diff --git a/message/classes/api.php b/message/classes/api.php
index ddf2f4b773d..9788b21ced2 100644
--- a/message/classes/api.php
+++ b/message/classes/api.php
@@ -1960,19 +1960,65 @@ class api {
     public static function get_conversation_between_users(array $userids) {
         global $DB;
 
-        $hash = helper::get_conversation_hash($userids);
+        $conversations = self::get_individual_conversations_between_users([$userids]);
+        $conversation = $conversations[0];
 
-        $params = [
-            'type' => self::MESSAGE_CONVERSATION_TYPE_INDIVIDUAL,
-            'convhash' => $hash
-        ];
-        if ($conversation = $DB->get_record('message_conversations', $params)) {
+        if ($conversation) {
             return $conversation->id;
         }
 
         return false;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the conversations between sets of users.
+     *
+     * The returned array of results will be in the same order as the requested
+     * arguments, null will be returned if there is no conversation for that user
+     * pair.
+     *
+     * For example:
+     * If we have 6 users with ids 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 where only 2 conversations
+     * exist. One between 1 and 2 and another between 5 and 6.
+     *
+     * Then if we call:
+     * $conversations = get_individual_conversations_between_users([[1,2], [3,4], [5,6]]);
+     *
+     * The conversations array will look like:
+     * [<conv_record>, null, <conv_record>];
+     *
+     * Where null is returned for the pairing of [3, 4] since no record exists.
+     *
+     * @param array $useridsets An array of arrays where the inner array is the set of user ids
+     * @return stdClass[] Array of conversation records
+     */
+    public static function get_individual_conversations_between_users(array $useridsets) : array {
+        global $DB;
+
+        if (empty($useridsets)) {
+            return [];
+        }
+
+        $hashes = array_map(function($userids) {
+            return  helper::get_conversation_hash($userids);
+        }, $useridsets);
+
+        list($inorequalsql, $params) = $DB->get_in_or_equal($hashes);
+        array_unshift($params, self::MESSAGE_CONVERSATION_TYPE_INDIVIDUAL);
+        $where = "type = ? AND convhash ${inorequalsql}";
+        $conversations = array_fill(0, count($hashes), null);
+        $records = $DB->get_records_select('message_conversations', $where, $params);
+
+        foreach (array_values($records) as $record) {
+            $index = array_search($record->convhash, $hashes);
+            if ($index !== false) {
+                $conversations[$index] = $record;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $conversations;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Creates a conversation between two users.
      *
@@ -2106,8 +2152,9 @@ class api {
      *
      * @param int $userid The id of the user who is creating the contact request
      * @param int $requesteduserid The id of the user being requested
+     * @return \stdClass the request
      */
-    public static function create_contact_request(int $userid, int $requesteduserid) {
+    public static function create_contact_request(int $userid, int $requesteduserid) : \stdClass {
         global $DB;
 
         $request = new \stdClass();
@@ -2115,32 +2162,9 @@ class api {
         $request->requesteduserid = $requesteduserid;
         $request->timecreated = time();
 
-        $DB->insert_record('message_contact_requests', $request);
+        $request->id = $DB->insert_record('message_contact_requests', $request);
 
-        // Send a notification.
-        $userfrom = \core_user::get_user($userid);
-        $userfromfullname = fullname($userfrom);
-        $userto = \core_user::get_user($requesteduserid);
-        $url = new \moodle_url('/message/pendingcontactrequests.php');
-
-        $subject = get_string('messagecontactrequestsnotificationsubject', 'core_message', $userfromfullname);
-        $fullmessage = get_string('messagecontactrequestsnotification', 'core_message', $userfromfullname);
-
-        $message = new \core\message\message();
-        $message->courseid = SITEID;
-        $message->component = 'moodle';
-        $message->name = 'messagecontactrequests';
-        $message->notification = 1;
-        $message->userfrom = $userfrom;
-        $message->userto = $userto;
-        $message->subject = $subject;
-        $message->fullmessage = text_to_html($fullmessage);
-        $message->fullmessageformat = FORMAT_HTML;
-        $message->fullmessagehtml = $fullmessage;
-        $message->smallmessage = '';
-        $message->contexturl = $url->out(false);
-
-        message_send($message);
+        return $request;
     }
 
