diff --git a/course/externallib.php b/course/externallib.php
index af884871d9834..6f94d142cc65a 100644
--- a/course/externallib.php
+++ b/course/externallib.php
@@ -941,6 +941,8 @@ public static function create_courses($courses) {
         $params = self::validate_parameters(self::create_courses_parameters(),
                         array('courses' => $courses));
 
+        $courseconfig = get_config('moodlecourse');
+
         $availablethemes = core_component::get_plugin_list('theme');
         $availablelangs = get_string_manager()->get_list_of_translations();
 
@@ -967,6 +969,14 @@ public static function create_courses($courses) {
                 throw new moodle_exception('errorinvalidparam', 'webservice', '', 'shortname');
             }
 
+            // Make sure start/end date are correctly set.
+            if (!array_key_exists('startdate', $course)) {
+                $course['startdate'] = usergetmidnight(time());
+            }
+            if (!array_key_exists('enddate', $course) && $courseconfig->courseenddateenabled) {
+                $course['enddate'] = $course['startdate'] + $courseconfig->courseduration;
+            }
+
             // Make sure lang is valid
             if (array_key_exists('lang', $course)) {
                 if (empty($availablelangs[$course['lang']])) {
@@ -995,7 +1005,6 @@ public static function create_courses($courses) {
             }
 
             //set default value for completion
-            $courseconfig = get_config('moodlecourse');
             if (completion_info::is_enabled_for_site()) {
                 if (!array_key_exists('enablecompletion', $course)) {
                     $course['enablecompletion'] = $courseconfig->enablecompletion;