diff --git a/nbconvert/exporters/templateexporter.py b/nbconvert/exporters/templateexporter.py
index 9893b5fc3..f98971e6d 100644
--- a/nbconvert/exporters/templateexporter.py
+++ b/nbconvert/exporters/templateexporter.py
@@ -684,8 +684,5 @@ def _init_resources(self, resources):
         return resources
 
     def include_tableofcontents(self, resources):
-        # if len(resources["tableofcontents"])>0:
-        return True
-
-    # else:
-    # return False
+            return True
+        
diff --git a/share/templates/base/null.j2 b/share/templates/base/null.j2
index 547ddb458..888c68a6c 100644
--- a/share/templates/base/null.j2
+++ b/share/templates/base/null.j2
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ calling super.
 consider calling super even if it is a leaf block, we might insert more blocks later.
 
 #}
+{%- block header -%}
+{%- endblock header -%}
 {%- block body -%}
     {%- block body_header -%}
-        <div>{{"Hello \n\"World\""}}</div>
+        {% block tableofcontents %}
+        {% endblock tableofcontents %}
     {%- endblock body_header -%}
     {%- block body_loop -%}
         {%- for cell in nb.cells -%}
diff --git a/share/templates/lab/base.html.j2 b/share/templates/lab/base.html.j2
index b4001ea2c..85d4081ec 100644
--- a/share/templates/lab/base.html.j2
+++ b/share/templates/lab/base.html.j2
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 {% from 'cell_id_anchor.j2' import cell_id_anchor %}
 
 {% block tableofcontents %}
-    <div> {{"Table of contents"}} </div>
-
+    <div> {{"Table of contents"}}
+    {{ super() }}
+    </div>
 {% endblock tableofcontents %}
 
 {% block codecell %}