diff --git a/backup/converter/moodle1/handlerlib.php b/backup/converter/moodle1/handlerlib.php
index c5276fb84a1..a09fba84467 100644
--- a/backup/converter/moodle1/handlerlib.php
+++ b/backup/converter/moodle1/handlerlib.php
@@ -1327,35 +1327,49 @@ abstract class moodle1_qtype_handler extends moodle1_plugin_handler {
     /**
      * Writes the numerical_options structure
      *
+     * @see get_default_numerical_options()
+     * @param array $numericaloption
+     */
+    protected function write_numerical_options(array $numericaloption) {
+
+        $this->xmlwriter->begin_tag('numerical_options');
+        if (!empty($numericaloption)) {
+            $this->write_xml('numerical_option', $numericaloption, array('/numerical_option/id'));
+        }
+        $this->xmlwriter->end_tag('numerical_options');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns default numerical_option structure
+     *
      * This structure is not present in moodle.xml, we create a new artificial one here.
      *
-     * @param array $numericaloptions
+     * @see write_numerical_options()
      * @param int $oldquestiontextformat
+     * @return array
      */
-    protected function write_numerical_options($oldquestiontextformat) {
+    protected function get_default_numerical_options($oldquestiontextformat) {
         global $CFG;
 
         // replay the upgrade step 2009100100 - new table
         $options = array(
-            'numerical_option' => array(
-                'id'                 => $this->converter->get_nextid(),
-                'instructions'       => null,
-                'instructionsformat' => 0,
-                'showunits'          => 0,
-                'unitsleft'          => 0,
-                'unitgradingtype'    => 0,
-                'unitpenalty'        => 0.1
-            )
+            'id'                 => $this->converter->get_nextid(),
+            'instructions'       => null,
+            'instructionsformat' => 0,
+            'showunits'          => 0,
+            'unitsleft'          => 0,
+            'unitgradingtype'    => 0,
+            'unitpenalty'        => 0.1
         );
 
         // replay the upgrade step 2009100101
         if ($CFG->texteditors !== 'textarea' and $oldquestiontextformat == FORMAT_MOODLE) {
-            $options['numerical_option']['instructionsformat'] = FORMAT_HTML;
+            $options['instructionsformat'] = FORMAT_HTML;
         } else {
-            $options['numerical_option']['instructionsformat'] = $oldquestiontextformat;
+            $options['instructionsformat'] = $oldquestiontextformat;
         }
 
-        $this->write_xml('numerical_options', $options, array('/numerical_options/numerical_option/id'));
+        return $options;
     }
 
     /// implementation details follow //////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/question/type/numerical/backup/moodle1/lib.php b/question/type/numerical/backup/moodle1/lib.php
index 9024f39b5b3..eb244584727 100644
--- a/question/type/numerical/backup/moodle1/lib.php
+++ b/question/type/numerical/backup/moodle1/lib.php
@@ -50,16 +50,16 @@ class moodle1_qtype_numerical_handler extends moodle1_qtype_handler {
             $this->write_answers($data['answers'], $this->pluginname);
         }
 
-        // convert and write the numerical units
+        // convert and write the numerical units and numerical options
         if (isset($data['numerical'][0]['numerical_units'])) {
-            $numericalunits = $data['numerical'][0]['numerical_units'];
+            $numericalunits   = $data['numerical'][0]['numerical_units'];
+            $numericaloptions = $this->get_default_numerical_options($data['oldquestiontextformat']);
         } else {
-            $numericalunits = array();
+            $numericalunits   = array();
+            $numericaloptions = array();
         }
         $this->write_numerical_units($numericalunits);
-
-        // append new numerical_options structure
-        $this->write_numerical_options($data['oldquestiontextformat']);
+        $this->write_numerical_options($numericaloptions);
 
         // and finally numerical_records
         $this->xmlwriter->begin_tag('numerical_records');