diff --git a/admin/search.php b/admin/search.php
index 1e4590ff105..f33028ef8cd 100644
--- a/admin/search.php
+++ b/admin/search.php
@@ -18,10 +18,7 @@ $CFG->adminsearchquery = $query;  // So we can reference it in search boxes late
 $statusmsg = '';
 
 if ($data = data_submitted()) {
-    $unslashed = array();
-    foreach($data as $key=>$value) {
-        $unslashed[$key] = stripslashes($value);
-    }
+    $unslashed = (array)stripslashes_recursive($data);
     if (confirm_sesskey()) {
         $olddbsessions = !empty($CFG->dbsessions);
         $changedsettings = search_settings(admin_get_root(), $query);
diff --git a/admin/settings.php b/admin/settings.php
index 953dc3b1cf5..41d6ce11fec 100644
--- a/admin/settings.php
+++ b/admin/settings.php
@@ -58,10 +58,7 @@ $statusmsg = '';
 if ($data = data_submitted()) {
     if (confirm_sesskey()) {
         $olddbsessions = !empty($CFG->dbsessions);
-        $unslashed = array();
-        foreach($data as $key=>$value) {
-            $unslashed[$key] = stripslashes($value);
-        }
+        $unslashed = (array)stripslashes_recursive($data);
         $errors = $root->write_settings($unslashed);
         //force logout if dbsession setting changes
         if ($olddbsessions != !empty($CFG->dbsessions)) {
diff --git a/admin/upgradesettings.php b/admin/upgradesettings.php
index 70666e6c342..730747c8fc0 100644
--- a/admin/upgradesettings.php
+++ b/admin/upgradesettings.php
@@ -24,10 +24,7 @@ if ($newsettingshtml == '') {
 
 // now we'll deal with the case that the admin has submitted the form with new settings
 if ($data = data_submitted()) {
-    $unslashed = array();
-    foreach($data as $key=>$value) {
-        $unslashed[$key] = stripslashes($value);
-    }
+    $unslashed = (array)stripslashes_recursive($data);
     if (confirm_sesskey()) {
         $newsettings = find_new_settings(admin_get_root());
         $errors = '';