diff --git a/lib/behat/classes/behat_selectors.php b/lib/behat/classes/behat_selectors.php
index add2130ec74..4b85386dbb6 100644
--- a/lib/behat/classes/behat_selectors.php
+++ b/lib/behat/classes/behat_selectors.php
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ XPATH
     [./descendant::*[self::h2][normalize-space(.) = %locator%] or %locator% = 'frontpage']
 XPATH
         , 'table' => <<<XPATH
-.//table[(./@id = %locator% or contains(.//caption, %locator%) or contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), %locator% ))]
+.//table[(./@id = %locator% or contains(.//caption, %locator%) or contains(.//th, %locator%) or contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), %locator% ))]
 XPATH
         , 'table_row' => <<<XPATH
 .//tr[contains(normalize-space(.), %locator%) and not(.//tr[contains(normalize-space(.), %locator%)])]
diff --git a/report/participation/index.php b/report/participation/index.php
index 7cb63b7973d..07f2b997634 100644
--- a/report/participation/index.php
+++ b/report/participation/index.php
@@ -173,8 +173,15 @@ if (!empty($instanceid) && !empty($roleid)) {
     $table = new flexible_table('course-participation-'.$course->id.'-'.$cm->id.'-'.$roleid);
     $table->course = $course;
 
-    $table->define_columns(array('fullname','count','select'));
-    $table->define_headers(array(get_string('user'),((!empty($action)) ? get_string($action) : get_string('allactions')),get_string('select')));
+    $actionheader = !empty($action) ? get_string($action) : get_string('allactions');
+
+    if (empty($CFG->messaging)) {
+        $table->define_columns(array('fullname', 'count'));
+        $table->define_headers(array(get_string('user'), $actionheader));
+    } else {
+        $table->define_columns(array('fullname', 'count', 'select'));
+        $table->define_headers(array(get_string('user'), $actionheader, get_string('select')));
+    }
     $table->define_baseurl($baseurl);
 
     $table->set_attribute('cellpadding','5');
@@ -336,10 +343,14 @@ if (!empty($instanceid) && !empty($roleid)) {
     echo '<input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="'.sesskey().'" />'."\n";
 
     foreach ($users as $u) {
-        $data = array('<a href="'.$CFG->wwwroot.'/user/view.php?id='.$u->userid.'&amp;course='.$course->id.'">'.fullname($u,true).'</a>'."\n",
-                      ((!empty($u->count)) ? get_string('yes').' ('.$u->count.') ' : get_string('no')),
-                      '<input type="checkbox" class="usercheckbox" name="user'.$u->userid.'" value="'.$u->count.'" />'."\n",
-                      );
+        $data = array();
+        $data[] = html_writer::link(new moodle_url('/user/view.php', array('id' => $u->userid, 'course' => $course->id)),
+            fullname($u, true));
+        $data[] = !empty($u->count) ? get_string('yes').' ('.$u->count.') ' : get_string('no');
+
+        if (!empty($CFG->messaging)) {
+            $data[] = '<input type="checkbox" class="usercheckbox" name="user'.$u->userid.'" value="'.$u->count.'" />';
+        }
         $table->add_data($data);
     }
 
@@ -357,25 +368,27 @@ if (!empty($instanceid) && !empty($roleid)) {
         echo html_writer::end_div();
     }
 
