diff --git a/main/coursecopy/create_backup.php b/main/coursecopy/create_backup.php
index 1a13f2a244..6fef9d08b7 100755
--- a/main/coursecopy/create_backup.php
+++ b/main/coursecopy/create_backup.php
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ require_once __DIR__.'/../inc/global.inc.php';
 $current_course_tool = TOOL_COURSE_MAINTENANCE;
 
 api_protect_course_script(true);
-api_check_archive_dir();
 
 // Check access rights (only teachers are allowed here)
 if (!api_is_allowed_to_edit()) {
     api_not_allowed(true);
 }
 
+api_check_archive_dir();
 api_set_more_memory_and_time_limits();
 
 // Section for the tabs
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ if (Security::check_token('post') && (
 ) {
     // Clear token
     Security::clear_token();
-
     if (isset($_POST['action']) && $_POST['action'] == 'course_select_form') {
         $course = CourseSelectForm::get_posted_course();
     } else {
@@ -61,12 +60,14 @@ if (Security::check_token('post') && (
         $course = $cb->build();
     }
 
-    $zip_file = CourseArchiver::createBackup($course);
+    $zipFile = CourseArchiver::createBackup($course);
     echo Display::return_message(get_lang('BackupCreated'), 'confirm');
-    echo '<br />
-        <a class="btn btn-primary btn-large" 
-        href="'.api_get_path(WEB_CODE_PATH).'course_info/download.php?archive='.$zip_file.'&'.api_get_cidreq().'">
-    '.get_lang('Download').'</a>';
+    echo '<br />';
+    echo Display::url(
+        get_lang('Download'),
+        api_get_path(WEB_CODE_PATH).'course_info/download.php?archive='.$zipFile.'&'.api_get_cidreq(),
+        ['class' => 'btn btn-primary btn-large']
+    );
 } elseif (Security::check_token('post') && (
         isset($_POST['backup_option']) &&
         $_POST['backup_option'] == 'select_items'
@@ -74,53 +75,50 @@ if (Security::check_token('post') && (
 ) {
     // Clear token
     Security::clear_token();
-
     $cb = new CourseBuilder('partial');
     $course = $cb->build();
-    // Add token to Course select form
-    $hiddenFields['sec_token'] = Security::get_token();
-    CourseSelectForm::display_form($course, $hiddenFields);
-} else {
-    $cb = new CourseBuilder();
-    $course = $cb->build();
-    if (!$course->has_resources()) {
-        echo get_lang('NoResourcesToBackup');
+    if ($course->has_resources()) {
+        // Add token to Course select form
+        $hiddenFields['sec_token'] = Security::get_token();
+        CourseSelectForm::display_form($course, $hiddenFields);
     } else {
-        $form = new FormValidator(
-            'create_backup_form',
-            'post',
-            api_get_self().'?'.api_get_cidreq()
-        );
-        $form->addElement('header', get_lang('SelectOptionForBackup'));
-        $form->addElement('radio', 'backup_option', '', get_lang('CreateFullBackup'), 'full_backup');
-        $form->addElement('radio', 'backup_option', '', get_lang('LetMeSelectItems'), 'select_items');
-        $form->addButtonSave(get_lang('CreateBackup'));
-        $form->addProgress();
-        // When progress bar appears we have to hide the title "Please select a backup-option".
-        $form->updateAttributes(
-            [
-                'onsubmit' => str_replace(
-                    'javascript: ',
-                    'javascript: page_title = getElementById(\'page_title\'); if (page_title) { setTimeout(\'page_title.style.display = \\\'none\\\';\', 2000); } ',
-                    $form->getAttribute('onsubmit')
-                ),
-            ]
-        );
-        $values['backup_option'] = 'full_backup';
-        $form->setDefaults($values);
-
-        // Add Security token
-        $token = Security::get_token();
-        $form->addElement('hidden', 'sec_token');
-        $form->setConstants(['sec_token' => $token]);
-        echo '<div class="row">';
-        echo '<div class="col-md-12">';
-        echo '<div class="tool-backup">';
-        $form->display();
-        echo '</div>';
-        echo '</div>';
-        echo '</div>';
+        echo Display::return_message(get_lang('NoResourcesToBackup'), 'warning');
     }
+} else {
+    $form = new FormValidator(
+        'create_backup_form',
+        'post',
+        api_get_self().'?'.api_get_cidreq()
+    );
+    $form->addElement('header', get_lang('SelectOptionForBackup'));
+    $form->addElement('radio', 'backup_option', '', get_lang('CreateFullBackup'), 'full_backup');
+    $form->addElement('radio', 'backup_option', '', get_lang('LetMeSelectItems'), 'select_items');
+    $form->addButtonSave(get_lang('CreateBackup'));
+    $form->addProgress();
+    // When progress bar appears we have to hide the title "Please select a backup-option".
+    $form->updateAttributes(
+        [
+            'onsubmit' => str_replace(
+                'javascript: ',
+                'javascript: page_title = getElementById(\'page_title\'); if (page_title) { setTimeout(\'page_title.style.display = \\\'none\\\';\', 2000); } ',
+                $form->getAttribute('onsubmit')
+            ),
+        ]
+    );
+    $values['backup_option'] = 'full_backup';
+    $form->setDefaults($values);
+
+    // Add Security token
+    $token = Security::get_token();
+    $form->addElement('hidden', 'sec_token');
+    $form->setConstants(['sec_token' => $token]);
+    echo '<div class="row">';
+    echo '<div class="col-md-12">';
+    echo '<div class="tool-backup">';
+    $form->display();
+    echo '</div>';
+    echo '</div>';
+    echo '</div>';
 }
 
