diff --git a/course/tests/behat/behat_course.php b/course/tests/behat/behat_course.php
index a477f391041..bc3d23ba331 100644
--- a/course/tests/behat/behat_course.php
+++ b/course/tests/behat/behat_course.php
@@ -82,32 +82,6 @@ class behat_course extends behat_base {
         ];
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Turns editing mode on.
-     * @Given /^I turn editing mode on$/
-     */
-    public function i_turn_editing_mode_on() {
-
-        try {
-            $this->execute("behat_forms::press_button", get_string('turneditingon'));
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $this->execute("behat_navigation::i_navigate_to_in_current_page_administration", [get_string('turneditingon')]);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Turns editing mode off.
-     * @Given /^I turn editing mode off$/
-     */
-    public function i_turn_editing_mode_off() {
-
-        try {
-            $this->execute("behat_forms::press_button", get_string('turneditingoff'));
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $this->execute("behat_navigation::i_navigate_to_in_current_page_administration", [get_string('turneditingoff')]);
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Creates a new course with the provided table data matching course settings names with the desired values.
      *
@@ -733,9 +707,7 @@ class behat_course extends behat_base {
      * @throws ExpectationException
      */
     public function activity_should_be_hidden($activityname) {
-
         if ($this->is_course_editor()) {
-
             // The activity should exist.
             $activitynode = $this->get_activity_node($activityname);
 
@@ -758,7 +730,6 @@ class behat_course extends behat_base {
             }
 
         } else {
-
             // It should not exist at all.
             try {
                 $this->get_activity_node($activityname);
@@ -1310,15 +1281,13 @@ class behat_course extends behat_base {
      *
      * @return bool
      */
-    protected function is_course_editor() {
-
-        // We don't need to behat_base::spin() here as all is already loaded.
-        if (!$this->getSession()->getPage()->findButton(get_string('turneditingoff')) &&
-                !$this->getSession()->getPage()->findButton(get_string('turneditingon'))) {
+    protected function is_course_editor(): bool {
+        try {
+            $this->find('field', get_string('editmode'), false, false, 0);
+            return true;
+        } catch (ElementNotFoundException $e) {
             return false;
         }
-
-        return true;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1327,7 +1296,8 @@ class behat_course extends behat_base {
      * @return bool
      */
     protected function is_editing_on() {
-        return $this->getSession()->getPage()->findButton(get_string('turneditingoff')) ? true : false;
+        $body = $this->find('xpath', "//body", false, false, 0);
+        return $body->hasClass('editing');
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php b/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
index 399a882c46a..775c5db06be 100644
--- a/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
+++ b/lib/behat/classes/behat_session_trait.php
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ trait behat_session_trait {
         }
 
         // How much we will be waiting for the element to appear.
-        if (!$timeout) {
+        if ($timeout === false) {
             $timeout = self::get_timeout();
             $microsleep = false;
         } else {
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ trait behat_session_trait {
     protected function spin($lambda, $args = false, $timeout = false, $exception = false, $microsleep = false) {
 
         // Using default timeout which is pretty high.
-        if (!$timeout) {
+        if ($timeout === false) {
             $timeout = self::get_timeout();
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/tests/behat/behat_navigation.php b/lib/tests/behat/behat_navigation.php
index f40bb4058c8..a6ea480ab95 100644
--- a/lib/tests/behat/behat_navigation.php
+++ b/lib/tests/behat/behat_navigation.php
@@ -833,33 +833,38 @@ class behat_navigation extends behat_base {
     /**
      * Open the course homepage with editing mode enabled.
      *
-     * @Given /^I am on "(?P<coursefullname_string>(?:[^"]|\\")*)" course homepage with editing mode on$/
-     * @throws coding_exception
      * @param string $coursefullname The course full name of the course.
-     * @return void
      */
     public function i_am_on_course_homepage_with_editing_mode_on($coursefullname) {
+        $this->i_am_on_course_homepage_with_editing_mode_set_to($coursefullname, 'on');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Open the course homepage with editing mode set to either on, or off.
+     *
+     * @Given I am on :coursefullname course homepage with editing mode :onoroff
+     * @throws coding_exception
+     * @param string $coursefullname The course full name of the course.
+     * @param string $onoroff Whehter to switch editing on, or off.
+     */
+    public function i_am_on_course_homepage_with_editing_mode_set_to(string $coursefullname, string $onoroff): void {
         global $DB;
 
         $course = $DB->get_record("course", array("fullname" => $coursefullname), 'id', MUST_EXIST);
         $url = new moodle_url('/course/view.php', ['id' => $course->id]);
 
-        if ($this->running_javascript() && $sesskey = $this->get_sesskey()) {
-            // Javascript is running so it is possible to grab the session ket and jump straight to editing mode.
-            $url->param('edit', 1);
-            $url->param('sesskey', $sesskey);
-            $this->execute('behat_general::i_visit', [$url]);
-
-            return;
-        }
-
         // Visit the course page.
         $this->execute('behat_general::i_visit', [$url]);
 
-        try {
-            $this->execute("behat_forms::press_button", get_string('turneditingon'));
-        } catch (Exception $e) {
-            $this->execute("behat_navigation::i_navigate_to_in_current_page_administration", [get_string('turneditingon')]);
+        switch ($onoroff) {
+            case 'on':
+                $this->execute('behat_navigation::i_turn_editing_mode_on');
+                break;
+            case 'off':
+                $this->execute('behat_navigation::i_turn_editing_mode_off');
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new \coding_exception("Unknown editing mode '{$onoroff}'. Accepted values are 'on' and 'off'");
         }
     }
 
