Hmmm ... using mysql v3.23.36, Perl 5.6.0, and DBI v1.20:

# connect with RaiseError set to true

eval {
  $dbh->do('UPDATE a SET x = y');
  $dbh->commit();
};
if ($@) {
  warn "flurg!: $@";
  warn "flurg!: ", $dbh->errstr();
}
[download]

yielded:

DBD::mysql::db do failed: Table 'mysql.a' doesn't exist at ./test_db_e
+val.pl line 20.

flurg!: DBD::mysql::db do failed: Table 'mysql.a' doesn't exist at ./t
+est_db_eval.pl line 20.

flurg!: Table 'mysql.a' doesn't exist at ./test_db_eval.pl line 25.
[download]

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
F--F--F--F--F--F--F--F--
(the triplet paradiddle)