diff --git a/spec/beautiful/init_spec.lua b/spec/beautiful/init_spec.lua
index e8693f4b2..07edb0ac8 100644
--- a/spec/beautiful/init_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/beautiful/init_spec.lua
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ describe("beautiful init", function()
         assert.has_no_error(function() beautiful.init(dir .. "Good.lua") end, "")
 
         -- Check the return values (remove the shim)
-        gdebug.print_error = shim
+        gdebug.print_error = function() end
 
         assert.is_nil(beautiful.init({}))
         assert.is_nil(beautiful.init(dir .. "Bad_1.lua"))
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ describe("beautiful init", function()
         assert.is_nil(beautiful.init(dir .. "Bad_5.lua"))
         assert.is_nil(beautiful.init(dir .. "NO_FILE"))
 
+        gdebug.print_error = shim
+
         assert.is_true(beautiful.init({ font = "Monospace Bold 12" }))
         assert.is_true(beautiful.init(dir .. "Good.lua"))
     end)