 
@@ -2207,6 +2231,17 @@ class api {
         return [];
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Count how many contact requests the user has received.
+     *
+     * @param \stdClass $user The user to fetch contact requests for
+     * @return int The count
+     */
+    public static function count_received_contact_requests(\stdClass $user) : int {
+        global $DB;
+        return $DB->count_records('message_contact_requests', ['requesteduserid' => $user->id]);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Handles adding a contact.
      *
@@ -2354,6 +2389,23 @@ class api {
         return $DB->record_exists('message_users_blocked', ['userid' => $userid, 'blockeduserid' => $blockeduserid]);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get contact requests between users.
+     *
+     * @param int $userid The id of the user who is creating the contact request
+     * @param int $requesteduserid The id of the user being requested
+     * @return \stdClass[]
+     */
+    public static function get_contact_requests_between_users(int $userid, int $requesteduserid) : array {
+        global $DB;
+
+        $sql = "SELECT *
+                  FROM {message_contact_requests} mcr
+                 WHERE (mcr.userid = ? AND mcr.requesteduserid = ?)
+                    OR (mcr.userid = ? AND mcr.requesteduserid = ?)";
+        return $DB->get_records_sql($sql, [$userid, $requesteduserid, $requesteduserid, $userid]);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Checks if a contact request already exists between users.
      *
diff --git a/message/externallib.php b/message/externallib.php
index b8a1dc16fb2..42c4491055f 100644
--- a/message/externallib.php
+++ b/message/externallib.php
@@ -842,21 +842,27 @@ class core_message_external extends external_api {
             throw new required_capability_exception($context, $capability, 'nopermissions', '');
         }
 
+        $result = [
+            'warnings' => []
+        ];
+
         if (!\core_message\api::can_create_contact($params['userid'], $params['requesteduserid'])) {
-            $warning[] = [
+            $result['warnings'][] = [
                 'item' => 'user',
                 'itemid' => $params['requesteduserid'],
                 'warningcode' => 'cannotcreatecontactrequest',
                 'message' => 'You are unable to create a contact request for this user'
             ];
-            return $warning;
+        } else {
+            if ($requests = \core_message\api::get_contact_requests_between_users($params['userid'], $params['requesteduserid'])) {
+                // There should only ever be one but just in case there are multiple then we can return the first.
+                $result['request'] = array_shift($requests);
+            } else {
+                $result['request'] = \core_message\api::create_contact_request($params['userid'], $params['requesteduserid']);
+            }
         }
 
-        if (!\core_message\api::does_contact_request_exist($params['userid'], $params['requesteduserid'])) {
-            \core_message\api::create_contact_request($params['userid'], $params['requesteduserid']);
-        }
-
-        return [];
+        return $result;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -865,7 +871,21 @@ class core_message_external extends external_api {
      * @return external_description
      */
     public static function create_contact_request_returns() {
-        return new external_warnings();
+        return new external_single_structure(
+            array(
+                'request' => new external_single_structure(
+                    array(
+                        'id' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Message id'),
+                        'userid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User from id'),
+                        'requesteduserid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'User to id'),
+                        'timecreated' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Time created'),
+                    ),
+                    'request record',
+                    VALUE_OPTIONAL
+                ),
+                'warnings' => new external_warnings()
+            )
+        );
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/message/tests/api_test.php b/message/tests/api_test.php
index 30add021e0c..61fe9b04cba 100644
--- a/message/tests/api_test.php
+++ b/message/tests/api_test.php
@@ -4570,13 +4570,7 @@ class core_message_api_testcase extends core_message_messagelib_testcase {
         $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
         $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
 
