diff --git a/question/engine/questionattempt.php b/question/engine/questionattempt.php
index 705594dc3f0..7f6fcdfccb5 100644
--- a/question/engine/questionattempt.php
+++ b/question/engine/questionattempt.php
@@ -359,6 +359,19 @@ class question_attempt {
         return 'q' . $this->usageid . ':' . $this->slot . '_';
     }
 
+    /**
+     * When the question is rendered, this unique id is added to the
+     * outer div of the question. It can be used to uniquely reference
+     * the question from JavaScript.
+     *
+     * Note, this is not truly unique. It will be changed in Moodle 3.7. See MDL-65029.
+     *
+     * @return string id added to the outer <div class="que ..."> when the question is rendered.
+     */
+    public function get_outer_question_div_unique_id() {
+        return 'q' . $this->slot;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get one of the steps in this attempt.
      *
diff --git a/question/engine/renderer.php b/question/engine/renderer.php
index 17246d59044..6d19acbf753 100644
--- a/question/engine/renderer.php
+++ b/question/engine/renderer.php
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class core_question_renderer extends plugin_renderer_base {
 
         $output = '';
         $output .= html_writer::start_tag('div', array(
-            'id' => 'q' . $qa->get_slot(),
+            'id' => $qa->get_outer_question_div_unique_id(),
             'class' => implode(' ', array(
                 'que',
                 $qa->get_question()->qtype->name(),
diff --git a/question/type/ddimageortext/rendererbase.php b/question/type/ddimageortext/rendererbase.php
index 58bca8546f8..bc0ad5e1a07 100644
--- a/question/type/ddimageortext/rendererbase.php
+++ b/question/type/ddimageortext/rendererbase.php
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class qtype_ddtoimage_renderer_base extends qtype_with_combined_feedback_rendere
         }
         $output .= html_writer::tag('div',
                 $droparea . $dragitems . $dropzones . $hiddens, array('class' => 'ddarea'));
-        $topnode = 'div#q'.$qa->get_slot().' div.ddarea';
+        $topnode = 'div#' . $qa->get_outer_question_div_unique_id() . ' div.ddarea';
         $params = array('drops' => $question->places,
                         'topnode' => $topnode,
                         'readonly' => $options->readonly);
diff --git a/question/type/ddmarker/renderer.php b/question/type/ddmarker/renderer.php
index 45e119bc7e2..d163a6451e4 100644
--- a/question/type/ddmarker/renderer.php
+++ b/question/type/ddmarker/renderer.php
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class qtype_ddmarker_renderer extends qtype_ddtoimage_renderer_base {
             $visibledropzones = array();
         }
 
-        $topnode = 'div#q'.$qa->get_slot();
+        $topnode = 'div#' . $qa->get_outer_question_div_unique_id();
         $params = array('dropzones' => $visibledropzones,
                         'topnode' => $topnode,
                         'readonly' => $options->readonly);
diff --git a/question/type/ddwtos/renderer.php b/question/type/ddwtos/renderer.php
index 7425082df2a..05357e253c6 100644
--- a/question/type/ddwtos/renderer.php
+++ b/question/type/ddwtos/renderer.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class qtype_ddwtos_renderer extends qtype_elements_embedded_in_question_text_ren
 
         $params = array(
             'inputids' => $inputids,
-            'topnode' => 'div.que.ddwtos#q' . $qa->get_slot(),
+            'topnode' => 'div.que.ddwtos#' . $qa->get_outer_question_div_unique_id(),
             'readonly' => $options->readonly
         );