diff --git a/format.php b/format.php
index 6e31aeed..1ade4f81 100755
--- a/format.php
+++ b/format.php
@@ -54,6 +54,21 @@
     course_set_marker($course->id, $marker);
 }
 
+if ($courseformatoptions['gnumsectionsnewcourse'] == 1) {
+    // A new course that may have sections but does not know how many.
+    global $DB;
+    $numsections = $DB->get_field_sql('SELECT max(section) from {course_sections}
+        WHERE course = ?', [$course->id]);
+    if (empty($numsections)) {
+        /* Sections not created, so we need to use the default course setting,
+           which could be zero but this will still work. */
+        $numsections = get_config('moodlecourse', 'numsections');
+    }
+    $format->set_gnumsections($numsections);
+    $courseformatoptions['gnumsections'] = $numsections;
+    $courseformatoptions['gnumsectionsnewcourse'] = 0;
+}
+
 // Make sure all sections are created.
 course_create_sections_if_missing($course, range(0, $courseformatoptions['gnumsections']));
 
diff --git a/lib.php b/lib.php
index 5276aef3..c6b15d68 100755
--- a/lib.php
+++ b/lib.php
@@ -46,17 +46,18 @@ class format_grid extends core_courseformat\base {
      * @return format_grid
      */
     protected function __construct($format, $courseid) {
-        parent::__construct($format, $courseid);
         if ($courseid === 0) {
             global $COURSE;
             $courseid = $COURSE->id;  // Save lots of global $COURSE as we will never be the site course.
         }
         parent::__construct($format, $courseid);
 
-        $currentsettings = $this->get_settings();
-        if (!empty($currentsettings['popup'])) {
-            if ($currentsettings['popup'] == 2) {
-                $this->coursedisplay = COURSE_DISPLAY_SINGLEPAGE;
+        if ($courseid != 1) {
+            $currentsettings = $this->get_settings();
+            if (!empty($currentsettings['popup'])) {
+                if ($currentsettings['popup'] == 2) {
+                    $this->coursedisplay = COURSE_DISPLAY_SINGLEPAGE;
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -309,16 +310,22 @@ public function course_format_options($foreditform = false) {
             $courseid = $this->get_courseid();
             if ($courseid == 1) { // New course.
                 $defaultnumsections = $courseconfig->numsections;
-            } else { // Existing course that may not have 'numsections' - see get_last_section().
+                $defaultgnumsectionsnewcourse = 1;
+            } else { // Existing course that may not have '(g)numsections' - see get_last_section().
                 global $DB;
                 $defaultnumsections = $DB->get_field_sql('SELECT max(section) from {course_sections}
                     WHERE course = ?', [$courseid]);
+                $defaultgnumsectionsnewcourse = 0;
             }
             $courseformatoptions = [
                 'gnumsections' => [
                     'default' => $defaultnumsections,
                     'type' => PARAM_INT,
                 ],
+                'gnumsectionsnewcourse' => [
+                    'default' => $defaultgnumsectionsnewcourse,
+                    'type' => PARAM_INT,
+                ],
                 'hiddensections' => [
                     'default' => $courseconfig->hiddensections,
                     'type' => PARAM_INT,
@@ -367,6 +374,10 @@ public function course_format_options($foreditform = false) {
                     'element_type' => 'select',
                     'element_attributes' => [$sectionmenu],
                 ],
+                'gnumsectionsnewcourse' => [
+                    'label' => 0,
+                    'element_type' => 'hidden',
+                ],
                 'hiddensections' => [
                     'label' => new lang_string('hiddensections'),
                     'help' => 'hiddensections',
@@ -826,6 +837,18 @@ public function restore_gnumsections($numsections) {
         $this->update_course_format_options($data);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the gnumsections correctly for a new course.
+     * @param int $numsections The number of sections.
+     */
+    public function set_gnumsections($numsections) {
+        $data = [
+            'gnumsections' => $numsections,
+            'gnumsectionsnewcourse' => 0,
+        ];
+        $this->update_course_format_options($data);
+    }
+
     /**
      * A section has been added.  Should only be called from the state actions instance.
      */