diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 7a8ed9fa971..2e77b0b812f 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@ function get_config($plugin, $name = NULL) {
         if ($localcfg) {
             return (object)$localcfg;
         } else {
-            return null;
+            return new stdClass();
         }
 
     } else {
diff --git a/lib/simpletest/testfilterconfig.php b/lib/simpletest/testfilterconfig.php
index 28ad2df56f9..98af92b6808 100644
--- a/lib/simpletest/testfilterconfig.php
+++ b/lib/simpletest/testfilterconfig.php
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ class filter_delete_config_test extends UnitTestCaseUsingDatabase {
         $expectedconfig = new stdClass;
         $expectedconfig->configname = 'Other config value';
         $this->assertEqual($expectedconfig, get_config('filter_other'));
-        $this->assertNull(get_config('filter_name'));
+        $this->assertIdentical(get_config('filter_name'), new stdClass());
     }
 
     public function test_filter_delete_all_for_context() {