diff --git a/admin/settings.php b/admin/settings.php
index 9d9098c25c2..b17bbf56198 100644
--- a/admin/settings.php
+++ b/admin/settings.php
@@ -110,12 +110,11 @@ echo '<input type="hidden" name="section" value="' . $PAGE->section . '" />';
 echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="' . $USER->sesskey . '" />';
 echo '<input type="hidden" name="return" value="' . $return . '" />';
 print_heading($root->visiblename);
-print_simple_box_start('','100%','',5,'generalbox','');
 
 echo $root->output_html();
 
 echo '<center><input type="submit" value="' . get_string('savechanges','admin') . '" /></center>';
-print_simple_box_end();
+
 echo '</form>';
 
 if (!empty($SITE->fullname)) {
@@ -125,6 +124,10 @@ if (!empty($SITE->fullname)) {
     echo '</td></tr></table>';
 }
 
+if (!empty($CFG->adminusehtmleditor)) {
+    use_html_editor();
+}
+
 print_footer();
 
 ?>
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index d1deca9d320..53d1d3d30ac 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -1702,22 +1702,17 @@ class admin_setting_special_frontpagedesc extends admin_setting {
 
     function output_html() {
 
+        global $CFG;
+
         if ($this->get_setting() === NULL) {
             $currentsetting = $this->defaultsetting;
         } else {
             $currentsetting = $this->get_setting();
         }
 
-        $usehtmleditor = can_use_html_editor();
+        $CFG->adminusehtmleditor = can_use_html_editor();
 
-        ob_start();  // double-check the number of columns below... might overrun some screen resolutions
-        print_textarea($usehtmleditor, 15, 60, 0, 0, 's_' . $this->name, $currentsetting);
-
-        if ($usehtmleditor) {
-            use_html_editor();
-        }
-        $return = ob_get_contents();
-        ob_end_clean();
+        $return = print_textarea($CFG->adminusehtmleditor, 15, 60, 0, 0, 's_' . $this->name, $currentsetting, 0, true);
 
         return format_admin_setting('frontpagedesc', $this->name, $this->visiblename, $return, $this->description);
     }