diff --git a/mysql-test/r/default.result b/mysql-test/r/default.result
index 369734ae92a..1a35a29aa7f 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/default.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/default.result
@@ -3396,4 +3396,12 @@ CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE t1(i int);
 ALTER TABLE t1 ADD b CHAR(255) DEFAULT `aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa`;
 ERROR 42S22: Unknown column 'aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa' in 'DEFAULT'
 DROP TABLE t1;
+#
+# MDEV-18278 Misleading error message in error log upon failed table creation
+#
+create table t1 (a int as (a));
+ERROR 01000: Expression for field `a` is referring to uninitialized field `a`
+show warnings;
+Level	Code	Message
+Error	4029	Expression for field `a` is referring to uninitialized field `a`
 # end of 10.2 test
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/default.test b/mysql-test/t/default.test
index aec518d94a6..472b1fa4796 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/default.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/default.test
@@ -2109,5 +2109,11 @@ CREATE OR REPLACE TABLE t1(i int);
 ALTER TABLE t1 ADD b CHAR(255) DEFAULT `aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa`;
 DROP TABLE t1;
 
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-18278 Misleading error message in error log upon failed table creation
+--echo #
+--error ER_EXPRESSION_REFERS_TO_UNINIT_FIELD
+create table t1 (a int as (a));
+show warnings;
 
 --echo # end of 10.2 test
diff --git a/sql/table.cc b/sql/table.cc
index 281b8f82abc..87b3c158a67 100644
--- a/sql/table.cc
+++ b/sql/table.cc
@@ -1157,7 +1157,10 @@ bool parse_vcol_defs(THD *thd, MEM_ROOT *mem_root, TABLE *table,
     if (check_vcol_forward_refs(field, field->vcol_info) ||
         check_vcol_forward_refs(field, field->check_constraint) ||
         check_vcol_forward_refs(field, field->default_value))
+    {
+      *error_reported= true;
       goto end;
+    }
   }
 
   res=0;