diff --git a/src/cli/reset.js b/src/cli/reset.js
index d3675d2ee4..33b1f01601 100644
--- a/src/cli/reset.js
+++ b/src/cli/reset.js
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ function resetPlugin(pluginId, callback) {
 		},
 	], function (err) {
 		if (err) {
-			winston.error('[reset] Could not disable plugin: %s encountered error %s', pluginId, err);
+			winston.error('[reset] Could not disable plugin: ' + pluginId + ' encountered error %s', err);
 		} else if (active) {
 			winston.info('[reset] Plugin `%s` disabled', pluginId);
 		} else {
diff --git a/src/prestart.js b/src/prestart.js
index f9d9e20cd7..a310321028 100644
--- a/src/prestart.js
+++ b/src/prestart.js
@@ -12,6 +12,22 @@ function setupWinston() {
 	if (!winston.format) {
 		return;
 	}
+
+	// allow winton.error to log error objects properly
+	// https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/issues/6848
+	const winstonError = winston.error;
+	winston.error = function (msg, error) {
+		if (msg instanceof Error) {
+			winstonError(msg);
+		} else if (error instanceof Error) {
+			msg = msg + '\n' + error.stack;
+			winstonError(msg);
+		} else {
+			winstonError.apply(null, arguments);
+		}
+	};
+
+
 	// https://github.com/winstonjs/winston/issues/1338
 	// error objects are not displayed properly
 	const enumerateErrorFormat = winston.format((info) => {