diff --git a/lib/accesslib.php b/lib/accesslib.php
index feac94d9be3..8604f487f40 100644
--- a/lib/accesslib.php
+++ b/lib/accesslib.php
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ function has_capability_in_accessdata($capability, context $context, array &$acc
  * @see has_capability()
  *
  * @param string $capability the name of the capability to check. For example mod/forum:view
- * @param context $context the context to check the capability in. You normally get this with {@link get_context_instance}.
+ * @param context $context the context to check the capability in. You normally get this with context_xxxx::instance().
  * @param int $userid A user id. By default (null) checks the permissions of the current user.
  * @param bool $doanything If false, ignore effect of admin role assignment
  * @param string $errormessage The error string to to user. Defaults to 'nopermissions'.
@@ -7265,36 +7265,6 @@ function get_system_context($cache = true) {
     return context_system::instance(0, IGNORE_MISSING, $cache);
 }
 
-/**
- * Get the context instance as an object. This function will create the
- * context instance if it does not exist yet.
- *
- * @deprecated since 2.2, use context_course::instance() or other relevant class instead
- * @param integer $contextlevel The context level, for example CONTEXT_COURSE, or CONTEXT_MODULE.
- * @param integer $instance The instance id. For $level = CONTEXT_COURSE, this would be $course->id,
- *      for $level = CONTEXT_MODULE, this would be $cm->id. And so on. Defaults to 0
- * @param int $strictness IGNORE_MISSING means compatible mode, false returned if record not found, debug message if more found;
- *      MUST_EXIST means throw exception if no record or multiple records found
- * @return context The context object.
- */
-function get_context_instance($contextlevel, $instance = 0, $strictness = IGNORE_MISSING) {
-    $instances = (array)$instance;
-    $contexts = array();
-
-    $classname = context_helper::get_class_for_level($contextlevel);
-
-    // we do not load multiple contexts any more, PAGE should be responsible for any preloading
-    foreach ($instances as $inst) {
-        $contexts[$inst] = $classname::instance($inst, $strictness);
-    }
-
-    if (is_array($instance)) {
-        return $contexts;
-    } else {
-        return $contexts[$instance];
-    }
-}
-
 /**
  * Get a context instance as an object, from a given context id.
  *
diff --git a/lib/deprecatedlib.php b/lib/deprecatedlib.php
index 05a282a6594..50a7baa6178 100644
--- a/lib/deprecatedlib.php
+++ b/lib/deprecatedlib.php
@@ -4849,3 +4849,37 @@ function can_use_rotated_text() {
     debugging('can_use_rotated_text() is deprecated since Moodle 2.5. JS feature detection is used automatically.', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
     return true;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Get the context instance as an object. This function will create the
+ * context instance if it does not exist yet.
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 2.2, use context_course::instance() or other relevant class instead
+ * @todo This will be deleted in Moodle 2.8, refer MDL-34472
+ * @param integer $contextlevel The context level, for example CONTEXT_COURSE, or CONTEXT_MODULE.
+ * @param integer $instance The instance id. For $level = CONTEXT_COURSE, this would be $course->id,
+ *      for $level = CONTEXT_MODULE, this would be $cm->id. And so on. Defaults to 0
+ * @param int $strictness IGNORE_MISSING means compatible mode, false returned if record not found, debug message if more found;
+ *      MUST_EXIST means throw exception if no record or multiple records found
+ * @return context The context object.
+ */
+function get_context_instance($contextlevel, $instance = 0, $strictness = IGNORE_MISSING) {
+
+    debugging('get_context_instance() is deprecated, please use respective context_xxxx::instance().', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+
+    $instances = (array)$instance;
+    $contexts = array();
+
+    $classname = context_helper::get_class_for_level($contextlevel);
+
+    // we do not load multiple contexts any more, PAGE should be responsible for any preloading
+    foreach ($instances as $inst) {
+        $contexts[$inst] = $classname::instance($inst, $strictness);
+    }
+
+    if (is_array($instance)) {
+        return $contexts;
+    } else {
+        return $contexts[$instance];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/lib/pagelib.php b/lib/pagelib.php
index 8ebb63bff2c..556a9dfc345 100644
--- a/lib/pagelib.php
+++ b/lib/pagelib.php
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ class moodle_page {
     /**
      * Set the main context to which this page belongs.
      *
-     * @param context $context a context object, normally obtained with get_context_instance.
+     * @param context $context a context object. You normally get this with context_xxxx::instance().
      */
     public function set_context($context) {
         if ($context === null) {
diff --git a/lib/tests/accesslib_test.php b/lib/tests/accesslib_test.php
index 2b8d6e3474a..2007ceee565 100644
--- a/lib/tests/accesslib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/accesslib_test.php
@@ -2367,6 +2367,10 @@ class accesslib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEquals(count($children), $DB->count_records('context')-1);
         unset($children);
 
+        // Make sure a debugging is thrown.
+        get_context_instance($record->contextlevel, $record->instanceid);
+        $this->assertDebuggingCalled('get_context_instance() is deprecated, please use respective context_xxxx::instance().', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+
         $DB->delete_records('context', array('contextlevel'=>CONTEXT_BLOCK));
         create_contexts();
         $this->assertFalse($DB->record_exists('context', array('contextlevel'=>CONTEXT_BLOCK)));
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index b10aa3dfe55..7c5f2c61d67 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
 === 2.6 ===
 * Use new core_component::* plugin listing and component normalisation methods.
 * Use core_text::* instead of textlib:: and also core_collator::* instead of collatorlib::*.
-
+* get_context_instance() now throws deprecated warning.
 
 === 2.5.1 ===
 
diff --git a/mod/assign/feedback/offline/locallib.php b/mod/assign/feedback/offline/locallib.php
index b1fd7b9c03b..1a5838b900d 100644
--- a/mod/assign/feedback/offline/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/feedback/offline/locallib.php
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class assign_feedback_offline extends assign_feedback_plugin {
 
         $gradeimporter = new assignfeedback_offline_grade_importer($importid, $this->assignment);
 
-        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $USER->id);
+        $context = context_user::instance($USER->id);
         $fs = get_file_storage();
         if (!$files = $fs->get_area_files($context->id, 'user', 'draft', $draftid, 'id DESC', false)) {
             redirect(new moodle_url('view.php',
diff --git a/user/lib.php b/user/lib.php
index 560e3112580..357facb110c 100644
--- a/user/lib.php
+++ b/user/lib.php
@@ -527,11 +527,11 @@ function user_get_user_details_courses($user) {
  */
 function can_view_user_details_cap($user, $course = null) {
     // Check $USER has the capability to view the user details at user context.
-    $usercontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_USER, $user->id);
+    $usercontext = context_user::instance($user->id);
     $result = has_capability('moodle/user:viewdetails', $usercontext);
     // Otherwise can $USER see them at course context.
     if (!$result && !empty($course)) {
-        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $course->id);
+        $context = context_course::instance($course->id);
         $result = has_capability('moodle/user:viewdetails', $context);
     }
     return $result;