diff --git a/mod/workshop/allocation/random/lib.php b/mod/workshop/allocation/random/lib.php
index 31c473c0349..5f1617b3527 100644
--- a/mod/workshop/allocation/random/lib.php
+++ b/mod/workshop/allocation/random/lib.php
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class workshop_random_allocator implements workshop_allocator {
                 throw new moodle_exception('unabletoallocateauthorwithoutsubmission', 'workshop');
             }
             $submission = $submissions[$authorid];
-            $status = $this->workshop->add_allocation($submission, $reviewerid, true);
+            $status = $this->workshop->add_allocation($submission, $reviewerid, 1, true);   // todo configurable weight?
             if (workshop::ALLOCATION_EXISTS == $status) {
                 debugging('newallocations array contains existing allocation, this should not happen');
             }
diff --git a/mod/workshop/exsubmission.php b/mod/workshop/exsubmission.php
index 169d68c8c7d..667d1f55b3e 100644
--- a/mod/workshop/exsubmission.php
+++ b/mod/workshop/exsubmission.php
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ if ($id and $assess and $canmanage) {
     // such assessment
     require_sesskey();
     if (!$refasid) {
-        $refasid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, false, 1);
+        $refasid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, 1);
     }
     redirect($workshop->exassess_url($refasid));
 }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ if ($id and $assess and $canassess) {
     $asid = $DB->get_field('workshop_assessments', 'id',
             array('submissionid' => $example->id, 'weight' => 0, 'reviewerid' => $USER->id));
     if (!$asid) {
-        $asid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, false, 0);
+        $asid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, 0);
     }
     redirect($workshop->exassess_url($asid));
 }
diff --git a/mod/workshop/locallib.php b/mod/workshop/locallib.php
index 2cba4b435bd..7ed5f8e7cda 100644
--- a/mod/workshop/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/workshop/locallib.php
@@ -673,17 +673,25 @@ class workshop {
      *
      * @param stdclass $submission Submission object with at least id property
      * @param int $reviewerid User ID
-     * @param bool $bulk repeated inserts into DB expected
      * @param int $weight of the new assessment, from 0 to 16
+     * @param bool $bulk repeated inserts into DB expected
      * @return int ID of the new assessment or an error code
      */
-    public function add_allocation(stdclass $submission, $reviewerid, $bulk=false, $weight=1) {
+    public function add_allocation(stdclass $submission, $reviewerid, $weight=1, $bulk=false) {
         global $DB;
 
         if ($DB->record_exists('workshop_assessments', array('submissionid' => $submission->id, 'reviewerid' => $reviewerid))) {
             return self::ALLOCATION_EXISTS;
         }
 
+        $weight = (int)$weight;
+        if ($weight < 0) {
+            $weight = 0;
+        }
+        if ($weight > 16) {
+            $weight = 16;
+        }
+
         $now = time();
         $assessment = new stdclass();
         $assessment->submissionid           = $submission->id;
diff --git a/mod/workshop/view.php b/mod/workshop/view.php
index 14c7e4a32aa..5e6e3895e2b 100644
--- a/mod/workshop/view.php
+++ b/mod/workshop/view.php
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ case workshop::PHASE_SUBMISSION:
         // make sure the current user has all examples allocated
         foreach ($examples as $exampleid => $example) {
             if (is_null($example->assessmentid)) {
-                $examples[$exampleid]->assessmentid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, false, 0);
+                $examples[$exampleid]->assessmentid = $workshop->add_allocation($example, $USER->id, 0);
             }
             if (is_null($example->grade)) {
                 $todo++;