diff --git a/message/lib.php b/message/lib.php
index 3fbaec61752..85597201e4d 100644
--- a/message/lib.php
+++ b/message/lib.php
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ function message_get_participants() {
 
     global $CFG;
 
-    return get_records_sql("SELECT DISTINCT u.id 
+    return get_records_sql("SELECT DISTINCT u.id, u.id
                               FROM {$CFG->prefix}user as u,
                                    {$CFG->prefix}message as m, 
                                    {$CFG->prefix}message_read as mr