diff --git a/backup/backup.class.php b/backup/backup.class.php
index ddea0891256..260058d650e 100644
--- a/backup/backup.class.php
+++ b/backup/backup.class.php
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ abstract class backup implements checksumable {
     const INTERACTIVE_YES = true;
     const INTERACTIVE_NO  = false;
 
+    /** Release the session during backup/restore */
+    const RELEASESESSION_YES = true;
+    /** Don't release the session during backup/restore */
+    const RELEASESESSION_NO  = false;
+
     // Predefined modes (purposes) of the backup
     const MODE_GENERAL   = 10;
 
diff --git a/backup/backup.php b/backup/backup.php
index cfcb3ff55f3..c68bbfa9882 100644
--- a/backup/backup.php
+++ b/backup/backup.php
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ if (!async_helper::is_async_pending($id, 'course', 'backup')) {
 
     if (!($bc = backup_ui::load_controller($backupid))) {
         $bc = new backup_controller($type, $id, backup::FORMAT_MOODLE,
-                backup::INTERACTIVE_YES, $backupmode, $USER->id);
+                backup::INTERACTIVE_YES, $backupmode, $USER->id, backup::RELEASESESSION_YES);
         // The backup id did not relate to a valid controller so we made a new controller.
         // Now we need to reset the backup id to match the new controller.
         $backupid = $bc->get_backupid();
diff --git a/backup/controller/backup_controller.class.php b/backup/controller/backup_controller.class.php
index 52793b24d68..c2c7fdd3dfc 100644
--- a/backup/controller/backup_controller.class.php
+++ b/backup/controller/backup_controller.class.php
@@ -79,8 +79,9 @@ class backup_controller extends base_controller {
      * @param bool $interactive Whether this backup will require user interaction; backup::INTERACTIVE_YES or INTERACTIVE_NO
      * @param int $mode One of backup::MODE_GENERAL, MODE_IMPORT, MODE_SAMESITE, MODE_HUB, MODE_AUTOMATED
      * @param int $userid The id of the user making the backup
+     * @param bool $releasesession Should release the session? backup::RELEASESESSION_YES or backup::RELEASESESSION_NO
      */
-    public function __construct($type, $id, $format, $interactive, $mode, $userid){
+    public function __construct($type, $id, $format, $interactive, $mode, $userid, $releasesession = backup::RELEASESESSION_NO) {
         $this->type = $type;
         $this->id   = $id;
         $this->courseid = backup_controller_dbops::get_courseid_from_type_id($this->type, $this->id);
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ class backup_controller extends base_controller {
         $this->interactive = $interactive;
         $this->mode = $mode;
         $this->userid = $userid;
+        $this->releasesession = $releasesession;
 
         // Apply some defaults
         $this->operation = backup::OPERATION_BACKUP;
@@ -359,6 +361,11 @@ class backup_controller extends base_controller {
         core_php_time_limit::raise(1 * 60 * 60); // 1 hour for 1 course initially granted
         raise_memory_limit(MEMORY_EXTRA);
 
+        // Release the session so other tabs in the same session are not blocked.
+        if ($this->get_releasesession() === backup::RELEASESESSION_YES) {
+            \core\session\manager::write_close();
+        }
+
         // If the controller has decided that we can include files, then check the setting, otherwise do not include files.
         if ($this->get_include_files()) {
             $this->set_include_files((bool) $this->get_plan()->get_setting('files')->get_value());
diff --git a/backup/controller/base_controller.class.php b/backup/controller/base_controller.class.php
index 09987965e5f..32aa06cc5b4 100644
--- a/backup/controller/base_controller.class.php
+++ b/backup/controller/base_controller.class.php
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ abstract class base_controller extends backup implements loggable {
      */
     protected $logger;
 
+    /** @var bool Whether this backup should release the session. */
+    protected $releasesession = backup::RELEASESESSION_NO;
+
     /**
      * Gets the progress reporter, which can be used to report progress within
      * the backup or restore process.
@@ -82,4 +85,14 @@ abstract class base_controller extends backup implements loggable {
     public function log($message, $level, $a = null, $depth = null, $display = false) {
         backup_helper::log($message, $level, $a, $depth, $display, $this->logger);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the set value of releasesession.
+     * This is used to indicate if the session should be closed during the backup/restore.
+     *
+     * @return bool Indicates whether the session should be released.
+     */
+    public function get_releasesession() {
+        return $this->releasesession;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/backup/controller/restore_controller.class.php b/backup/controller/restore_controller.class.php
index 1f63e577cc3..cf37e552dc5 100644
--- a/backup/controller/restore_controller.class.php
+++ b/backup/controller/restore_controller.class.php
@@ -79,15 +79,17 @@ class restore_controller extends base_controller {
      * @param int $userid
      * @param int $target backup::TARGET_[ NEW_COURSE | CURRENT_ADDING | CURRENT_DELETING | EXISTING_ADDING | EXISTING_DELETING ]
      * @param \core\progress\base $progress Optional progress monitor
+     * @param bool $releasesession Should release the session? backup::RELEASESESSION_YES or backup::RELEASESESSION_NO
      */
     public function __construct($tempdir, $courseid, $interactive, $mode, $userid, $target,
-            \core\progress\base $progress = null) {
+            \core\progress\base $progress = null, $releasesession = backup::RELEASESESSION_NO) {
         $this->tempdir = $tempdir;
         $this->courseid = $courseid;
         $this->interactive = $interactive;
         $this->mode = $mode;
         $this->userid = $userid;
         $this->target = $target;
+        $this->releasesession = $releasesession;
 
         // Apply some defaults
         $this->type = '';
@@ -357,6 +359,11 @@ class restore_controller extends base_controller {
         core_php_time_limit::raise(1 * 60 * 60); // 1 hour for 1 course initially granted
         raise_memory_limit(MEMORY_EXTRA);
 
+        // Release the session so other tabs in the same session are not blocked.
+        if ($this->get_releasesession() === backup::RELEASESESSION_YES) {
+            \core\session\manager::write_close();
+        }
+
         // Do course cleanup precheck, if required. This was originally in restore_ui. Moved to handle async backup/restore.
         if ($this->get_target() == backup::TARGET_CURRENT_DELETING || $this->get_target() == backup::TARGET_EXISTING_DELETING) {
             $options = array();
diff --git a/backup/restore.php b/backup/restore.php
index 750a3988380..a6b7d76280a 100644
--- a/backup/restore.php
+++ b/backup/restore.php
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ if ($stage & restore_ui::STAGE_CONFIRM + restore_ui::STAGE_DESTINATION) {
         $restore = restore_ui::engage_independent_stage($stage/2, $contextid);
         if ($restore->process()) {
             $rc = new restore_controller($restore->get_filepath(), $restore->get_course_id(), backup::INTERACTIVE_YES,
-                    $backupmode, $USER->id, $restore->get_target());
+                    $backupmode, $USER->id, $restore->get_target(), null, backup::RELEASESESSION_YES);
         }
     }
     if ($rc) {