diff --git a/api-server/server/middlewares/error-reporter.js b/api-server/server/middlewares/error-reporter.js
index 81a368b202..f3d338d421 100644
--- a/api-server/server/middlewares/error-reporter.js
+++ b/api-server/server/middlewares/error-reporter.js
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ ${JSON.stringify(error, null, 2)}
 };
 
 export function reportError(err) {
-  return process.env.FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV === 'production'
+  return process.env.FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV === 'production' &&
+    process.env.ERROR_REPORTER === 'true'
     ? reporter.error(err.message, err)
     : console.error(err);
 }
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ export function reportError(err) {
 export default function errrorReporter() {
   if (
     process.env.FREECODECAMP_NODE_ENV !== 'production' &&
-    process.env.ERROR_REPORTER
+    process.env.ERROR_REPORTER === 'true'
   ) {
     return (err, req, res, next) => {
       console.error(errTemplate(err, req));