diff --git a/course/view.php b/course/view.php
index e93701078c2..25bebe5d442 100644
--- a/course/view.php
+++ b/course/view.php
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
     $ajaxformatfile = $CFG->dirroot.'/course/format/'.$course->format.'/ajax.php';
     $bodytags = '';
 
-    if (empty($CFG->disablecourseajax) and file_exists($ajaxformatfile)) {      // Needs to exist otherwise no AJAX by default
+    if (empty($CFG->disablecourseajax) and file_exists($ajaxformatfile) and !$PAGE->theme->disablecourseajax) {      // Needs to exist otherwise no AJAX by default
 
         // TODO: stop abusing CFG global here
         $CFG->ajaxcapable = false;           // May be overridden later by ajaxformatfile
diff --git a/lib/outputlib.php b/lib/outputlib.php
index dce2607a409..5c6d29d8a39 100644
--- a/lib/outputlib.php
+++ b/lib/outputlib.php
@@ -333,6 +333,11 @@ class theme_config {
      */
     public $hidefromselector = false;
 
+    /**
+     * Some themes may want to disable ajax course editing.
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    public $disablecourseajax = false;
     /**
      * Instance of the renderer_factory implementation
      * we are using. Implementation detail.
@@ -409,7 +414,7 @@ class theme_config {
         }
 
         $configurable = array('parents', 'sheets', 'parents_exclude_sheets', 'plugins_exclude_sheets', 'javascripts', 'javascripts_footer',
-                              'parents_exclude_javascripts', 'layouts', 'resource_mp3player_colors', 'enable_dock',
+                              'parents_exclude_javascripts', 'layouts', 'resource_mp3player_colors', 'enable_dock', 'disablecourseajax',
                               'filter_mediaplugin_colors', 'rendererfactory', 'csspostprocess', 'editor_sheets', 'rarrow', 'larrow', 'hidefromselector');
 
         foreach ($config as $key=>$value) {