diff --git a/contrib/commandref_join.pl b/contrib/commandref_join.pl
index 7f0beaa5d..4bc9ab1de 100755
--- a/contrib/commandref_join.pl
+++ b/contrib/commandref_join.pl
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ generateModuleCommandref($$;$$)
           $tagcount{$tag} +=()= ($l =~ /<$tag>/gi);
           $tagcount{$tag} -=()= ($l =~ /<\/$tag>/gi);
           if($tagcount{$tag} < 0) {
-            print "*** $lang $fPath: negative tagcount for $tag, line $line\n";
+            print "*** $lang $fPath: negative tagcount for $tag, line $line\n"
+                if(!$noWarnings);
             $tagcount{$tag} = 0;
           }
           $llwct{$tag} = $line if(!$tagcount{$tag});