diff --git a/admin/settings/development.php b/admin/settings/development.php
index b7ac470620d..b7c6f712a15 100644
--- a/admin/settings/development.php
+++ b/admin/settings/development.php
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) { // speedup for non-admins, add all caps used on this page
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enableimsccimport', get_string('enable_cc_import', 'imscc'), get_string('enable_cc_import_description', 'imscc'), 0));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enablesafebrowserintegration', get_string('enablesafebrowserintegration', 'admin'), get_string('configenablesafebrowserintegration', 'admin'), 0));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('enablegroupmembersonly', get_string('enablegroupmembersonly', 'admin'), get_string('configenablegroupmembersonly', 'admin'), 0));
+    $temp->add(new admin_setting_configcheckbox('legacyfilesinnewcourses', get_string('legacyfilesinnewcourses', 'admin'), get_string('legacyfilesinnewcourses_help', 'admin'), 0));
 
     $ADMIN->add('experimental', $temp);
 
diff --git a/course/edit_form.php b/course/edit_form.php
index cac6cd11d80..a3c6148499c 100644
--- a/course/edit_form.php
+++ b/course/edit_form.php
@@ -154,8 +154,13 @@ class course_edit_form extends moodleform {
         $mform->addHelpButton('maxbytes', 'maximumupload');
         $mform->setDefault('maxbytes', $courseconfig->maxbytes);
 
-        if (!empty($course->legacyfiles)) {
-            $choices = array('1'=>get_string('no'), '2'=>get_string('yes'));
+        if (!empty($course->legacyfiles) or !empty($CFG->legacyfilesinnewcourses)) {
+            if (empty($course->legacyfiles)) {
+                //0 or missing means no legacy files ever used in this course - new course or nobody turned on legacy files yet
+                $choices = array('0'=>get_string('no'), '2'=>get_string('yes'));
+            } else {
+                $choices = array('1'=>get_string('no'), '2'=>get_string('yes'));
+            }
             $mform->addElement('select', 'legacyfiles', get_string('courselegacyfiles'), $choices);
             $mform->addHelpButton('legacyfiles', 'courselegacyfiles');
         }
diff --git a/lang/en/admin.php b/lang/en/admin.php
index ed2e2355e00..a8032f37475 100755
--- a/lang/en/admin.php
+++ b/lang/en/admin.php
@@ -624,6 +624,8 @@ $string['lang16notify'] = 'Moodle 1.6 and above allows you to install and update
 $string['latexpreamble'] = 'LaTeX preamble';
 $string['latexsettings'] = 'LaTeX renderer Settings';
 $string['latinexcelexport'] = 'Excel encoding';
+$string['legacyfilesinnewcourses'] = 'Legacy course files in new courses';
+$string['legacyfilesinnewcourses_help'] = 'By default legacy course files areas are available only in upgraded courses. Please note some features like single activity backup/restore are not compatible with this settings.';
 $string['licensesettings'] = 'License settings';
 $string['loading'] = 'Loading';
 $string['localetext'] = 'Sitewide locale';