diff --git a/question/format/gift/format.php b/question/format/gift/format.php
index 0bfc0381ea5..fcfa2367220 100644
--- a/question/format/gift/format.php
+++ b/question/format/gift/format.php
@@ -761,10 +761,6 @@ class qformat_gift extends qformat_default {
             // Check for plugins
             if ($out = $this->try_exporting_using_qtypes($question->qtype, $question)) {
                 $expout .= $out;
-            } else {
-                $expout .= "Question type $question->qtype is not supported\n";
-                echo $OUTPUT->notification(get_string('nohandler', 'qformat_gift',
-                        question_bank::get_qtype_name($question->qtype)));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/question/format/xml/format.php b/question/format/xml/format.php
index 4f7b4a6ac4a..b713595cc61 100644
--- a/question/format/xml/format.php
+++ b/question/format/xml/format.php
@@ -1095,6 +1095,7 @@ class qformat_xml extends qformat_default {
     public function writequestion($question) {
         global $CFG, $OUTPUT;
 
+        $invalidquestion = false;
         $fs = get_file_storage();
         $contextid = $question->contextid;
         // Get files used by the questiontext.
@@ -1402,11 +1403,12 @@ class qformat_xml extends qformat_default {
                 break;
 
             default:
-                // try support by optional plugin
+                // Try support by optional plugin.
                 if (!$data = $this->try_exporting_using_qtypes($question->qtype, $question)) {
-                    notify(get_string('unsupportedexport', 'qformat_xml', $question->qtype));
+                    $invalidquestion = true;
+                } else {
+                    $expout .= $data;
                 }
-                $expout .= $data;
         }
 
         // Output any hints.
@@ -1427,8 +1429,11 @@ class qformat_xml extends qformat_default {
 
         // close the question tag
         $expout .= "  </question>\n";
-
-        return $expout;
+        if ($invalidquestion) {
+            return '';
+        } else {
+            return $expout;
+        }
     }
 
     public function write_answers($answers) {