-        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
-
-        $request = $DB->get_records('message_contact_requests');
-
-        $this->assertCount(1, $request);
-
-        $request = reset($request);
+        $request = \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
 
         $this->assertEquals($user1->id, $request->userid);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $request->requesteduserid);
@@ -4628,6 +4622,8 @@ class core_message_api_testcase extends core_message_messagelib_testcase {
      * Test retrieving contact requests.
      */
     public function test_get_contact_requests() {
+        global $PAGE;
+
         $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
         $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
         $user3 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
@@ -4643,6 +4639,8 @@ class core_message_api_testcase extends core_message_messagelib_testcase {
         $this->assertCount(1, $requests);
 
         $request = reset($requests);
+        $userpicture = new \user_picture($user2);
+        $profileimageurl = $userpicture->get_url($PAGE)->out(false);
 
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $request->id);
         $this->assertEquals(fullname($user2), $request->fullname);
@@ -4819,6 +4817,78 @@ class core_message_api_testcase extends core_message_messagelib_testcase {
         $this->assertTrue(\core_message\api::does_contact_request_exist($user2->id, $user1->id));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test the count_received_contact_requests() function.
+     */
+    public function test_count_received_contact_requests() {
+        $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user3 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user4 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $this->assertEquals(0, \core_message\api::count_received_contact_requests($user1));
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user2->id, $user1->id);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(1, \core_message\api::count_received_contact_requests($user1));
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user3->id, $user1->id);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(2, \core_message\api::count_received_contact_requests($user1));
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user4->id);
+        // Function should ignore sent requests.
+        $this->assertEquals(2, \core_message\api::count_received_contact_requests($user1));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test the get_contact_requests_between_users() function.
+     */
+    public function test_get_contact_requests_between_users() {
+        $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user3 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user4 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $this->assertEquals([], \core_message\api::get_contact_requests_between_users($user1->id, $user2->id));
+
+        $request1 = \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user2->id, $user1->id);
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_contact_requests_between_users($user1->id, $user2->id);
+        $results = array_values($results);
+
+        $this->assertCount(1, $results);
+        $result = $results[0];
+        $this->assertEquals($request1->id, $result->id);
+
+        $request2 = \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_contact_requests_between_users($user1->id, $user2->id);
+        $results = array_values($results);
+
+        $this->assertCount(2, $results);
+        $actual = [(int) $results[0]->id, (int) $results[1]->id];
+        $expected = [(int) $request1->id, (int) $request2->id];
+
+        sort($actual);
+        sort($expected);
+
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, $actual);
+
+        // Request from a different user.
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user3->id, $user1->id);
+
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_contact_requests_between_users($user1->id, $user2->id);
+        $results = array_values($results);
+
+        $this->assertCount(2, $results);
+        $actual = [(int) $results[0]->id, (int) $results[1]->id];
+        $expected = [(int) $request1->id, (int) $request2->id];
+
+        sort($actual);
+        sort($expected);
+
+        $this->assertEquals($expected, $actual);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test the user in conversation check.
      */
@@ -5084,6 +5154,148 @@ class core_message_api_testcase extends core_message_messagelib_testcase {
         );
     }
 
