diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
index 527b9ca2a..c09a0490c 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/codecell.js
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ define([
      * Execute current code cell to the kernel
      * @method execute
      */
-    CodeCell.prototype.execute = function (skip_exceptions) {
+    CodeCell.prototype.execute = function (stop_on_error) {
         if (!this.kernel || !this.kernel.is_connected()) {
             console.log("Can't execute, kernel is not connected.");
             return;
@@ -411,8 +411,8 @@ define([
 
         this.active_output_area.clear_output(false, true);
 
-        if (skip_exceptions === undefined) {
-            skip_exceptions = false;
+        if (stop_on_error === undefined) {
+            stop_on_error = true;
         }
 
         // Clear widget area
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ define([
         
         var old_msg_id = this.last_msg_id;
         this.last_msg_id = this.kernel.execute(this.get_text(), callbacks, {silent: false, store_history: true,
-            skip_exceptions : skip_exceptions});
+            stop_on_error : stop_on_error});
         if (old_msg_id) {
             delete CodeCell.msg_cells[old_msg_id];
         }
diff --git a/IPython/html/tests/notebook/execute_code.js b/IPython/html/tests/notebook/execute_code.js
index ca80b9ff5..f0d22f8c4 100644
--- a/IPython/html/tests/notebook/execute_code.js
+++ b/IPython/html/tests/notebook/execute_code.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ casper.notebook_test(function () {
         IPython.notebook.insert_cell_below('code',0);
         var cell1 = IPython.notebook.get_cell(1);
         cell1.set_text('a=14; print(a)');
-        cell0.execute(skip_exception=true);
+        cell0.execute(false);
         cell1.execute();
     });
 
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ casper.notebook_test(function () {
 
     this.then(function () {
         var result = this.get_output_cell(1);
-        this.test.assertEquals(result.text, '14\n', 'cell execute, skip exceptions');
+        this.test.assertEquals(result.text, '14\n', "cell execute, don't stop on error");
     });
 
     this.thenEvaluate(function () {
@@ -108,6 +108,6 @@ casper.notebook_test(function () {
 
     this.then(function () {
         var result = this.get_output_cell(1);
-        this.test.assertNotEquals(result.text, '14\n', 'cell execute, skip exceptions');
+        this.test.assertNotEquals(result.text, '14\n', 'cell execute, stop on error');
     });
 });