diff --git a/course/search.php b/course/search.php
index bc9f3c1dcd3..ab33c7c8d47 100644
--- a/course/search.php
+++ b/course/search.php
@@ -150,17 +150,22 @@
             ." WHERE module.course=c.id";
 
         $courseids = $DB->get_records_sql($sql);
-
-        $firstcourse = $page*$perpage;
-        $lastcourse = $page*$perpage + $perpage -1;
-        $i = 0;
-        foreach ($courseids as $courseid) {
-            if ($i>= $firstcourse && $i<=$lastcourse) {
-                $courses[$courseid->id] = $DB->get_record('course', array('id'=> $courseid->id));
+        $courses = array();
+        if (!empty($courseids)) {
+            $firstcourse = $page*$perpage;
+            $lastcourse = $page*$perpage + $perpage -1;
+            $i = 0;
+            foreach ($courseids as $courseid) {
+                if ($i>= $firstcourse && $i<=$lastcourse) {
+                    $courses[$courseid->id] = $DB->get_record('course', array('id'=> $courseid->id));
+                }
+                $i++;
             }
-            $i++;
+            $totalcount = count($courseids);
+        }
+        else {
+            $totalcount = 0;
         }
-        $totalcount = count($courseids);
     }
     else {
         $courses = get_courses_search($searchterms, "fullname ASC",