+
+    /**
+     * Test an empty array returned when no args given.
+     */
+    public function test_get_individual_conversations_between_users_no_user_sets() {
+        $this->assertEmpty(\core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([]));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test a conversation is not returned if there is none.
+     */
+    public function test_get_individual_conversations_between_users_no_conversation() {
+        $generator = $this->getDataGenerator();
+        $user1 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user2 = $generator->create_user();
+
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            [null],
+            \core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([[$user1->id, $user2->id]])
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test the result set includes null if there is no conversation between users.
+     */
+    public function test_get_individual_conversations_between_users_partial_conversations() {
+        $generator = $this->getDataGenerator();
+        $user1 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user2 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user3 = $generator->create_user();
+        $type = \core_message\api::MESSAGE_CONVERSATION_TYPE_INDIVIDUAL;
+
+        $conversation1 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user2->id]);
+        $conversation2 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user3->id]);
+
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([
+            [$user1->id, $user2->id],
+            [$user2->id, $user3->id],
+            [$user1->id, $user3->id]
+        ]);
+
+        $result = array_map(function($result) {
+            if ($result) {
+                return $result->id;
+            } else {
+                return $result;
+            }
+        }, $results);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            [$conversation1->id, null, $conversation2->id],
+            $result
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test all conversations are returned if each set has a conversation.
+     */
+    public function test_get_individual_conversations_between_users_all_conversations() {
+        $generator = $this->getDataGenerator();
+        $user1 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user2 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user3 = $generator->create_user();
+        $type = \core_message\api::MESSAGE_CONVERSATION_TYPE_INDIVIDUAL;
+
+        $conversation1 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user2->id]);
+        $conversation2 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user2->id, $user3->id]);
+        $conversation3 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user3->id]);
+
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([
+            [$user1->id, $user2->id],
+            [$user2->id, $user3->id],
+            [$user1->id, $user3->id]
+        ]);
+
+        $result = array_map(function($result) {
+            if ($result) {
+                return $result->id;
+            } else {
+                return $result;
+            }
+        }, $results);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            [$conversation1->id, $conversation2->id, $conversation3->id],
+            $result
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test that the results are ordered to match the order of the parameters.
+     */
+    public function test_get_individual_conversations_between_users_ordering() {
+        $generator = $this->getDataGenerator();
+        $user1 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user2 = $generator->create_user();
+        $user3 = $generator->create_user();
+        $type = \core_message\api::MESSAGE_CONVERSATION_TYPE_INDIVIDUAL;
+
+        $conversation1 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user2->id]);
+        $conversation2 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user2->id, $user3->id]);
+        $conversation3 = \core_message\api::create_conversation($type, [$user1->id, $user3->id]);
+
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([
+            [$user1->id, $user2->id],
+            [$user2->id, $user3->id],
+            [$user1->id, $user3->id]
+        ]);
+
+        $result = array_map(function($result) {
+            if ($result) {
+                return $result->id;
+            } else {
+                return $result;
+            }
+        }, $results);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            [$conversation1->id, $conversation2->id, $conversation3->id],
+            $result
+        );
+
+        $results = \core_message\api::get_individual_conversations_between_users([
+            [$user2->id, $user3->id],
+            [$user1->id, $user2->id],
+            [$user1->id, $user3->id]
+        ]);
+
+        $result = array_map(function($result) {
+            if ($result) {
+                return $result->id;
+            } else {
+                return $result;
+            }
+        }, $results);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            [$conversation2->id, $conversation1->id, $conversation3->id],
+            $result
+        );
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test returning members in a conversation with no contact requests.
      */
diff --git a/message/tests/externallib_test.php b/message/tests/externallib_test.php
index 9d2f0add5ab..42aed082022 100644
--- a/message/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/message/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -552,6 +552,8 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
      * Test getting contact requests.
      */
     public function test_get_contact_requests() {
+        global $PAGE;
+
         $this->resetAfterTest();
 
         $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
@@ -572,6 +574,8 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertCount(1, $requests);
 
         $request = reset($requests);
+        $userpicture = new \user_picture($user2);
+        $profileimageurl = $userpicture->get_url($PAGE)->out(false);
 
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $request['id']);
         $this->assertEquals(fullname($user2), $request['fullname']);
@@ -677,7 +681,7 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
 
         $return = core_message_external::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
         $return = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_message_external::create_contact_request_returns(), $return);
-        $this->assertEquals(array(), $return);
+        $this->assertEquals([], $return['warnings']);
 
         $request = $DB->get_records('message_contact_requests');
 
@@ -685,8 +689,10 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
 
         $request = reset($request);
 
-        $this->assertEquals($user1->id, $request->userid);
-        $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $request->requesteduserid);
+        $this->assertEquals($request->id, $return['request']['id']);
+        $this->assertEquals($request->userid, $return['request']['userid']);
+        $this->assertEquals($request->requesteduserid, $return['request']['requesteduserid']);
+        $this->assertEquals($request->timecreated, $return['request']['timecreated']);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -707,7 +713,7 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $return = core_message_external::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
         $return = external_api::clean_returnvalue(core_message_external::create_contact_request_returns(), $return);
 
-        $warning = reset($return);
+        $warning = reset($return['warnings']);
 
         $this->assertEquals('user', $warning['item']);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $warning['itemid']);
diff --git a/message/tests/privacy_provider_test.php b/message/tests/privacy_provider_test.php
index 101adbba016..5005483f69b 100644
--- a/message/tests/privacy_provider_test.php
+++ b/message/tests/privacy_provider_test.php
@@ -693,8 +693,8 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         // There should be 4 conversation members.
         $this->assertEquals(4, $DB->count_records('message_conversation_members'));
 
-        // There should be 3 notifications + 2 for the contact request.
-        $this->assertEquals(5, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
+        // There should be 3 notifications.
+        $this->assertEquals(3, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
 
         provider::delete_data_for_all_users_in_context($user1context);
 
@@ -732,8 +732,8 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         // And user1 is not in any conversation.
         $this->assertEquals(0, $DB->count_records('message_conversation_members', ['userid' => $user1->id]));
 
-        // Confirm there is only 1 notification + 1 for the contact request.
-        $this->assertEquals(2, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
+        // Confirm there is only 1 notification.
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
         // And it is not related to user1.
         $this->assertEquals(0,
                 $DB->count_records_select('notifications', 'useridfrom = ? OR useridto = ? ', [$user1->id, $user1->id]));
@@ -800,8 +800,8 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         // There should be two conversation members.
         $this->assertEquals(2, $DB->count_records('message_conversation_members'));
 
-        // There should be three notifications + two for the contact requests.
-        $this->assertEquals(5, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
+        // There should be three notifications.
+        $this->assertEquals(3, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
 
         $user1context = context_user::instance($user1->id);
         $contextlist = new \core_privacy\local\request\approved_contextlist($user1, 'core_message',
@@ -846,13 +846,9 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         $mcm = reset($mcms);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $mcm->userid);
 
-        $this->assertCount(2, $notifications);
+        $this->assertCount(1, $notifications);
         ksort($notifications);
 
-        $notification = array_shift($notifications);
-        $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $notification->useridfrom);
-        $this->assertEquals($user4->id, $notification->useridto);
-
         $notification = array_shift($notifications);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $notification->useridfrom);
         $this->assertEquals($user3->id, $notification->useridto);
@@ -1120,7 +1116,7 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         $this->assertEquals(2, $DB->count_records('message_conversation_members'));
 
         // There should be three notifications + two for the contact requests.
-        $this->assertEquals(5, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
+        $this->assertEquals(3, $DB->count_records('notifications'));
 
         $user1context = context_user::instance($user1->id);
         $approveduserlist = new \core_privacy\local\request\approved_userlist($user1context, 'core_message',
@@ -1167,13 +1163,9 @@ class core_message_privacy_provider_testcase extends \core_privacy\tests\provide
         $mcm = reset($mcms);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $mcm->userid);
 
-        $this->assertCount(2, $notifications);
+        $this->assertCount(1, $notifications);
         ksort($notifications);
 
-        $notification = array_shift($notifications);
-        $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $notification->useridfrom);
-        $this->assertEquals($user4->id, $notification->useridto);
-
         $notification = array_shift($notifications);
         $this->assertEquals($user2->id, $notification->useridfrom);
         $this->assertEquals($user3->id, $notification->useridto);