diff --git a/course/format/classes/sectiondelegate.php b/course/format/classes/sectiondelegate.php
index 2dcfcb17ee1..14af95ff4db 100644
--- a/course/format/classes/sectiondelegate.php
+++ b/course/format/classes/sectiondelegate.php
@@ -124,4 +124,13 @@ abstract class sectiondelegate {
     ): ?action_menu {
         return $controlmenu->get_default_action_menu($output);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the parent section of the current delegated section if any.
+     *
+     * @return section_info|null
+     */
+    public function get_parent_section(): ?section_info {
+        return null;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/course/format/tests/sectiondelegate_test.php b/course/format/tests/sectiondelegate_test.php
index e3932342c0e..39d793ba78f 100644
--- a/course/format/tests/sectiondelegate_test.php
+++ b/course/format/tests/sectiondelegate_test.php
@@ -141,4 +141,21 @@ class sectiondelegate_test extends \advanced_testcase {
         $result = $delegated->get_section_action_menu($format, $controlmenu, $renderer);
         $this->assertNull($result);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Test get_parent_section().
+     *
+     * @covers ::get_parent_section
+     */
+    public function test_get_parent_section(): void {
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+
+        $course = $this->getDataGenerator()->create_course(['format' => 'topics', 'numsections' => 1]);
+        $sectioninfo = formatactions::section($course)->create_delegated('test_component', 1);
+
+        /** @var testsectiondelegate */
+        $delegated = $sectioninfo->get_component_instance();
+
+        $this->assertNull($delegated->get_parent_section());
+    }
 }