diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index c4825433f0ee2..d4907140bb77b 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -897,7 +897,8 @@ public static function create_courses_parameters() {
                                     'are activity report shown (yes = 1, no =0)', VALUE_DEFAULT,
                                     $courseconfig->showreports),
                             'visible' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
-                                    '1: available to student, 0:not available', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                                    '1: available to student, 0:not available', VALUE_DEFAULT,
+                                    $courseconfig->visible),
                             'hiddensections' => new external_value(PARAM_INT,
                                     '(deprecated, use courseformatoptions) How the hidden sections in the course are displayed to students',
                                     VALUE_OPTIONAL),