@@ -1103,7 +1108,6 @@ class behat_navigation extends behat_base {
         $this->execute('behat_general::i_visit', [$url]);
     }
 
-
     /**
      * First checks to see if we are on this page via the breadcrumb. If not we then attempt to follow the link name given.
      *
@@ -1193,4 +1197,54 @@ class behat_navigation extends behat_base {
             "//div[contains(concat(' ', @class, ' '), ' dropdown-menu ')]" .
             "//div[contains(concat(' ', @class, ' '), ' submenu ')][@aria-label='" . $submenuname . "']";
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns whether the user can edit the current page.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    protected function is_editing_on() {
+        $body = $this->find('xpath', "//body", false, false, 0);
+        return $body->hasClass('editing');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Turns editing mode on.
+     * @Given I switch editing mode on
+     * @Given I turn editing mode on
+     */
+    public function i_turn_editing_mode_on() {
+        $this->execute('behat_forms::i_set_the_field_to', [get_string('editmode'), 1]);
+
+        if (!$this->running_javascript()) {
+            $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [
+                get_string('setmode', 'core'),
+                'button',
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        if (!$this->is_editing_on()) {
+            throw new ExpectationException('The edit mode could not be turned on', $this->getSession());
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Turns editing mode off.
+     * @Given I switch editing mode off
+     * @Given I turn editing mode off
+     */
+    public function i_turn_editing_mode_off() {
+        $this->execute('behat_forms::i_set_the_field_to', [get_string('editmode'), 0]);
+
+        if (!$this->running_javascript()) {
+            $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [
+                get_string('setmode', 'core'),
+                'button',
+            ]);
+        }
+
+        if ($this->is_editing_on()) {
+            throw new ExpectationException('The edit mode could not be turned off', $this->getSession());
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/tests/behat/switch_editing_mode.feature b/lib/tests/behat/switch_editing_mode.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d8df9d44d55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tests/behat/switch_editing_mode.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+@core @turn_edit_mode_on @javascript
+Feature: Turn editing mode on
+  Users should be able to turn editing mode on and off
+
+  Background:
+    Given the following "courses" exist:
+      | fullname | shortname |
+      | Course 1 | C1        |
+    And the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email |
+      | teacher1 | Teacher | 1 | teacher1@example.com |
+      | student1 | Student | 1 | student1@example.com |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user | course | role |
+      | teacher1 | C1 | editingteacher |
+      | student1 | C1 | student |
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I am on "Course 1" course homepage with editing mode on
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    And I log out
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Gradebook
+    Given the following "activities" exist:
+      | activity | course | idnumber | name              | intro             |
+      | assign   | C1     | assign1  | Test Assignment 1 | Test Assignment 1 |
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I am on "Course 1" course homepage
+    And I navigate to "View > Grader report" in the course gradebook
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And "Edit  assign Test Assignment 1" "link" should exist
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then "Edit  assign Test Assignment 1" "link" should not exist
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Course
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I am on "Course 1" course homepage
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add an activity or resource"
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add an activity or resource"
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Homepage
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I am on site homepage
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add an activity or resource"
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add an activity or resource"
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Default profile
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I navigate to "Appearance > Default profile page" in site administration
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add a block"
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add a block"
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Profile
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I follow "View profile"
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add a block"
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add a block"
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Default dashboard
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I navigate to "Appearance > Default Dashboard page" in site administration
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add a block"
+    And I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add a block"
+
+  Scenario: Edit mode on page Dashboard
+    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    And I turn editing mode on
+    And I should see "Add a block"
+    Then I turn editing mode off
+    Then I should not see "Add a block"
diff --git a/theme/classic/tests/behat/behat_theme_classic_behat_navigation.php b/theme/classic/tests/behat/behat_theme_classic_behat_navigation.php
index d975b8b74ab..f664bbb913e 100644
--- a/theme/classic/tests/behat/behat_theme_classic_behat_navigation.php
+++ b/theme/classic/tests/behat/behat_theme_classic_behat_navigation.php
@@ -226,4 +226,38 @@ class behat_theme_classic_behat_navigation extends behat_navigation {
 
         return $menuxpath;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Turns editing mode off.
+     */
+    public function i_turn_editing_mode_off(): void {
+        $buttonnames = [get_string('turneditingoff'), get_string('updatemymoodleoff'), get_string('blockseditoff')];
+        foreach ($buttonnames as $buttonname) {
+            if ($editbutton = $this->getSession()->getPage()->findButton($buttonname)) {
+                $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [$editbutton, 'NodeElement']);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+        // Click the turneditingoff link in the Site Administration block.
+        if ($this->is_editing_on()) {
+            $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [get_string('turneditingoff'), "link"]);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Turns editing mode on.
+     */
+    public function i_turn_editing_mode_on(): void {
+        $buttonnames = [get_string('turneditingon'), get_string('updatemymoodleon'), get_string('blocksediton')];
+        foreach ($buttonnames as $buttonname) {
+            if ($editbutton = $this->getSession()->getPage()->findButton($buttonname)) {
+                $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [$editbutton, 'NodeElement']);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!$this->is_editing_on()) {
+            $this->execute('behat_general::i_click_on', [get_string('turneditingon'), "link"]);
+        }
+    }
 }