diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index ae2806732f4..ee029fe1d3e 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -4032,8 +4032,8 @@ class settings_navigation extends navigation_node {
 
         $function($this, $modulenode);
 
-        // Remove the module node if there are no children
-        if (empty($modulenode->children)) {
+        // Remove the module node if there are no children.
+        if ($modulenode->children->count() <= 0) {
             $modulenode->remove();
         }