 Display::display_footer();
diff --git a/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/Course.php b/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/Course.php
index b987d4806a..e7d963e3d1 100644
--- a/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/Course.php
+++ b/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/Course.php
@@ -340,10 +340,20 @@ class Course
     public static function serialize($course)
     {
         if (extension_loaded('igbinary')) {
-            return igbinary_serialize($course);
+            $serialized = igbinary_serialize($course);
         } else {
-            return serialize($course);
+            $serialized = serialize($course);
         }
+
+        // Compress
+        if (function_exists('gzdeflate')) {
+            $deflated = gzdeflate($serialized, 9);
+            if ($deflated !== false) {
+                $deflated = $serialized;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $serialized;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -355,10 +365,20 @@ class Course
      */
     public static function unserialize($course)
     {
+        // Uncompress
+        if (function_exists('gzdeflate')) {
+            $inflated = @gzinflate($course);
+            if ($inflated !== false) {
+                $course = $inflated;
+            }
+        }
+
         if (extension_loaded('igbinary')) {
-            return igbinary_unserialize($course);
+            $unserialized = igbinary_unserialize($course);
         } else {
-            return unserialize($course);
+            $unserialized = unserialize($course);
         }
+
+        return $unserialized;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/CourseSelectForm.php b/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/CourseSelectForm.php
index b120ab1413..305a4f9cd1 100644
--- a/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/CourseSelectForm.php
+++ b/src/Chamilo/CourseBundle/Component/CourseCopy/CourseSelectForm.php
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ class CourseSelectForm
             }
         }
 
-        //Fixes forum order
+        // Fixes forum order
         if (!empty($forum_categories)) {
             $type = RESOURCE_FORUMCATEGORY;
             echo '<div class="item-backup" onclick="javascript:exp('."'$type'".');">';
@@ -333,7 +333,10 @@ class CourseSelectForm
             $course->resources['document'] = null;
         }
 
-        echo '<input type="hidden" name="course" value="'.base64_encode(Course::serialize($course)).'"/>';
+        /** @var Course $course */
+        $courseSerialized = base64_encode(Course::serialize($course));
+
+        echo '<input type="hidden" name="course" value="'.$courseSerialized.'"/>';
         if (is_array($hidden_fields)) {
             foreach ($hidden_fields as $key => $value) {
                 echo '<input type="hidden" name="'.$key.'" value="'.$value.'"/>';