diff --git a/lib/filebrowser/file_info.php b/lib/filebrowser/file_info.php
index 0c294f67f02..52ba8b1fc6a 100644
--- a/lib/filebrowser/file_info.php
+++ b/lib/filebrowser/file_info.php
@@ -128,6 +128,19 @@ abstract class file_info {
         return true;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is this info area and is it "empty"? Are there any files in subfolders?
+     *
+     * This is used mostly in repositories to reduce the
+     * number of empty folders. This method may be very slow,
+     * use with care.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function is_empty_area() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns file size in bytes, null for directories
      * @return int bytes or null if not known
diff --git a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_course.php b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_course.php
index 26f95a0d897..20a39ebfdfa 100644
--- a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_course.php
+++ b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_course.php
@@ -320,8 +320,6 @@ class file_info_area_course_legacy extends file_info_stored {
      * @return string url
      */
     public function get_url($forcedownload=false, $https=false) {
-        global $CFG;
-
         if (!$this->is_readable()) {
             return null;
         }
@@ -412,6 +410,16 @@ class file_info_area_course_section extends file_info {
         return false;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is this empty area?
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function is_empty_area() {
+        $fs = get_file_storage();
+        return $fs->is_area_empty($this->context->id, 'course', 'section');
+    }
+
     /**
      * Is directory?
      * @return bool
@@ -501,6 +509,16 @@ class file_info_area_backup_section extends file_info {
         return false;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is this empty area?
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function is_empty_area() {
+        $fs = get_file_storage();
+        return $fs->is_area_empty($this->context->id, 'backup', 'section');
+    }
+
     /**
      * Is directory?
      * @return bool
diff --git a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_module.php b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_module.php
index 739eea9686d..45b2d5af9a8 100644
--- a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_module.php
+++ b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_context_module.php
@@ -171,6 +171,34 @@ class file_info_context_module extends file_info {
         return false;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is this empty area?
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function is_empty_area() {
+        if ($child = $this->get_area_backup(0, '/', '.')) {
+            if (!$child->is_empty_area()) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        if ($child = $this->get_area_intro(0, '/', '.')) {
+            if (!$child->is_empty_area()) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+
+        foreach ($this->areas as $area=>$desctiption) {
+            if ($child = $this->get_file_info('mod_'.$this->modname, $area, null, null, null)) {
+                if (!$child->is_empty_area()) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Is directory?
      * @return bool
diff --git a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_stored.php b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_stored.php
index 5cf165e6f8a..708ea11612b 100644
--- a/lib/filebrowser/file_info_stored.php
+++ b/lib/filebrowser/file_info_stored.php
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class file_info_stored extends file_info {
      */
     public function get_params() {
         return array('contextid'=>$this->context->id,
-                     'component' =>$this->lf->get_component(),
+                     'component'=>$this->lf->get_component(),
                      'filearea' =>$this->lf->get_filearea(),
                      'itemid'   =>$this->lf->get_itemid(),
                      'filepath' =>$this->lf->get_filepath(),
@@ -127,9 +127,9 @@ class file_info_stored extends file_info {
         $contextid = $this->lf->get_contextid();
         $component = $this->lf->get_component();
         $filearea  = $this->lf->get_filearea();
+        $itemid    = $this->lf->get_itemid();
         $filepath  = $this->lf->get_filepath();
         $filename  = $this->lf->get_filename();
-        $itemid    = $this->lf->get_itemid();
 
         if ($this->itemidused) {
             $path = '/'.$contextid.'/'.$component.'/'.$filearea.'/'.$itemid.$filepath.$filename;
@@ -155,6 +155,21 @@ class file_info_stored extends file_info {
         return $this->writeaccess;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Is this top of empty area?
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function is_empty_area() {
+        if ($this->lf->get_filepath() === '/' and $this->lf->get_filename() === '.') {
+            // test the emptiness only in the top most level, it does not make sense at lower levels
+            $fs = get_file_storage();
+            return $fs->is_area_empty($this->lf->get_contextid(), $this->lf->get_component(), $this->lf->get_filearea(), $this->lf->get_itemid());
+        } else {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns file size in bytes, null for directories
      * @return int bytes or null if not known
diff --git a/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php b/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
index 974bce86543..8c20c277beb 100644
--- a/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
+++ b/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
@@ -213,6 +213,39 @@ class file_storage {
         return $this->get_file_by_hash($pathnamehash);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Are there any files (or directories)
+     * @param int $contextid
+     * @param string $component
+     * @param string $filearea
+     * @param bool|int $itemid tem id or false if all items
+     * @param bool $ignoredirs
+     * @return bool empty
+     */
+    public function is_area_empty($contextid, $component, $filearea, $itemid = false, $ignoredirs = true) {
+        global $DB;
+
+        $params = array('contextid'=>$contextid, 'component'=>$component, 'filearea'=>$filearea);
+        $where = "contextid = :contextid AND component = :component AND filearea = :filearea";
+
+        if ($itemid !== false) {
+            $params['itemid'] = $itemid;
+            $where .= " AND itemid = :itemid";
+        }
+
+        if ($ignoredirs) {
+            $sql = "SELECT 'x'
+                      FROM {files}
+                     WHERE $where AND filename <> '.'";
+        } else {
+            $sql = "SELECT 'x'
+                      FROM {files}
+                     WHERE $where AND (filename <> '.' OR filepath <> '/')";
+        }
+
+        return !$DB->record_exists_sql($sql, $params);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns all area files (optionally limited by itemid)
      *
@@ -224,7 +257,7 @@ class file_storage {
      * @param bool $includedirs
      * @return array of stored_files indexed by pathanmehash
      */
-    public function get_area_files($contextid, $component, $filearea, $itemid=false, $sort="sortorder, itemid, filepath, filename", $includedirs = true) {
+    public function get_area_files($contextid, $component, $filearea, $itemid = false, $sort="sortorder, itemid, filepath, filename", $includedirs = true) {
         global $DB;
 
         $conditions = array('contextid'=>$contextid, 'component'=>$component, 'filearea'=>$filearea);
diff --git a/repository/local/lib.php b/repository/local/lib.php
index 478ba2b5a72..91b0d45289a 100755
--- a/repository/local/lib.php
+++ b/repository/local/lib.php
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ class repository_local extends repository {
             $children = $fileinfo->get_children();
             foreach ($children as $child) {
                 if ($child->is_directory()) {
+                    if ($child->is_empty_area()) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
                     $params = $child->get_params();
                     $subdir_children = $child->get_children();
                     //if (empty($subdir_children)) {