-    echo '<div class="selectbuttons">';
-    echo '<input type="button" id="checkall" value="'.get_string('selectall').'" /> '."\n";
-    echo '<input type="button" id="checknone" value="'.get_string('deselectall').'" /> '."\n";
-    if ($perpage >= $matchcount) {
-        echo '<input type="button" id="checknos" value="'.get_string('selectnos').'" />'."\n";
-    }
-    echo '</div>';
-    echo '<div>';
-    echo html_writer::label(get_string('withselectedusers'), 'formactionselect');
-    $displaylist['messageselect.php'] = get_string('messageselectadd');
-    echo html_writer::select($displaylist, 'formaction', '', array(''=>'choosedots'), array('id'=>'formactionselect'));
-    echo $OUTPUT->help_icon('withselectedusers');
-    echo '<input type="submit" value="' . get_string('ok') . '" />'."\n";
-    echo '</div>';
-    echo '</div>'."\n";
-    echo '</form>'."\n";
-    echo '</div>'."\n";
+    if (!empty($CFG->messaging)) {
+        echo '<div class="selectbuttons">';
+        echo '<input type="button" id="checkall" value="'.get_string('selectall').'" /> '."\n";
+        echo '<input type="button" id="checknone" value="'.get_string('deselectall').'" /> '."\n";
+        if ($perpage >= $matchcount) {
+            echo '<input type="button" id="checknos" value="'.get_string('selectnos').'" />'."\n";
+        }
+        echo '</div>';
+        echo '<div>';
+        echo html_writer::label(get_string('withselectedusers'), 'formactionselect');
+        $displaylist['messageselect.php'] = get_string('messageselectadd');
+        echo html_writer::select($displaylist, 'formaction', '', array('' => 'choosedots'), array('id' => 'formactionselect'));
+        echo $OUTPUT->help_icon('withselectedusers');
+        echo '<input type="submit" value="' . get_string('ok') . '" />'."\n";
+        echo '</div>';
+        echo '</div>'."\n";
+        echo '</form>'."\n";
+        echo '</div>'."\n";
 
-    $PAGE->requires->js_init_call('M.report_participation.init');
+        $PAGE->requires->js_init_call('M.report_participation.init');
+    }
 }
 
 echo $OUTPUT->footer();
diff --git a/report/participation/tests/behat/message_participants.feature b/report/participation/tests/behat/message_participants.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72da3f338cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/report/participation/tests/behat/message_participants.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+@report @report_participation @javascript
+Feature: Use the particiaption report to message groups of students
+  In order to engage with students based on participation
+  As a teacher
+  I need to be able to message students who have not participated in an activity
+
+  Background:
+    Given the following "courses" exist:
+      | fullname | shortname | category | groupmode |
+      | Course 1 | C1 | 0 | 1 |
+    And the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email |
+      | teacher1 | Teacher | 1 | teacher1@example.com |
+      | student1 | Student | 1 | student1@example.com |
+      | student2 | Student | 2 | student2@example.com |
+      | student3 | Student | 3 | student3@example.com |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user | course | role |
+      | teacher1 | C1 | editingteacher |
+      | student1 | C1 | student |
+      | student2 | C1 | student |
+      | student3 | C1 | student |
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I add a "Book" to section "1" and I fill the form with:
+      | Name | Test book name |
+      | Description | Test book |
+    And I follow "Test book name"
+    And I set the following fields to these values:
+      | Chapter title | Test chapter |
+      | Content | Test chapter content |
+    And I log out
+    And I log in as "student1"
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    And I follow "Test book name"
+    And I log out
+
+  Scenario: Message students who have not participated in book
+    Given I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    And I navigate to "Course participation" node in "Course administration > Reports"
+    And I set the field "instanceid" to "Test book name"
+    And I set the field "roleid" to "Student"
+    And I press "Go"
+    And I should see "Yes (1)" in the "Student 1" "table_row"
+    And I should see "No" in the "Student 2" "table_row"
+    And I should see "No" in the "Student 3" "table_row"
+    When I press "Select all 'No'"
+    And I set the field "With selected users..." to "Send a message"
+    And I press "OK"
+    Then I should see "Added 2 new recipients"
+    And I should see "Student 2" in the "Currently selected users" "table"
+    And I should see "Student 3" in the "Currently selected users" "table"
+    And I should not see "Student 1" in the "Currently selected users" "table"
+
+  Scenario: Ensure no message options when messaging is disabled
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I set the following administration settings values:
+      | messaging | 0 |
+    And I log out
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I follow "Course 1"
+    And I navigate to "Course participation" node in "Course administration > Reports"
+    When I set the field "instanceid" to "Test book name"
+    And I set the field "roleid" to "Student"
+    And I press "Go"
+    Then I should not see "With selected users..."
+    And I should not see "Select all"