diff --git a/app/controllers/course/courseware.php b/app/controllers/course/courseware.php
index decd88be56e5404a2b4f69a361decae86987d71b..bb15d0efc4287dcae20637a847179fbd547cc248 100755
--- a/app/controllers/course/courseware.php
+++ b/app/controllers/course/courseware.php
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ class Course_CoursewareController extends AuthenticatedController
 
             if (!$course->courseware) {
                 // create initial courseware dataset
-                $struct = StructuralElement::createEmptyCourseware(Context::getId(), 'course');
+                $instance = StructuralElement::createEmptyCourseware(Context::getId(), 'course');
+                $struct = $instance->getRoot();
             }
 
             $this->entry_element_id = $course->courseware->id;