumentError
-        if s:
-            if not isinstance(self.irc, irclib.Irc):
-                return self.irc.error(s, **kwargs)
-            else:
-                m = _makeErrorReply(self, self.msg, s, **kwargs)
-                self.irc.queueMsg(m)
-                return m
-        else:
-            raise ArgumentError
+            raise Error(s)
+        if not isinstance(self.irc, irclib.Irc):
+            return self.irc.error(s, **kwargs)
+        elif s:
+            m = _makeErrorReply(self, self.msg, s, **kwargs)
+            self.irc.queueMsg(m)
+            return m
 
     def __getattr__(self, attr):
         return getattr(self.irc, attr)
diff --git a/test/test_callbacks.py b/test/test_callbacks.py
index f22d8dff9..e4e73754b 100644
--- a/test/test_callbacks.py
+++ b/test/test_callbacks.py
@@ -404,8 +404,8 @@ class PrivmsgTestCase(ChannelPluginTestCase):
         finally:
             conf.supybot.reply.error.inPrivate.setValue(original)
 
-    def testErrorNoArgumentIsArgumentError(self):
-        self.assertHelp('eval irc.error()')
+    def testErrorNoArgumentIsSilent(self):
+        self.assertResponse('eval irc.error()', 'None')
 
     def testErrorWithNotice(self):
         try: