diff --git a/lib/externallib.php b/lib/externallib.php
index 6944b597959..d7acb943ee0 100644
--- a/lib/externallib.php
+++ b/lib/externallib.php
@@ -1140,6 +1140,8 @@ class external_settings {
         if ((AJAX_SCRIPT == false) && (CLI_SCRIPT == false) && (WS_SERVER == false)) {
             // For normal pages, the default should match the default for format_text.
             $this->filter = true;
+            // Use pluginfile.php for web requests.
+            $this->file = 'pluginfile.php';
         }
     }
 
@@ -1152,7 +1154,7 @@ class external_settings {
     /**
      * Return only one instance
      *
-     * @return object
+     * @return \external_settings
      */
     public static function get_instance() {
         if (self::$instance === null) {
diff --git a/lib/tests/externallib_test.php b/lib/tests/externallib_test.php
index d6a922c0a00..ce50ac30276 100644
--- a/lib/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -43,6 +43,36 @@ class core_externallib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Tests for external_settings class.
+     */
+    public function test_external_settings() {
+
+        $settings = \external_settings::get_instance();
+        $currentraw = $settings->get_raw();
+        $currentfilter = $settings->get_filter();
+        $currentfile = $settings->get_file();
+        $currentfileurl = $settings->get_fileurl();
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('external_settings', $settings);
+
+        // Check apis.
+        $settings->set_file('plugin.php');
+        $this->assertEquals('plugin.php', $settings->get_file());
+        $settings->set_filter(false);
+        $this->assertFalse($settings->get_filter());
+        $settings->set_fileurl(false);
+        $this->assertFalse($settings->get_fileurl());
+        $settings->set_raw(true);
+        $this->assertTrue($settings->get_raw());
+
+        // Restore original values.
+        $settings->set_file($currentfile);
+        $settings->set_filter($currentfilter);
+        $settings->set_fileurl($currentfileurl);
+        $settings->set_raw($currentraw);
+    }
+
     public function test_validate_params() {
         $params = array('text'=>'aaa', 'someid'=>'6');
         $description = new external_function_parameters(array('someid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Some int value'),
@@ -539,7 +569,6 @@ class core_externallib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         }
 
     }
-
 }
 
 /*