diff --git a/admin/modules.php b/admin/modules.php
index 8eab4bc50a6..c8f69d45f37 100644
--- a/admin/modules.php
+++ b/admin/modules.php
@@ -43,14 +43,13 @@
                    SET visibleold=visible, visible=0
                  WHERE module=?";
         $DB->execute($sql, array($module->id));
-        // clear the course modinfo cache for courses
-        // where we just uninstalld something
-        $sql = "UPDATE {course}
-                   SET modinfo=''
-                 WHERE id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
+        // Increment course.cacherev for courses where we just made something invisible.
+        // This will force cache rebuilding on the next request.
+        increment_revision_number('course', 'cacherev',
+                "id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
                                 FROM {course_modules}
-                               WHERE visibleold=1 AND module=?)";
-        $DB->execute($sql, array($module->id));
+                               WHERE visibleold=1 AND module=?)",
+                array($module->id));
         admin_get_root(true, false);  // settings not required - only pages
     }
 
@@ -60,14 +59,13 @@
         }
         $DB->set_field("modules", "visible", "1", array("id"=>$module->id)); // Show main module
         $DB->set_field('course_modules', 'visible', '1', array('visibleold'=>1, 'module'=>$module->id)); // Get the previous saved visible state for the course module.
-        // clear the course modinfo cache for courses
-        // where we just made something visible
-        $sql = "UPDATE {course}
-                   SET modinfo = ''
-                 WHERE id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
+        // Increment course.cacherev for courses where we just made something visible.
+        // This will force cache rebuilding on the next request.
+        increment_revision_number('course', 'cacherev',
+                "id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
                                 FROM {course_modules}
-                               WHERE visible=1 AND module=?)";
-        $DB->execute($sql, array($module->id));
+                               WHERE visible=1 AND module=?)",
+                array($module->id));
         admin_get_root(true, false);  // settings not required - only pages
     }
 
diff --git a/blocks/course_overview/locallib.php b/blocks/course_overview/locallib.php
index 71267b63323..439282e2b2c 100644
--- a/blocks/course_overview/locallib.php
+++ b/blocks/course_overview/locallib.php
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ function block_course_overview_get_sorted_courses() {
 
     $limit = block_course_overview_get_max_user_courses();
 
-    $courses = enrol_get_my_courses('id, shortname, fullname, modinfo, sectioncache');
+    $courses = enrol_get_my_courses();
     $site = get_site();
 
     if (array_key_exists($site->id,$courses)) {
diff --git a/blocks/site_main_menu/block_site_main_menu.php b/blocks/site_main_menu/block_site_main_menu.php
index fc150c21732..7f650c46f38 100644
--- a/blocks/site_main_menu/block_site_main_menu.php
+++ b/blocks/site_main_menu/block_site_main_menu.php
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ class block_site_main_menu extends block_list {
             $strcancel= get_string('cancel');
             $stractivityclipboard = $USER->activitycopyname;
         }
-        // Casting $course->modinfo to string prevents one notice when the field is null.
         $editbuttons = '';
 
         if ($ismoving) {
diff --git a/blocks/social_activities/block_social_activities.php b/blocks/social_activities/block_social_activities.php
index bcab936df48..b802221a2b3 100644
--- a/blocks/social_activities/block_social_activities.php
+++ b/blocks/social_activities/block_social_activities.php
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ class block_social_activities extends block_list {
             $strcancel= get_string('cancel');
             $stractivityclipboard = $USER->activitycopyname;
         }
-        // Casting $course->modinfo to string prevents one notice when the field is null.
         $editbuttons = '';
 
         if ($ismoving) {
diff --git a/course/dnduploadlib.php b/course/dnduploadlib.php
index 917d67051f6..38a323b024d 100644
--- a/course/dnduploadlib.php
+++ b/course/dnduploadlib.php
@@ -684,7 +684,6 @@ class dndupload_ajax_processor {
         $DB->set_field('course_modules', 'instance', $instanceid, array('id' => $this->cm->id));
         // Rebuild the course cache after update action
         rebuild_course_cache($this->course->id, true);
-        $this->course->modinfo = null; // Otherwise we will just get the old version back again.
 
         $sectionid = course_add_cm_to_section($this->course, $this->cm->id, $this->section);
 
diff --git a/course/tests/courselib_test.php b/course/tests/courselib_test.php
index 85bcac3b22d..ce029697804 100644
--- a/course/tests/courselib_test.php
+++ b/course/tests/courselib_test.php
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ class core_course_courselib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
                     'numsections' => 5),
                 array('createsections' => true));
 
-        // Ensure all 6 (0-5) sections were created and modinfo/sectioninfo cache works properly
+        // Ensure all 6 (0-5) sections were created and course content cache works properly
         $sectionscreated = array_keys(get_fast_modinfo($course)->get_section_info_all());
         $this->assertEquals(range(0, $course->numsections), $sectionscreated);
 
@@ -731,13 +731,14 @@ class core_course_courselib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEquals($cmids[0], $sequence);
 
         // Add a second, this time using courseid variant of parameters.
+        $coursecacherev = $DB->get_field('course', 'cacherev', array('id' => $course->id));
         course_add_cm_to_section($course->id, $cmids[1], 1);
         $sequence = $DB->get_field('course_sections', 'sequence', array('course' => $course->id, 'section' => 1));
         $this->assertEquals($cmids[0] . ',' . $cmids[1], $sequence);
 
