diff --git a/files/files_ajax.php b/files/files_ajax.php
index f46ffacc5e1..088ecc3191b 100755
--- a/files/files_ajax.php
+++ b/files/files_ajax.php
@@ -154,6 +154,11 @@ case 'zip':
 case 'downloaddir':
     $zipper = new zip_packer();
     $fs = get_file_storage();
+    $draftarea = file_get_draft_area_info($itemid);
+    if ($draftarea['filecount'] == 0) {
+        echo json_encode(false);
+        die;
+    }
 
     $stored_file = $fs->get_file($user_context->id, $filearea, $itemid, $filepath, '.');
     if ($filepath === '/') {
diff --git a/lang/en/repository.php b/lang/en/repository.php
index 2b0a79d9950..2178c1e7566 100644
--- a/lang/en/repository.php
+++ b/lang/en/repository.php
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ $string['disabled'] = 'Disabled';
 $string['download'] = 'Download';
 $string['downloadfolder'] = 'Download this folder';
 $string['downloadsucc'] = 'The file has been downloaded successfully';
+$string['draftareanofiles'] = 'Cannot be downloaed because there is no files attached';
 $string['editrepositoryinstance'] = 'Edit repository instance';
 $string['emptylist'] = 'Empty result';
 $string['emptytype'] = 'Cannot create repository type: type name is empty';
diff --git a/lib/form/filemanager.js b/lib/form/filemanager.js
index 1afaa45b62f..3975e111433 100644
--- a/lib/form/filemanager.js
+++ b/lib/form/filemanager.js
@@ -219,10 +219,14 @@ M.form_filemanager.init = function(Y, options) {
                     action: 'downloaddir',
                     scope: scope,
                     callback: function(id, obj, args) {
-                        scope.refresh(obj.filepath);
-                        var win = window.open(obj.fileurl, 'fm-download-folder');
-                        if (!win) {
-                            alert(M.str.repository.popupblockeddownload);
+                        if (obj) {
+                            scope.refresh(obj.filepath);
+                            var win = window.open(obj.fileurl, 'fm-download-folder');
+                            if (!win) {
+                                alert(M.str.repository.popupblockeddownload);
+                            }
+                        } else {
+                            alert(M.str.repository.draftareanofiles);
                         }
                     }
                 });
diff --git a/lib/weblib.php b/lib/weblib.php
index 15913db51ed..18a0b40fcc2 100644
--- a/lib/weblib.php
+++ b/lib/weblib.php
@@ -2754,6 +2754,7 @@ function print_filemanager($options, $return = false) {
     $PAGE->requires->string_for_js('confirmdeletefile', 'repository');
     $PAGE->requires->string_for_js('nopathselected', 'repository');
     $PAGE->requires->string_for_js('popupblockeddownload', 'repository');
+    $PAGE->requires->string_for_js('draftareanofiles', 'repository');
     $PAGE->requires->string_for_js('path', 'moodle');
     // language strings
     $straddfile  = get_string('add', 'repository') . '...';