diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index 62e868fb4be..6b00cccea27 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -2458,6 +2458,15 @@ class core_course_external extends external_api {
                     ),
                     'Course filters', VALUE_OPTIONAL
                 ),
+                'courseformatoptions' => new external_multiple_structure(
+                    new external_single_structure(
+                        array(
+                            'name' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'Course format option name.'),
+                            'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'Course format option value.'),
+                        )
+                    ),
+                    'Additional options for particular course format.', VALUE_OPTIONAL
+                ),
             );
             $coursestructure = array_merge($coursestructure, $extra);
         }
@@ -3084,6 +3093,14 @@ class core_course_external extends external_api {
             if (isset($coursesdata[$course->id]['lang'])) {
                 $coursesdata[$course->id]['lang'] = clean_param($coursesdata[$course->id]['lang'], PARAM_LANG);
             }
+
+            $courseformatoptions = course_get_format($course)->get_config_for_external();
+            foreach ($courseformatoptions as $key => $value) {
+                $coursesdata[$course->id]['courseformatoptions'][] = array(
+                    'name' => $key,
+                    'value' => $value
+                );
+            }
         }
 
         return array(
diff --git a/course/tests/externallib_test.php b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
index ba36ab0d53f..49636b4e05b 100644
--- a/course/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/course/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -2045,7 +2045,8 @@ class core_course_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
 
         $category1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_category();
         $category2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_category(array('parent' => $category1->id));
-        $course1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course(array('category' => $category1->id, 'shortname' => 'c1'));
+        $course1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course(
+            array('category' => $category1->id, 'shortname' => 'c1', 'format' => 'topics'));
         $course2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course(array('visible' => 0, 'category' => $category2->id, 'idnumber' => 'i2'));
 
         $student1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
@@ -2061,15 +2062,25 @@ class core_course_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertCount(3, $result['courses']);
         // Expect to receive all the fields.
         $this->assertCount(37, $result['courses'][0]);
-        $this->assertCount(37, $result['courses'][1]);
-        $this->assertCount(37, $result['courses'][2]);
+        $this->assertCount(38, $result['courses'][1]);  // One more field because is not the site course.
+        $this->assertCount(38, $result['courses'][2]);  // One more field because is not the site course.
 
         $result = core_course_external::get_courses_by_field('id', $course1->id);
         $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_course_external::get_courses_by_field_returns(), $result);
         $this->assertCount(1, $result['courses']);
         $this->assertEquals($course1->id, $result['courses'][0]['id']);
         // Expect to receive all the fields.
-        $this->assertCount(37, $result['courses'][0]);
+        $this->assertCount(38, $result['courses'][0]);
+        // Check default values for course format topics.
+        $this->assertCount(2, $result['courses'][0]['courseformatoptions']);
+        foreach ($result['courses'][0]['courseformatoptions'] as $option) {
+            if ($option['name'] == 'hiddensections') {
+                $this->assertEquals(0, $option['value']);
+            } else {
+                $this->assertEquals('coursedisplay', $option['name']);
+                $this->assertEquals(0, $option['value']);
+            }
+        }
 
         $result = core_course_external::get_courses_by_field('id', $course2->id);
         $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_course_external::get_courses_by_field_returns(), $result);
@@ -2112,14 +2123,14 @@ class core_course_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_course_external::get_courses_by_field_returns(), $result);
         $this->assertCount(2, $result['courses']);
         $this->assertCount(30, $result['courses'][0]);
-        $this->assertCount(30, $result['courses'][1]);
+        $this->assertCount(31, $result['courses'][1]);  // One field more (course format options), not present in site course.
 
         $result = core_course_external::get_courses_by_field('id', $course1->id);
         $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_course_external::get_courses_by_field_returns(), $result);
         $this->assertCount(1, $result['courses']);
         $this->assertEquals($course1->id, $result['courses'][0]['id']);
         // Expect to receive all the files that a student can see.
-        $this->assertCount(30, $result['courses'][0]);
+        $this->assertCount(31, $result['courses'][0]);
 
         // Check default filters.
         $filters = $result['courses'][0]['filters'];