-        // Check modinfo was not rebuilt (important for performance if calling
-        // repeatedly).
-        $this->assertNull($DB->get_field('course', 'modinfo', array('id' => $course->id)));
+        // Check that modinfo cache was reset but not rebuilt (important for performance if calling repeatedly).
+        $this->assertGreaterThan($coursecacherev, $DB->get_field('course', 'cacherev', array('id' => $course->id)));
+        $this->assertEmpty(cache::make('core', 'coursemodinfo')->get($course->id));
 
         // Add one to section that doesn't exist (this might rebuild modinfo).
         course_add_cm_to_section($course, $cmids[2], 2);
diff --git a/enrol/tests/enrollib_test.php b/enrol/tests/enrollib_test.php
index bbdc3bcb35a..fcf9cad560c 100644
--- a/enrol/tests/enrollib_test.php
+++ b/enrol/tests/enrollib_test.php
@@ -144,9 +144,9 @@ class core_enrollib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $course = (array)$course;
         $this->assertEquals($basefields, array_keys($course), '', 0, 10, true);
 
-        $courses = enrol_get_all_users_courses($user2->id, false, 'modinfo');
+        $courses = enrol_get_all_users_courses($user2->id, false, 'timecreated');
         $course = reset($courses);
-        $this->assertTrue(property_exists($course, 'modinfo'));
+        $this->assertTrue(property_exists($course, 'timecreated'));
 
         $courses = enrol_get_all_users_courses($user2->id, false, null, 'id DESC');
         $this->assertEquals(array($course3->id, $course2->id, $course1->id), array_keys($courses));
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index 9359ab82ff1..efcf9a1be13 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -194,13 +194,13 @@ function uninstall_plugin($type, $name) {
             }
         }
 
-        // clear course.modinfo for courses that used this module
-        $sql = "UPDATE {course}
-                   SET modinfo=''
-                 WHERE id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
+        // Increment course.cacherev for courses that used this module.
+        // This will force cache rebuilding on the next request.
+        increment_revision_number('course', 'cacherev',
+                "id IN (SELECT DISTINCT course
                                 FROM {course_modules}
-                               WHERE module=?)";
-        $DB->execute($sql, array($module->id));
+                               WHERE module=?)",
+                array($module->id));
 
         // delete all the course module records
         $DB->delete_records('course_modules', array('module' => $module->id));
diff --git a/lib/coursecatlib.php b/lib/coursecatlib.php
index 9cd0f6cb833..4699a90a850 100644
--- a/lib/coursecatlib.php
+++ b/lib/coursecatlib.php
@@ -844,7 +844,7 @@ class coursecat implements renderable, cacheable_object, IteratorAggregate {
         $ctxselect = context_helper::get_preload_record_columns_sql('ctx');
         $fields = array('c.id', 'c.category', 'c.sortorder',
                         'c.shortname', 'c.fullname', 'c.idnumber',
-                        'c.startdate', 'c.visible');
+                        'c.startdate', 'c.visible', 'c.cacherev');
         if (!empty($options['summary'])) {
             $fields[] = 'c.summary';
             $fields[] = 'c.summaryformat';
@@ -2056,8 +2056,6 @@ class coursecat implements renderable, cacheable_object, IteratorAggregate {
  *     was called with option 'summary'. Otherwise will be retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read string $format Course format. Retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read int $showgrades Retrieved from DB on first request
- * @property-read string $sectioncache Retrieved from DB on first request
- * @property-read string $modinfo Retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read int $newsitems Retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read int $startdate
  * @property-read int $marker Retrieved from DB on first request
@@ -2076,6 +2074,7 @@ class coursecat implements renderable, cacheable_object, IteratorAggregate {
  * @property-read int $requested Retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read int $enablecompletion Retrieved from DB on first request
  * @property-read int $completionnotify Retrieved from DB on first request
+ * @property-read int $cacherev
  *
  * @package    core
  * @subpackage course
diff --git a/lib/datalib.php b/lib/datalib.php
index 175bce45520..f2044c34d96 100644
--- a/lib/datalib.php
+++ b/lib/datalib.php
@@ -810,8 +810,7 @@ function get_courses_search($searchterms, $sort, $page, $recordsperpage, &$total
     $ccjoin = "LEFT JOIN {context} ctx ON (ctx.instanceid = c.id AND ctx.contextlevel = :contextlevel)";
     $params['contextlevel'] = CONTEXT_COURSE;
 
-    $fields = array_diff(array_keys($DB->get_columns('course')), array('modinfo', 'sectioncache'));
-    $sql = "SELECT c.".join(',c.',$fields)." $ccselect
+    $sql = "SELECT c.* $ccselect
               FROM {course} c
            $ccjoin
              WHERE $searchcond AND c.id <> ".SITEID."
diff --git a/lib/enrollib.php b/lib/enrollib.php
index 1793749ed07..3ee4606d376 100644
--- a/lib/enrollib.php
+++ b/lib/enrollib.php
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ function enrol_get_my_courses($fields = NULL, $sort = 'visible DESC,sortorder AS
     $basefields = array('id', 'category', 'sortorder',
                         'shortname', 'fullname', 'idnumber',
                         'startdate', 'visible',
-                        'groupmode', 'groupmodeforce');
+                        'groupmode', 'groupmodeforce', 'cacherev');
 
     if (empty($fields)) {
         $fields = $basefields;
diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 2183c21a61c..d599f05ec4a 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -5046,7 +5046,7 @@ function remove_course_contents($courseid, $showfeedback = true, array $options
     $oldcourse = new stdClass();
     $oldcourse->id               = $course->id;
     $oldcourse->summary          = '';
-    $oldcourse->modinfo          = null;
+    $oldcourse->cacherev         = 0;
     $oldcourse->legacyfiles      = 0;
     $oldcourse->enablecompletion = 0;
     if (!empty($options['keep_groups_and_groupings'])) {