diff --git a/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error2.phpt b/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error2.phpt
index 2b306696a692b..a6403e610dea9 100644
--- a/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error2.phpt
+++ b/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error2.phpt
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ var_export($obj, true);
 ===DONE===
 --EXPECTF--
 
-Fatal error: Nesting level too deep - recursive dependency? in %s on line 9
\ No newline at end of file
+Warning: var_export does not handle circular references in %s on line 9
+===DONE===
diff --git a/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error3.phpt b/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error3.phpt
index 03ed496aca5f8..c862691e9117b 100644
--- a/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error3.phpt
+++ b/ext/standard/tests/general_functions/var_export_error3.phpt
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ var_export($a, true);
 ===DONE===
 --EXPECTF--
 
-Fatal error: Nesting level too deep - recursive dependency? in %s on line 9
\ No newline at end of file
+Warning: var_export does not handle circular references in %s on line 9
+===DONE===
diff --git a/ext/standard/var.c b/ext/standard/var.c
index 735d0a7cbb50c..494fb583c7544 100644
--- a/ext/standard/var.c
+++ b/ext/standard/var.c
@@ -453,6 +453,11 @@ PHPAPI void php_var_export_ex(zval **struc, int level, smart_str *buf TSRMLS_DC)
 		break;
 	case IS_ARRAY:
 		myht = Z_ARRVAL_PP(struc);
+		if(myht && myht->nApplyCount > 0){
+			smart_str_appendl(buf, "NULL", 4);
+			zend_error(E_WARNING, "var_export does not handle circular references");
+			return;
+		}
 		if (level > 1) {
 			smart_str_appendc(buf, '\n');
 			buffer_append_spaces(buf, level - 1);
@@ -469,6 +474,11 @@ PHPAPI void php_var_export_ex(zval **struc, int level, smart_str *buf TSRMLS_DC)
 
 	case IS_OBJECT:
 		myht = Z_OBJPROP_PP(struc);
+		if(myht && myht->nApplyCount > 0){
+			smart_str_appendl(buf, "NULL", 4);
+			zend_error(E_WARNING, "var_export does not handle circular references");
+			return;
+		}
 		if (level > 1) {
 			smart_str_appendc(buf, '\n');
 			buffer_append_spaces(buf, level - 1);