diff --git a/question/type/calculated/db/upgradelib.php b/question/type/calculated/db/upgradelib.php
index 22d87107f47..09803be12d7 100644
--- a/question/type/calculated/db/upgradelib.php
+++ b/question/type/calculated/db/upgradelib.php
@@ -248,11 +248,18 @@ class qtype_calculated_qe2_attempt_updater extends question_qtype_attempt_update
      * @return float the computed result.
      */
     protected function calculate_raw($expression) {
-        // This validation trick from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.
-        if (!@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
-            return '[Invalid expression ' . $expression . ']';
+        try {
+            // In older PHP versions this this is a way to validate code passed to eval.
+            // The trick came from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.
+            if (@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
+                return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+            }
+        } catch (Throwable $e) {
+            // PHP7 and later now throws ParseException and friends from eval(),
+            // which is much better.
         }
-        return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+        // In either case of an invalid $expression, we end here.
+        return '[Invalid expression ' . $expression . ']';
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/question/type/calculated/question.php b/question/type/calculated/question.php
index af9c819e6c6..99cd17120f7 100644
--- a/question/type/calculated/question.php
+++ b/question/type/calculated/question.php
@@ -433,11 +433,18 @@ class qtype_calculated_variable_substituter {
      * @return float the computed result.
      */
     protected function calculate_raw($expression) {
-        // This validation trick from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php .
-        if (!@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
-            throw new moodle_exception('illegalformulasyntax', 'qtype_calculated', '', $expression);
+        try {
+            // In older PHP versions this this is a way to validate code passed to eval.
+            // The trick came from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.
+            if (@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
+                return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+            }
+        } catch (Throwable $e) {
+            // PHP7 and later now throws ParseException and friends from eval(),
+            // which is much better.
         }
-        return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+        // In either case of an invalid $expression, we end here.
+        throw new moodle_exception('illegalformulasyntax', 'qtype_calculated', '', $expression);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/question/type/calculated/tests/variablesubstituter_test.php b/question/type/calculated/tests/variablesubstituter_test.php
index f9be863b591..b67030652fe 100644
--- a/question/type/calculated/tests/variablesubstituter_test.php
+++ b/question/type/calculated/tests/variablesubstituter_test.php
@@ -65,6 +65,17 @@ class qtype_calculated_variable_substituter_test extends advanced_testcase {
         $vs->calculate('{a}{b}'); // Have to make sure this does not just evaluate to 12.
     }
 
+    public function test_division_by_zero_expression() {
+
+        if (intval(PHP_VERSION) < 7) {
+            $this->markTestSkipped('Division by zero triggers a PHP warning before PHP 7.');
+        }
+
+        $this->setExpectedException('moodle_exception');
+        $vs = new qtype_calculated_variable_substituter(array('a' => 1, 'b' => 0), '.');
+        $vs->calculate('{a} / {b}');
+    }
+
     public function test_replace_expressions_in_text_simple_var() {
         $vs = new qtype_calculated_variable_substituter(array('a' => 1, 'b' => 2), '.');
         $this->assertEquals('1 + 2', $vs->replace_expressions_in_text('{a} + {b}'));
diff --git a/question/type/calculatedmulti/db/upgradelib.php b/question/type/calculatedmulti/db/upgradelib.php
index 53bf09dd44a..ed4cb25bee1 100644
--- a/question/type/calculatedmulti/db/upgradelib.php
+++ b/question/type/calculatedmulti/db/upgradelib.php
@@ -272,11 +272,18 @@ class qtype_calculatedmulti_qe2_attempt_updater extends question_qtype_attempt_u
      * @return float the computed result.
      */
     protected function calculate_raw($expression) {
-        // This validation trick from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.
-        if (!@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
-            return '[Invalid expression ' . $expression . ']';
+        try {
+            // In older PHP versions this this is a way to validate code passed to eval.
+            // The trick came from http://php.net/manual/en/function.eval.php.
+            if (@eval('return true; $result = ' . $expression . ';')) {
+                return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+            }
+        } catch (Throwable $e) {
+            // PHP7 and later now throws ParseException and friends from eval(),
+            // which is much better.
         }
-        return eval('return ' . $expression . ';');
+        // In either case of an invalid $expression, we end here.
+        return '[Invalid expression ' . $expression . ']';
     }
 
     /**