diff --git a/backup/cc/entity.forum.class.php b/backup/cc/entity.forum.class.php
index 828bca965a9..3e652ab7420 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity.forum.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity.forum.class.php
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class cc_forum extends entities {
 
     public function get_topic_data ($instance) {
 
-        $topic_data = '';
+        $topic_data = array();
 
         $topic_file = $this->get_external_xml($instance['resource_indentifier']);
 
diff --git a/backup/cc/entity.quiz.class.php b/backup/cc/entity.quiz.class.php
index 465422af1f0..af384309af4 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity.quiz.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity.quiz.class.php
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class cc_quiz extends entities {
         $last_question_id = 0;
         $last_answer_id = 0;
 
-        $instances = '';
+        $instances = array();
 
         $types = array(MOODLE_TYPE_QUIZ, MOODLE_TYPE_QUESTION_BANK);
 
diff --git a/backup/cc/entity11.basiclti.class.php b/backup/cc/entity11.basiclti.class.php
index c44c07cd73d..74770d1324a 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity11.basiclti.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity11.basiclti.class.php
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class cc11_basiclti extends entities11 {
 
     public function get_basiclti_data($instance) {
 
-        $topic_data = '';
+        $topic_data = array();
 
         $basiclti_file = $this->get_external_xml($instance['resource_indentifier']);
 
diff --git a/backup/cc/entity11.forum.class.php b/backup/cc/entity11.forum.class.php
index 1fc3625d857..275d33023ff 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity11.forum.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity11.forum.class.php
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class cc11_forum extends entities11 {
 
     public function get_topic_data ($instance) {
 
-        $topic_data = '';
+        $topic_data = array();
 
         $topic_file = $this->get_external_xml($instance['resource_indentifier']);
 
diff --git a/backup/cc/entity11.lti.class.php b/backup/cc/entity11.lti.class.php
index 0c90ca7d7fa..67ab43e6b5a 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity11.lti.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity11.lti.class.php
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class cc11_lti extends entities11 {
 
     public function get_basiclti_data($instance) {
 
-        $topic_data = '';
+        $topic_data = array();
 
         $basiclti_file = $this->get_external_xml($instance['resource_indentifier']);
 
diff --git a/backup/cc/entity11.quiz.class.php b/backup/cc/entity11.quiz.class.php
index fb347583f56..c2048e0dee3 100644
--- a/backup/cc/entity11.quiz.class.php
+++ b/backup/cc/entity11.quiz.class.php
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class cc11_quiz extends entities11 {
         $last_question_id = 0;
         $last_answer_id = 0;
 
-        $instances = '';
+        $instances = array();
 
         $types = array(MOODLE_TYPE_QUIZ, MOODLE_TYPE_QUESTION_BANK);