diff --git a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeResponse.php b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeResponse.php
index d5e10c657..e610bf2f7 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/Network/CakeResponse.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/Network/CakeResponse.php
@@ -520,9 +520,11 @@ class CakeResponse {
  */
 	protected function _sendHeader($name, $value = null) {
 		if (headers_sent($filename, $linenum)) {
-			throw new CakeException(
-				__d('cake_dev', 'Headers already sent in %s on line %s', $filename, $linenum)
+			trigger_error(
+				__d('cake_dev', 'Headers already sent in %s on line %s', $filename, $linenum),
+				E_USER_NOTICE
 			);
+			return;
 		}
 		if ($value === null) {
 			header($name);