Index: Form.php
===================================================================
--- Form.php	(revision 19962)
+++ Form.php	(working copy)
@@ -2181,6 +2181,16 @@
         $this->_errorMessages = array();
         return $this;
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Determine whether there are custom error messages
+     *
+     * @return boolean
+     */
+    public function hasErrorMessages()
+    {
+        return !empty($this->_errorMessages);
+    }
 
     /**
      * Mark the element as being in a failed validation state
Index: Form/Decorator/FormErrors.php
===================================================================
--- Form/Decorator/FormErrors.php	(revision 19962)
+++ Form/Decorator/FormErrors.php	(working copy)
@@ -377,18 +377,24 @@
             return $content;
         }
 
-        foreach ($errors as $name => $list) {
-            $element = $form->$name;
-            if ($element instanceof Zend_Form_Element) {
-                $element->setView($view);
-                $content .= $this->getMarkupListItemStart()
-                         .  $this->renderLabel($element, $view)
-                         .  $view->formErrors($list, $this->getOptions())
-                         .  $this->getMarkupListItemEnd();
-            } elseif (!$this->ignoreSubForms() && ($element instanceof Zend_Form)) {
-                $content .= $this->getMarkupListStart()
-                          . $this->_recurseForm($element, $view)
-                          . $this->getMarkupListEnd();
+        if ($form->hasErrorMessages()) {
+            $content .= $this->getMarkupListStart()
+                     . $view->formErrors($errors, $this->getOptions())
+                     . $this->getMarkupListEnd();
+        } else {
+            foreach ($errors as $name => $list) {
+                $element = $form->$name;
+                if ($element instanceof Zend_Form_Element) {
+                    $element->setView($view);
+                    $content .= $this->getMarkupListItemStart()
+                             .  $this->renderLabel($element, $view)
+                             .  $view->formErrors($list, $this->getOptions())
+                             .  $this->getMarkupListItemEnd();
+                } elseif (!$this->ignoreSubForms() && ($element instanceof Zend_Form)) {
+                    $content .= $this->getMarkupListStart()
+                             . $this->_recurseForm($element, $view)
+                             . $this->getMarkupListEnd();
+                }
             }
         }