diff --git a/question/restorelib.php b/question/restorelib.php
index d8c0c637866..e4ca6f7d702 100644
--- a/question/restorelib.php
+++ b/question/restorelib.php
@@ -311,7 +311,8 @@
         global $CFG;
 
         $status = true;
-
+        $qtype = backup_todb($info['#']['QTYPE']['0']['#']);
+        
         //Get the answers array
         if (isset($info['#']['ANSWERS']['0']['#']['ANSWER'])) {
             $answers = $info['#']['ANSWERS']['0']['#']['ANSWER'];
@@ -333,6 +334,11 @@
                 $answer->fraction = backup_todb($ans_info['#']['FRACTION']['0']['#']);
                 $answer->feedback = backup_todb($ans_info['#']['FEEDBACK']['0']['#']);
 
+                // Update 'match everything' answers for numerical questions coming from old backup files.
+                if ($qtype == 'numerical' && $answer->answer == '') {
+                    $answer->answer = '*';
+                }
+
                 //The structure is equal to the db, so insert the question_answers
                 $newid = insert_record ("question_answers",$answer);
 
diff --git a/question/type/numerical/questiontype.php b/question/type/numerical/questiontype.php
index 476ab9631bb..58ebac7fced 100644
--- a/question/type/numerical/questiontype.php
+++ b/question/type/numerical/questiontype.php
@@ -466,9 +466,6 @@ class question_numerical_qtype extends question_shortanswer_qtype {
             $numerical = new stdClass;
             $numerical->question = $new_question_id;
             $numerical->answer = backup_todb($num_info['#']['ANSWER']['0']['#']);
-            if ($numerical->answer = '') {
-                $numerical->answer = '*';
-            }
             $numerical->tolerance = backup_todb($num_info['#']['TOLERANCE']['0']['#']);
 
             //We have to recode the answer field