diff --git a/lib/classes/task/search_index_task.php b/lib/classes/task/search_index_task.php
index 870c4dc24f8..7b6f8011d6a 100644
--- a/lib/classes/task/search_index_task.php
+++ b/lib/classes/task/search_index_task.php
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ class search_index_task extends scheduled_task {
      * Throw exceptions on errors (the job will be retried).
      */
     public function execute() {
-        if (!\core_search\manager::is_global_search_enabled() &&
-                !get_config('core', 'searchindexwhendisabled')) {
+        if (!\core_search\manager::is_indexing_enabled()) {
             return;
         }
         $globalsearch = \core_search\manager::instance();
diff --git a/lib/classes/task/search_optimize_task.php b/lib/classes/task/search_optimize_task.php
index 1a006c7dde5..0c55179b017 100644
--- a/lib/classes/task/search_optimize_task.php
+++ b/lib/classes/task/search_optimize_task.php
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ class search_optimize_task extends scheduled_task {
      * Throw exceptions on errors (the job will be retried).
      */
     public function execute() {
-        if (!\core_search\manager::is_global_search_enabled() &&
-                !get_config('core', 'searchindexwhendisabled')) {
+        if (!\core_search\manager::is_indexing_enabled()) {
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/search/classes/manager.php b/search/classes/manager.php
index 3e8daac9d8e..c8425a157c5 100644
--- a/search/classes/manager.php
+++ b/search/classes/manager.php
@@ -157,6 +157,17 @@ class manager {
         return !empty($CFG->enableglobalsearch);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns whether indexing is enabled or not (you can enable indexing even when search is not
+     * enabled at the moment, so as to have it ready for students).
+     *
+     * @return bool True if indexing is enabled.
+     */
+    public static function is_indexing_enabled() {
+        global $CFG;
+        return !empty($CFG->enableglobalsearch) || !empty($CFG->searchindexwhendisabled);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns an instance of the search engine.
      *