diff --git a/admin/site.php b/admin/site.php
index 6ad09c2c71b..852fdd36c60 100644
--- a/admin/site.php
+++ b/admin/site.php
@@ -93,11 +93,7 @@
         $form->frontpage = $CFG->frontpage;
 
     } else {
-        if ($form->newsitems > 0) {
-            $form->frontpage = 0;
-        } else {
-            $form->frontpage = 1;
-        }
+        $form->frontpage = FRONTPAGECOURSELIST;  // Show course list by default
         set_config("frontpage", $form->frontpage);
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/defaults.php b/lib/defaults.php
index 3eac932fce2..5c52210e65c 100644
--- a/lib/defaults.php
+++ b/lib/defaults.php
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
        'forcetimezone'            =>  99,
        'fullnamedisplay'          => 'firstname lastname',
        'framename'                => '_top',
-       'frontpage'                =>  0,
+       'frontpage'                =>  1,
        'gdversion'                =>  1,
        'guestloginbutton'         =>  1,
        'htmleditor'               =>  true,
diff --git a/theme/standard/styles_layout.css b/theme/standard/styles_layout.css
index 90960c89d61..81088fe71d6 100644
--- a/theme/standard/styles_layout.css
+++ b/theme/standard/styles_layout.css
@@ -832,6 +832,10 @@ body#grade-index .grades .weighted {
  *** Login
  ***/
 
+.loginbox {
+  margin-top:15px;
+}
+
 .loginbox .content {
   border-width:1px;
   border-style:solid;