diff --git a/course/format/topics/lib.php b/course/format/topics/lib.php
index f5e0488084c..c1f80c086c7 100644
--- a/course/format/topics/lib.php
+++ b/course/format/topics/lib.php
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ class format_topics extends format_base {
             if ($sectionno != 0 && $usercoursedisplay == COURSE_DISPLAY_MULTIPAGE) {
                 $url->param('section', $sectionno);
             } else {
+                if (empty($CFG->linkcoursesections) && !empty($options['navigation'])) {
+                    return null;
+                }
                 $url->set_anchor('section-'.$sectionno);
             }
         }
diff --git a/course/format/weeks/lib.php b/course/format/weeks/lib.php
index af0fba40424..a008fa71fba 100644
--- a/course/format/weeks/lib.php
+++ b/course/format/weeks/lib.php
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ class format_weeks extends format_base {
             if ($sectionno != 0 && $usercoursedisplay == COURSE_DISPLAY_MULTIPAGE) {
                 $url->param('section', $sectionno);
             } else {
+                if (empty($CFG->linkcoursesections) && !empty($options['navigation'])) {
+                    return null;
+                }
                 $url->set_anchor('section-'.$sectionno);
             }
         }