diff --git a/admin/oacleanup.php b/admin/oacleanup.php
index 5c63495acc7..a27aff9341f 100644
--- a/admin/oacleanup.php
+++ b/admin/oacleanup.php
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ function online_assignment_cleanup($output=false) {
         if ($output) echo $OUTPUT->heading($fullname);
 
         /// retrieve a list of sections beyond what is currently being shown
-        $course = course_get_format($course)->get_course();
-        if (!isset($course->numsections)) {
+        $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
+        if (!isset($courseformatoptions['numsections'])) {
             // Course format does not use numsections
             if ($output) {
                 echo 'No extra sections<br />';
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ function online_assignment_cleanup($output=false) {
                   FROM {course_sections}
                  WHERE course=? AND section>?
               ORDER BY section ASC";
-        $params = array($course->id, $course->numsections);
+        $params = array($course->id, $courseformatoptions['numsections']);
         if (!($xsections = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, $params))) {
             if ($output) echo 'No extra sections<br />';
             continue;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ function online_assignment_cleanup($output=false) {
                         /// the journal update erroneously stored it in course_sections->section
                         $newsection = $xsection->section;
                         /// double check the new section
-                        if ($newsection > $course->numsections) {
+                        if ($newsection > $courseformatoptions['numsections']) {
                             /// get the record for section 0 for this course
                             if (!($zerosection = $DB->get_record('course_sections', array('course'=>$course->id, 'section'=>'0')))) {
                                 continue;
diff --git a/blocks/section_links/block_section_links.php b/blocks/section_links/block_section_links.php
index c0b8b335908..2942b477c4a 100644
--- a/blocks/section_links/block_section_links.php
+++ b/blocks/section_links/block_section_links.php
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ class block_section_links extends block_base {
             return $this->content;
         }
 
-        $course = course_get_format($this->page->course)->get_course();
+        $course = $this->page->course;
+        $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
         $context = context_course::instance($course->id);
 
         if ($course->format == 'weeks' or $course->format == 'weekscss') {
@@ -86,18 +87,18 @@ class block_section_links extends block_base {
         }
         $inc = 1;
 
-        if(!empty($config->numsections1) and ($course->numsections > $config->numsections1)) {
+        if(!empty($config->numsections1) and ($courseformatoptions['numsections'] > $config->numsections1)) {
             $inc = $config->incby1;
         } else {
-            if ($course->numsections > 22) {
+            if ($courseformatoptions['numsections'] > 22) {
                 $inc = 2;
             }
         }
 
-        if(!empty($config->numsections2) and ($course->numsections > $config->numsections2)) {
+        if(!empty($config->numsections2) and ($courseformatoptions['numsections'] > $config->numsections2)) {
             $inc = $config->incby2;
         } else {
-            if ($course->numsections > 40) {
+            if ($courseformatoptions['numsections'] > 40) {
                 $inc = 5;
             }
         }
@@ -105,12 +106,12 @@ class block_section_links extends block_base {
         $sql = "SELECT section, visible
                   FROM {course_sections}
                  WHERE course = ? AND
-                       section < ".($course->numsections+1)."
+                       section < ".($courseformatoptions['numsections']+1)."
               ORDER BY section";
 
         if ($sections = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, array($course->id))) {
             $text = '<ol class="inline-list">';
-            for ($i = $inc; $i <= $course->numsections; $i += $inc) {
+            for ($i = $inc; $i <= $courseformatoptions['numsections']; $i += $inc) {
                 if (!isset($sections[$i])) {
                     continue;
                 }
diff --git a/course/changenumsections.php b/course/changenumsections.php
index 7cc4b618963..deed3670e85 100644
--- a/course/changenumsections.php
+++ b/course/changenumsections.php
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/course/lib.php');
 
 $courseid = required_param('courseid', PARAM_INT);
 $increase = optional_param('increase', true, PARAM_BOOL);
-$course = course_get_format($courseid)->get_course();
+$course = $DB->get_record('course', array('id' => $courseid), '*', MUST_EXIST);
+$courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
 
 $PAGE->set_url('/course/changenumsections.php', array('courseid' => $courseid));
 
@@ -39,19 +40,20 @@ require_login($course);
 require_capability('moodle/course:update', context_course::instance($course->id));
 require_sesskey();
 
-if (isset($course->numsections)) {
+if (isset($courseformatoptions['numsections'])) {
     if ($increase) {
         // Add an additional section.
-        $course->numsections++;
+        $courseformatoptions['numsections']++;
     } else {
         // Remove a section.
-        $course->numsections--;
+        $courseformatoptions['numsections']--;
     }
 
     // Don't go less than 0, intentionally redirect silently (for the case of
     // double clicks).
-    if ($course->numsections >= 0) {
-        course_get_format($course)->update_course_format_options(array('numsections' => $course->numsections));
+    if ($courseformatoptions['numsections'] >= 0) {
+        course_get_format($course)->update_course_format_options(
+                array('numsections' => $courseformatoptions['numsections']));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/course/lib.php b/course/lib.php
index 40270a96e63..5f5535b1218 100644
--- a/course/lib.php
+++ b/course/lib.php
@@ -2939,8 +2939,10 @@ function move_section($course, $section, $move) {
 
