diff --git a/mod/assign/locallib.php b/mod/assign/locallib.php
index 5ba28a6dc9c..7e9ff3021e1 100644
--- a/mod/assign/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/locallib.php
@@ -3091,6 +3091,9 @@ class assign {
     public function can_view_submission($userid) {
         global $USER;
 
+        if (is_siteadmin()) {
+            return true;
+        }
         if (!is_enrolled($this->get_course_context(), $userid)) {
             return false;
         }
diff --git a/mod/assign/upgradelib.php b/mod/assign/upgradelib.php
index 4ed07f45e16..9415f47cdf1 100644
--- a/mod/assign/upgradelib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/upgradelib.php
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class assign_upgrade_manager {
 
         } catch (Exception $exception) {
             $rollback = true;
-            $log .= get_string('conversionexception', 'mod_assign', $exception->error);
+            $log .= get_string('conversionexception', 'mod_assign', $exception->getMessage());
         }
 
         if ($rollback) {