diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/course/config/CourseConfig.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/course/config/CourseConfig.java
index 3f901a1b7509e53b8f7212a67a5508925c7afd06..5e95df63c05f791604be4029aa2327b8e328e78f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/course/config/CourseConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/course/config/CourseConfig.java
@@ -386,7 +386,11 @@ public class CourseConfig implements Serializable, Cloneable {
 	 * @return true if the efficency statement is enabled
 	 */
 	public Long getCertificateTemplate() {
-		Long templateId = (Long)configuration.get(CERTIFICATE_TEMPLATE);
+		Object templateIdObj = configuration.get(CERTIFICATE_TEMPLATE);
+		Long templateId = null;
+		if(templateIdObj instanceof Long) {
+			templateId = (Long)templateIdObj;
+		}
 		return templateId;
 	}