diff --git a/admin/roles/assign.php b/admin/roles/assign.php
index 4c059a1dae6..a81f35b7ac0 100755
--- a/admin/roles/assign.php
+++ b/admin/roles/assign.php
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
     $today = make_timestamp(date('Y', $today), date('m', $today), date('d', $today), 0, 0, 0);
 
     // MDL-12420, preventing course start date showing up as an option at system context and front page roles.
-    if ($course->startdate != 0) {
+    if ($course->startdate > 0) {
         $basemenu[0] = get_string('startdate') . ' (' . userdate($course->startdate, $timeformat) . ')';
     }
     if ($course->enrollable != 2 || ($course->enrolstartdate == 0 || $course->enrolstartdate <= $today) && ($course->enrolenddate == 0 || $course->enrolenddate > $today)) {