diff --git a/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php b/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
index 44aa02b1c58..a9bfea533d8 100644
--- a/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
+++ b/lib/filestorage/file_storage.php
@@ -1456,6 +1456,30 @@ class file_storage {
         return $this->get_file_instance($newrecord);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Synchronise stored file from file.
+     *
+     * @param stored_file $file Stored file to synchronise.
+     * @param string $path Path to the file to synchronise from.
+     * @param stdClass $filerecord The file record from the database.
+     */
+    public function synchronise_stored_file_from_file(stored_file $file, $path, $filerecord) {
+        list($contenthash, $filesize) = $this->add_file_to_pool($path, null, $filerecord);
+        $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Synchronise stored file from string.
+     *
+     * @param stored_file $file Stored file to synchronise.
+     * @param string $content File content.
+     * @param stdClass $filerecord The file record from the database.
+     */
+    public function synchronise_stored_file_from_string(stored_file $file, $content, $filerecord) {
+        list($contenthash, $filesize) = $this->add_string_to_pool($content, $filerecord);
+        $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create a new alias/shortcut file from file reference information
      *
diff --git a/lib/filestorage/stored_file.php b/lib/filestorage/stored_file.php
index e1c3e738d09..1331246c9a6 100644
--- a/lib/filestorage/stored_file.php
+++ b/lib/filestorage/stored_file.php
@@ -588,6 +588,24 @@ class stored_file {
         return $this->fs->create_directory($this->file_record->contextid, $this->file_record->component, $this->file_record->filearea, $this->file_record->itemid, $filepath);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set synchronised content from file.
+     *
+     * @param string $path Path to the file.
+     */
+    public function set_synchronised_content_from_file($path) {
+        $this->fs->synchronise_stored_file_from_file($this, $path, $this->file_record);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set synchronised content from content.
+     *
+     * @param string $content File content.
+     */
+    public function set_synchronised_content_from_string($content) {
+        $this->fs->synchronise_stored_file_from_string($this, $content, $this->file_record);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Synchronize file if it is a reference and needs synchronizing
      *
diff --git a/repository/boxnet/lib.php b/repository/boxnet/lib.php
index 195cd23e35c..88b8b58598f 100644
--- a/repository/boxnet/lib.php
+++ b/repository/boxnet/lib.php
@@ -430,9 +430,7 @@ class repository_boxnet extends repository {
             $result = $c->download_one($url, null, array('filepath' => $path, 'timeout' => $CFG->repositorysyncimagetimeout));
             $info = $c->get_info();
             if ($result === true && isset($info['http_code']) && $info['http_code'] == 200) {
-                $fs = get_file_storage();
-                list($contenthash, $filesize, $newfile) = $fs->add_file_to_pool($path);
-                $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+                $file->set_synchronised_content_from_file($path);
                 return true;
             }
         }
diff --git a/repository/dropbox/lib.php b/repository/dropbox/lib.php
index 8396503c749..0f7f2096fe3 100644
--- a/repository/dropbox/lib.php
+++ b/repository/dropbox/lib.php
@@ -662,9 +662,7 @@ class repository_dropbox extends repository {
                     ]);
                 $info = $c->get_info();
                 if ($result === true && isset($info['http_code']) && $info['http_code'] == 200) {
-                    $fs = get_file_storage();
-                    list($contenthash, $filesize, ) = $fs->add_file_to_pool($saveas);
-                    $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+                    $file->set_synchronised_content_from_file($saveas);
                     return true;
                 }
             } catch (Exception $e) {
diff --git a/repository/equella/lib.php b/repository/equella/lib.php
index fbd9c8479d3..cfffc8c024f 100644
--- a/repository/equella/lib.php
+++ b/repository/equella/lib.php
@@ -214,9 +214,7 @@ class repository_equella extends repository {
             $path = $this->prepare_file('');
             $result = $c->download_one($url, null, array('filepath' => $path, 'followlocation' => true, 'timeout' => $CFG->repositorysyncimagetimeout));
             if ($result === true) {
-                $fs = get_file_storage();
-                list($contenthash, $filesize, $newfile) = $fs->add_file_to_pool($path);
-                $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+                $file->set_synchronised_content_from_file($path);
                 return true;
             }
         } else {
diff --git a/repository/filesystem/lib.php b/repository/filesystem/lib.php
index 1fa5e7c33e8..ce8502fe9e9 100644
--- a/repository/filesystem/lib.php
+++ b/repository/filesystem/lib.php
@@ -577,7 +577,9 @@ class repository_filesystem extends repository {
                     $filesize = filesize($filepath);
                 } else {
                     // Copy file into moodle filepool (used to generate an image thumbnail).
-                    list($contenthash, $filesize, $newfile) = $fs->add_file_to_pool($filepath);
+                    $file->set_timemodified(filemtime($filepath));
+                    $file->set_synchronised_content_from_file($filepath);
+                    return true;
                 }
             } else {
                 // Update only file size so file will NOT be copied into moodle filepool.
diff --git a/repository/lib.php b/repository/lib.php
index c6dfb5c8071..6f6759c0475 100644
--- a/repository/lib.php
+++ b/repository/lib.php
@@ -1757,9 +1757,7 @@ abstract class repository implements cacheable_object {
                 try {
                     $fileinfo = $this->get_file($file->get_reference());
                     if (isset($fileinfo['path'])) {
-                        list($contenthash, $filesize, $newfile) = $fs->add_file_to_pool($fileinfo['path']);
-                        // set this file and other similar aliases synchronised
-                        $file->set_synchronized($contenthash, $filesize);
+                        $file->set_synchronised_content_from_file($fileinfo['path']);
                     } else {
                         throw new moodle_exception('errorwhiledownload', 'repository', '', '');
                     }
diff --git a/repository/upgrade.txt b/repository/upgrade.txt
index 2fccc91777e..da9fa2253d4 100644
--- a/repository/upgrade.txt
+++ b/repository/upgrade.txt
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers. Full
 details of the repository API are available on Moodle docs:
 http://docs.moodle.org/dev/Repository_API
 
+=== 3.4 ===
+Repositories should no longer directly call file_system#add_file_to_pool or file_system#add_string_to_pool
+instead they should call the stored_file method, set_synchronised_content_from_file or set_synchronised_content_from_string
+
 === 3.3 ===
 The skydrive repository is deprecated - please migrate to the newer onedrive repository.