diff --git a/search/cron.php b/search/cron.php
index 841d51fe8c7..75d6d86c751 100644
--- a/search/cron.php
+++ b/search/cron.php
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
   require_once("$CFG->dirroot/search/lib.php");
 
   if (empty($CFG->enableglobalsearch)) {
-    error('Global searching is not enabled.');
+    mtrace('Global searching is not enabled.');
+    return;
   }
 
   mtrace("<pre>Starting cron...\n");
@@ -31,4 +32,4 @@
 
   mtrace("cron finished.</pre>");
 
-?>
\ No newline at end of file
+?>