diff --git a/cohort/lib.php b/cohort/lib.php
index 67c2bf4c2f6..8cf15bba946 100644
--- a/cohort/lib.php
+++ b/cohort/lib.php
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ function cohort_add_cohort($cohort) {
         $cohort->idnumber = NULL;
     }
     if (!isset($cohort->description)) {
-        $cohort->description = $DB->sql_empty();
+        // sql_empty() does not belong here, this crazy Oracle hack is implemented in insert_record()!
+        $cohort->description = '';
     }
     if (!isset($cohort->descriptionformat)) {
         $cohort->descriptionformat = FORMAT_HTML;