diff --git a/data/templates/default.latex b/data/templates/default.latex
index 01e435b43514..f76f25ca5420 100644
--- a/data/templates/default.latex
+++ b/data/templates/default.latex
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ $endif$
 $if(numbersections)$
 \setcounter{secnumdepth}{$if(secnumdepth)$$secnumdepth$$else$5$endif$}
 $else$
-\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
+\setcounter{secnumdepth}{-2}
 $endif$
 $if(beamer)$
 $else$
diff --git a/test/lhs-test.latex b/test/lhs-test.latex
index f18af737c823..da7dfe6a0d35 100644
--- a/test/lhs-test.latex
+++ b/test/lhs-test.latex
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
 \setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em}  % prevent overfull lines
 \providecommand{\tightlist}{%
   \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
-\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
+\setcounter{secnumdepth}{-2}
 % Redefines (sub)paragraphs to behave more like sections
 \ifx\paragraph\undefined\else
   \let\oldparagraph\paragraph
diff --git a/test/lhs-test.latex+lhs b/test/lhs-test.latex+lhs
index dc6f2803bfe9..e959a5e7cb0e 100644
--- a/test/lhs-test.latex+lhs
+++ b/test/lhs-test.latex+lhs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 \setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em}  % prevent overfull lines
 \providecommand{\tightlist}{%
   \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
-\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
+\setcounter{secnumdepth}{-2}
 % Redefines (sub)paragraphs to behave more like sections
 \ifx\paragraph\undefined\else
   \let\oldparagraph\paragraph
diff --git a/test/writer.latex b/test/writer.latex
index d801e15904e8..04ba7cd15975 100644
--- a/test/writer.latex
+++ b/test/writer.latex
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 \setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em}  % prevent overfull lines
 \providecommand{\tightlist}{%
   \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
-\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
+\setcounter{secnumdepth}{-2}
 % Redefines (sub)paragraphs to behave more like sections
 \ifx\paragraph\undefined\else
   \let\oldparagraph\paragraph
diff --git a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
index bb3575771482..8c75341e3176 100644
--- a/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
+++ b/test/writers-lang-and-dir.latex
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 \setlength{\emergencystretch}{3em}  % prevent overfull lines
 \providecommand{\tightlist}{%
   \setlength{\itemsep}{0pt}\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}}
-\setcounter{secnumdepth}{0}
+\setcounter{secnumdepth}{-2}
 % Redefines (sub)paragraphs to behave more like sections
 \ifx\paragraph\undefined\else
   \let\oldparagraph\paragraph