diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/embed-in-c.rkt b/collects/tests/racket/embed-in-c.rkt
index 7d3d037419..3d8bfd9089 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/embed-in-c.rkt
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/embed-in-c.rkt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 (define-syntax-rule (test expected expr)
   (let ([val expr])
     (unless (equal? expected val)
-      (error 'test "failed at ~s: ~e" 'expr val))))
+      (error 'test "failed at ~s: ~e; expected: ~e" 'expr val expected))))
 
 (define dir (collection-path "tests" "racket"))
 (define lib-dir (find-lib-dir))
diff --git a/src/racket/src/error.c b/src/racket/src/error.c
index 34d154282a..ec00fee0ff 100644
--- a/src/racket/src/error.c
+++ b/src/racket/src/error.c
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ void scheme_set_exit(Scheme_Exit_Proc p) { scheme_exit = p; }
 HOOK_SHARED_OK void (*scheme_console_output)(char *str, intptr_t len);
 void scheme_set_console_output(scheme_console_output_t p) { scheme_console_output = p; }
 
-SHARED_OK static Scheme_Object *init_syslog_level = NULL;
-SHARED_OK static Scheme_Object *init_stderr_level = NULL;
+SHARED_OK static Scheme_Object *init_syslog_level = scheme_make_integer(INIT_SYSLOG_LEVEL);
+SHARED_OK static Scheme_Object *init_stderr_level = scheme_make_integer(SCHEME_LOG_ERROR);
 THREAD_LOCAL_DECL(static Scheme_Logger *scheme_main_logger);
 THREAD_LOCAL_DECL(static Scheme_Logger *scheme_gc_logger);
 THREAD_LOCAL_DECL(static Scheme_Logger *scheme_future_logger);