diff --git a/RtMidi.cpp b/RtMidi.cpp
index 781d5b7c..93d40538 100644
--- a/RtMidi.cpp
+++ b/RtMidi.cpp
@@ -533,6 +533,12 @@ RtMidiOut :: ~RtMidiOut() throw()
 //*********************************************************************//
 //  Common MidiApi Definitions
 //*********************************************************************//
+bool MidiApi :: printErrorIfNoCallback_ = false;
+
+void MidiApi :: printErrorIfNoCallback( bool print )
+{
+  printErrorIfNoCallback_ = print;
+}
 
 MidiApi :: MidiApi( void )
   : apiData_( 0 ), connected_( false ), errorCallback_(0), firstErrorOccurred_(false), errorCallbackUserData_(0)
@@ -565,7 +571,8 @@ void MidiApi :: error( RtMidiError::Type type, std::string errorString )
   }
 
   if ( type == RtMidiError::WARNING ) {
-    std::cerr << '\n' << errorString << "\n\n";
+    if ( printErrorIfNoCallback_ )
+      std::cerr << '\n' << errorString << "\n\n";
   }
   else if ( type == RtMidiError::DEBUG_WARNING ) {
 #if defined(__RTMIDI_DEBUG__)
@@ -573,7 +580,8 @@ void MidiApi :: error( RtMidiError::Type type, std::string errorString )
 #endif
   }
   else {
-    std::cerr << '\n' << errorString << "\n\n";
+    if ( printErrorIfNoCallback_ )
+      std::cerr << '\n' << errorString << "\n\n";
     throw RtMidiError( errorString, type );
   }
 }
diff --git a/RtMidi.h b/RtMidi.h
index 9fc520ed..5aa01970 100644
--- a/RtMidi.h
+++ b/RtMidi.h
@@ -496,6 +496,12 @@ class RTMIDI_DLL_PUBLIC MidiApi
 {
  public:
 
+  //! Set a boolean to avoid printing error messages to the error stream when no error callback is setup.
+  /*!
+      \param print True to print error messages to the error stream when no callback setup, false to not do so.
+   */
+  static void printErrorIfNoCallback( bool print );
+
   MidiApi();
   virtual ~MidiApi();
   virtual RtMidi::Api getCurrentApi( void ) = 0;
@@ -517,6 +523,7 @@ class RTMIDI_DLL_PUBLIC MidiApi
 protected:
   virtual void initialize( const std::string& clientName ) = 0;
 
+  static bool printErrorIfNoCallback_;
   void *apiData_;
   bool connected_;
   std::string errorString_;