diff --git a/lib/db/mysql.php b/lib/db/mysql.php
index 7707a5eae9f..2b36fda9a1b 100644
--- a/lib/db/mysql.php
+++ b/lib/db/mysql.php
@@ -763,6 +763,7 @@ function main_upgrade($oldversion=0) {
 
     if ($oldversion < 2004053000) {     /// set defaults for site course
         $site = get_site();
+        set_field('course', 'numsections', 0, 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'groupmodeforce', 1, 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'teacher', get_string('administrator'), 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'teachers', get_string('administrators'), 'id', $site->id);
diff --git a/lib/db/postgres7.php b/lib/db/postgres7.php
index c11f6e08a62..7870438f647 100644
--- a/lib/db/postgres7.php
+++ b/lib/db/postgres7.php
@@ -505,6 +505,7 @@ function main_upgrade($oldversion=0) {
 
     if ($oldversion < 2004053000) {     /// set defaults for site course
         $site = get_site();
+        set_field('course', 'numsections', 0, 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'groupmodeforce', 1, 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'teacher', get_string('administrator'), 'id', $site->id);
         set_field('course', 'teachers', get_string('administrators'), 'id', $site->id);