diff --git a/lib/dmllib.php b/lib/dmllib.php
index 3304ad020e062..e2f6b3c05d7df 100644
--- a/lib/dmllib.php
+++ b/lib/dmllib.php
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ function count_records_select($table, $select='', $countitem='COUNT(*)') {
 function count_records_sql($sql) {
     $rs = get_recordset_sql($sql);
 
-    if ($rs) {
+    if (is_object($rs) and is_array($rs->fields)) {
         return reset($rs->fields);
     } else {
         return 0;