     $sectiondest = $section + $move;
 
-    $course = course_get_format($course)->get_course();
-    if (isset($course->numsections) && $sectiondest > $course->numsections or $sectiondest < 1) {
+    // compartibility with course formats using field 'numsections'
+    $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
+    if (array_key_exists('numsections', $courseformatoptions) &&
+            $sectiondest > $courseformatoptions['numsections'] or $sectiondest < 1) {
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -2966,8 +2968,10 @@ function move_section_to($course, $section, $destination) {
         return true;
     }
 
-    $course = course_get_format($course)->get_course();
-    if ((isset($course->numsections) && ($destination > $course->numsections)) || ($destination < 1)) {
+    // compartibility with course formats using field 'numsections'
+    $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
+    if ((array_key_exists('numsections', $courseformatoptions) &&
+            ($destination > $courseformatoptions['numsections'])) || ($destination < 1)) {
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/course/tests/externallib_test.php b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
index 3b0470d0f84..a037d34f7c6 100644
--- a/course/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -359,64 +359,64 @@ class core_course_external_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
 
         // Check that the courses were correctly created.
         foreach ($createdcourses as $createdcourse) {
-            $dbcourse = course_get_format($createdcourse['id'])->get_course();
+            $courseinfo = course_get_format($createdcourse['id'])->get_course();
 
             if ($createdcourse['shortname'] == $course2['shortname']) {
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->fullname, $course2['fullname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->shortname, $course2['shortname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->category, $course2['categoryid']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->idnumber, $course2['idnumber']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->summary, $course2['summary']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->summaryformat, $course2['summaryformat']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->format, $course2['format']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->showgrades, $course2['showgrades']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->newsitems, $course2['newsitems']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->startdate, $course2['startdate']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->numsections, $course2['numsections']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->maxbytes, $course2['maxbytes']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->showreports, $course2['showreports']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->visible, $course2['visible']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->hiddensections, $course2['hiddensections']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->groupmode, $course2['groupmode']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->groupmodeforce, $course2['groupmodeforce']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->defaultgroupingid, $course2['defaultgroupingid']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->completionnotify, $course2['completionnotify']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->lang, $course2['lang']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->fullname, $course2['fullname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->shortname, $course2['shortname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->category, $course2['categoryid']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->idnumber, $course2['idnumber']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->summary, $course2['summary']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->summaryformat, $course2['summaryformat']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->format, $course2['format']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->showgrades, $course2['showgrades']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->newsitems, $course2['newsitems']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->startdate, $course2['startdate']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->numsections, $course2['numsections']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->maxbytes, $course2['maxbytes']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->showreports, $course2['showreports']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->visible, $course2['visible']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->hiddensections, $course2['hiddensections']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->groupmode, $course2['groupmode']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->groupmodeforce, $course2['groupmodeforce']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->defaultgroupingid, $course2['defaultgroupingid']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->completionnotify, $course2['completionnotify']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->lang, $course2['lang']);
 
                 if (!empty($CFG->allowcoursethemes)) {
-                    $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->theme, $course2['forcetheme']);
+                    $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->theme, $course2['forcetheme']);
                 }
 
                 if (completion_info::is_enabled_for_site()) {
-                    $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->enablecompletion, $course2['enabledcompletion']);
-                    $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->completionstartonenrol, $course2['completionstartonenrol']);
+                    $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->enablecompletion, $course2['enabledcompletion']);
+                    $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->completionstartonenrol, $course2['completionstartonenrol']);
                 } else {
-                    $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->enablecompletion, 0);
-                    $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->completionstartonenrol, 0);
+                    $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->enablecompletion, 0);
+                    $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->completionstartonenrol, 0);
                 }
 
