diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index f6f803d2fcb..589b02529e0 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -896,8 +896,12 @@ class core_course_external extends external_api {
                             'showreports' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
                                     'are activity report shown (yes = 1, no =0)', VALUE_DEFAULT,
                                     $courseconfig->showreports),
-                            'visible' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
-                                    '1: available to student, 0:not available', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                            'visible' => new external_value(
+                                PARAM_INT,
+                                '1: available to student, 0: not available',
+                                VALUE_DEFAULT,
+                                $courseconfig->visible,
+                            ),
                             'hiddensections' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
                                     '(deprecated, use courseformatoptions) How the hidden sections in the course are displayed to students',
                                     VALUE_OPTIONAL),