diff --git a/add_form.php b/add_form.php
index d74f585..2b5d578 100644
--- a/add_form.php
+++ b/add_form.php
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ class mod_attendance_add_form extends moodleform {
             $this->_form->setConstant('previoussessiondate', $data['sessiondate']);
         }
 
-        if ($data['automark'] == ATTENDANCE_AUTOMARK_CLOSE) {
+        if (!empty($data['studentscanmark']) && $data['automark'] == ATTENDANCE_AUTOMARK_CLOSE) {
             $cm            = $this->_customdata['cm'];
             // Check that the selected statusset has a status to use when unmarked.
             $sql = 'SELECT id
diff --git a/update_form.php b/update_form.php
index fe93200..da5c3e7 100644
--- a/update_form.php
+++ b/update_form.php
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class mod_attendance_update_form extends moodleform {
             $errors['sestime'] = get_string('invalidsessionendtime', 'attendance');
         }
 
-        if ($data['automark'] == ATTENDANCE_AUTOMARK_CLOSE) {
+        if (!empty($data['studentscanmark']) && $data['automark'] == ATTENDANCE_AUTOMARK_CLOSE) {
             $cm            = $this->_customdata['cm'];
             // Check that the selected statusset has a status to use when unmarked.
             $sql = 'SELECT id