diff --git a/course/format/topics/lib.php b/course/format/topics/lib.php
index 0f783e1063b..f26cafda2dd 100644
--- a/course/format/topics/lib.php
+++ b/course/format/topics/lib.php
@@ -213,8 +213,12 @@ class format_topics extends format_base {
         }
         if ($foreditform && !isset($courseformatoptions['coursedisplay']['label'])) {
             $courseconfig = get_config('moodlecourse');
+            $max = $courseconfig->maxsections;
+            if (!isset($max) || !is_numeric($max)) {
+                $max = 52;
+            }
             $sectionmenu = array();
-            for ($i = 0; $i <= $courseconfig->maxsections; $i++) {
+            for ($i = 0; $i <= $max; $i++) {
                 $sectionmenu[$i] = "$i";
             }
             $courseformatoptionsedit = array(
diff --git a/course/format/weeks/lib.php b/course/format/weeks/lib.php
index ba1f54f9c32..a5c11539af3 100644
--- a/course/format/weeks/lib.php
+++ b/course/format/weeks/lib.php
@@ -219,7 +219,11 @@ class format_weeks extends format_base {
         if ($foreditform && !isset($courseformatoptions['coursedisplay']['label'])) {
             $courseconfig = get_config('moodlecourse');
             $sectionmenu = array();
-            for ($i = 0; $i <= $courseconfig->maxsections; $i++) {
+            $max = $courseconfig->maxsections;
+            if (!isset($max) || !is_numeric($max)) {
+                $max = 52;
+            }
+            for ($i = 0; $i <= $max; $i++) {
                 $sectionmenu[$i] = "$i";
             }
             $courseformatoptionsedit = array(
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index 9bb8e77f386..8f185f2461e 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -3818,7 +3818,7 @@ class admin_settings_num_course_sections extends admin_setting_configselect {
     /** Lazy-load the available choices for the select box */
     public function load_choices() {
         $max = get_config('moodlecourse', 'maxsections');
-        if (empty($max)) {
+        if (!isset($max) || !is_numeric($max)) {
             $max = 52;
         }
         for ($i = 0; $i <= $max; $i++) {