             } else if ($createdcourse['shortname'] == $course1['shortname']) {
                 $courseconfig = get_config('moodlecourse');
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->fullname, $course1['fullname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->shortname, $course1['shortname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->category, $course1['categoryid']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->summaryformat, FORMAT_HTML);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->format, $courseconfig->format);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->showgrades, $courseconfig->showgrades);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->newsitems, $courseconfig->newsitems);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->maxbytes, $courseconfig->maxbytes);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->showreports, $courseconfig->showreports);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->groupmode, $courseconfig->groupmode);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->groupmodeforce, $courseconfig->groupmodeforce);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->defaultgroupingid, 0);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->fullname, $course1['fullname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->shortname, $course1['shortname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->category, $course1['categoryid']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->summaryformat, FORMAT_HTML);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->format, $courseconfig->format);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->showgrades, $courseconfig->showgrades);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->newsitems, $courseconfig->newsitems);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->maxbytes, $courseconfig->maxbytes);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->showreports, $courseconfig->showreports);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->groupmode, $courseconfig->groupmode);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->groupmodeforce, $courseconfig->groupmodeforce);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->defaultgroupingid, 0);
             } else if ($createdcourse['shortname'] == $course3['shortname']) {
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->fullname, $course3['fullname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->shortname, $course3['shortname']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->category, $course3['categoryid']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->format, $course3['format']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->hiddensections, $course3options['hiddensections']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->numsections, $course3options['numsections']);
-                $this->assertEquals($dbcourse->coursedisplay, $course3options['coursedisplay']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->fullname, $course3['fullname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->shortname, $course3['shortname']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->category, $course3['categoryid']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->format, $course3['format']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->hiddensections, $course3options['hiddensections']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->numsections, $course3options['numsections']);
+                $this->assertEquals($courseinfo->coursedisplay, $course3options['coursedisplay']);
             } else {
                 throw moodle_exception('Unexpected shortname');
             }
diff --git a/enrol/database/tests/sync_test.php b/enrol/database/tests/sync_test.php
index 46caefbedc9..8a32b6a39ed 100644
--- a/enrol/database/tests/sync_test.php
+++ b/enrol/database/tests/sync_test.php
@@ -684,8 +684,8 @@ class enrol_database_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $course8['category'] = $defcat->id;
         $record = $DB->get_record('course', $course8);
         $this->assertFalse(empty($record));
-        $createdcourse = course_get_format($record)->get_course();
-        $this->assertEquals($createdcourse->numsections, 666);
+        $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($record)->get_format_options();
+        $this->assertEquals($courseformatoptions['numsections'], 666);
 
         // Test invalid category.
 
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index de9421689c1..35c8eeb5e84 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
     echo $OUTPUT->header();
 
 /// Print Section or custom info
-    $site = course_get_format($SITE)->get_course();
+    $siteformatoptions = course_get_format($SITE)->get_format_options();
     $modinfo = get_fast_modinfo($SITE);
     $modnames = get_module_types_names();
     $modnamesplural = get_module_types_names(true);
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@
     if (!empty($CFG->customfrontpageinclude)) {
         include($CFG->customfrontpageinclude);
 
-    } else if ($site->numsections > 0) {
+    } else if ($siteformatoptions['numsections'] > 0) {
         if ($editing) {
             // make sure section with number 1 exists
             course_create_sections_if_missing($SITE, 1);
diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index ba6a8287141..3ebac4dda3b 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -1886,12 +1886,15 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
         global $CFG;
         require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/course/lib.php');
 
-        $course = course_get_format($course)->get_course(); // retrieve all format options as well
         $modinfo = get_fast_modinfo($course);
         $sections = $modinfo->get_section_info_all();
-        if (isset($course->numsections)) {
-            $sections = array_slice($sections, 0, $course->numsections+1, true);
+
+        // For course formats using 'numsections' trim the sections list
+        $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
+        if (isset($courseformatoptions['numsections'])) {
+            $sections = array_slice($sections, 0, $courseformatoptions['numsections']+1, true);
         }
+
         $activities = array();
 
         foreach ($sections as $key => $section) {
diff --git a/lib/weblib.php b/lib/weblib.php
index 957a8704923..6be03c9b2dd 100644
--- a/lib/weblib.php
+++ b/lib/weblib.php
@@ -2187,7 +2187,7 @@ function navmenulist($course, $sections, $modinfo, $strsection, $strjumpto, $wid
     $menu = array();
     $doneheading = false;
 
-    $course = course_get_format($course)->get_course();
+    $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_format_options();
     $coursecontext = context_course::instance($course->id);
 
     $menu[] = '<ul class="navmenulist"><li class="jumpto section"><span>'.$strjumpto.'</span><ul>';
@@ -2197,7 +2197,8 @@ function navmenulist($course, $sections, $modinfo, $strsection, $strjumpto, $wid
             continue;
         }
 
-        if (isset($course->numsections) && $mod->sectionnum > $course->numsections) {   /// Don't show excess hidden sections
+        // For course formats using 'numsections' do not show extra sections
+        if (isset($courseformatoptions['numsections']) && $mod->sectionnum > $courseformatoptions['numsections']) {
             break;
         }
 
@@ -2208,8 +2209,9 @@ function navmenulist($course, $sections, $modinfo, $strsection, $strjumpto, $wid
         if ($mod->sectionnum >= 0 and $section != $mod->sectionnum) {
             $thissection = $sections[$mod->sectionnum];
 
-            if ($thissection->visible or (isset($course->hiddensections) && !$course->hiddensections) or
-                      has_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddensections', $coursecontext)) {
+            if ($thissection->visible or
+                    (isset($courseformatoptions['hiddensections']) and !$courseformatoptions['hiddensections']) or
+                    has_capability('moodle/course:viewhiddensections', $coursecontext)) {
                 $thissection->summary = strip_tags(format_string($thissection->summary,true));
                 if (!$doneheading) {
                     $menu[] = '</ul></li>';