diff --git a/racket/src/io/error/main.rkt b/racket/src/io/error/main.rkt
index 25357e0ad5..9820350528 100644
--- a/racket/src/io/error/main.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/io/error/main.rkt
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 
 ;; Install the default error-value->string handler,
 ;; replacing the non-working primitive placeholder
-(void
+(define (install-error-value->string-handler!)
  (error-value->string-handler
   (lambda (v len)
     (unless (exact-nonnegative-integer? len)
@@ -61,3 +61,8 @@
     (define o (open-output-string))
     (do-global-print 'default-error-value->string-handler v o 0 len)
     (get-output-string o))))
+
+(void (install-error-value->string-handler!))
+
+(module+ place-init
+  (provide install-error-value->string-handler!))
diff --git a/racket/src/io/main.rkt b/racket/src/io/main.rkt
index 82c44a9052..245e555739 100644
--- a/racket/src/io/main.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/io/main.rkt
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
          "path/system.rkt"
          (only-in "host/rktio.rkt"
                   rktio-place-init!)
+         (submod "error/main.rkt"
+                 place-init)
          "port/place.rkt")
 
 (provide (all-from-out "port/main.rkt")
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@
   (sandman-place-init!)
   (rktio-place-init!)
   (logger-init!)
+  (install-error-value->string-handler!)
   (init-current-directory!)
   (init-current-ports! in-fd out-fd err-fd cust plumber))