diff --git a/admin/settings/plugins.php b/admin/settings/plugins.php
index 0865b75e779..6265aaccae1 100644
--- a/admin/settings/plugins.php
+++ b/admin/settings/plugins.php
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) {
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_configtext('recaptchaprivatekey', new lang_string('recaptchaprivatekey', 'admin'), new lang_string('configrecaptchaprivatekey', 'admin'), '', PARAM_NOTAGS));
     $ADMIN->add('authsettings', $temp);
 
+    $temp = new admin_externalpage('authtestsettings', get_string('testsettings', 'core_auth'), new moodle_url("/auth/test_settings.php"), 'moodle/site:config', true);
+    $ADMIN->add('authsettings', $temp);
+
     foreach (core_plugin_manager::instance()->get_plugins_of_type('auth') as $plugin) {
         /** @var \core\plugininfo\auth $plugin */
         $plugin->load_settings($ADMIN, 'authsettings', $hassiteconfig);
@@ -97,6 +100,10 @@ if ($hassiteconfig) {
     $temp = new admin_settingpage('manageenrols', new lang_string('manageenrols', 'enrol'));
     $temp->add(new admin_setting_manageenrols());
     $ADMIN->add('enrolments', $temp);
+
+    $temp = new admin_externalpage('enroltestsettings', get_string('testsettings', 'core_enrol'), new moodle_url("/enrol/test_settings.php"), 'moodle/site:config', true);
+    $ADMIN->add('enrolments', $temp);
+
     foreach(core_plugin_manager::instance()->get_plugins_of_type('enrol') as $plugin) {
         /** @var \core\plugininfo\enrol $plugin */
         $plugin->load_settings($ADMIN, 'enrolments', $hassiteconfig);
diff --git a/auth/db/auth.php b/auth/db/auth.php
index a01fc6e9801..333142af3b2 100644
--- a/auth/db/auth.php
+++ b/auth/db/auth.php
@@ -134,6 +134,11 @@ class auth_plugin_db extends auth_plugin_base {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Connect to external database.
+     *
+     * @return ADOConnection
+     */
     function db_init() {
         // Connect to the external database (forcing new connection).
         $authdb = ADONewConnection($this->config->type);
@@ -781,6 +786,76 @@ class auth_plugin_db extends auth_plugin_base {
         }
         return $text;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Test if settings are ok, print info to output.
+     * @private
+     */
+    public function test_settings() {
+        global $CFG, $OUTPUT;
+
+        // NOTE: this is not localised intentionally, admins are supposed to understand English at least a bit...
+
+        raise_memory_limit(MEMORY_HUGE);
+
+        if (empty($this->config->table)) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External table not specified.', 'notifyproblem');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (empty($this->config->fielduser)) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External user field not specified.', 'notifyproblem');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $olddebug = $CFG->debug;
+        $olddisplay = ini_get('display_errors');
+        ini_set('display_errors', '1');
+        $CFG->debug = DEBUG_DEVELOPER;
+        $olddebugauthdb = $this->config->debugauthdb;
+        $this->config->debugauthdb = 1;
+        error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+
+        $adodb = $this->db_init();
+
+        if (!$adodb or !$adodb->IsConnected()) {
+            $this->config->debugauthdb = $olddebugauthdb;
+            $CFG->debug = $olddebug;
+            ini_set('display_errors', $olddisplay);
+            error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+            ob_end_flush();
+
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('Cannot connect the database.', 'notifyproblem');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $rs = $adodb->Execute("SELECT *
+                                 FROM {$this->config->table}
+                                WHERE {$this->config->fielduser} <> 'random_unlikely_username'"); // Any unlikely name is ok here.
+
+        if (!$rs) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('Can not read external table.', 'notifyproblem');
+
+        } else if ($rs->EOF) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External table is empty.', 'notifyproblem');
+            $rs->close();
+
+        } else {
+            $fields_obj = $rs->FetchObj();
+            $columns = array_keys((array)$fields_obj);
+
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External table contains following columns:<br />'.implode(', ', $columns), 'notifysuccess');
+            $rs->close();
+        }
+
+        $adodb->Close();
+
+        $this->config->debugauthdb = $olddebugauthdb;
+        $CFG->debug = $olddebug;
+        ini_set('display_errors', $olddisplay);
+        error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+        ob_end_flush();
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/auth/test_settings.php b/auth/test_settings.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a0ff227d42f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/test_settings.php
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/**
+ * Test auth settings.
+ *
+ * @package    core_auth
+ * @copyright  2013 Petr Skoda {@link http://skodak.org}
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+
+require(__DIR__.'../../config.php');
+require_once("$CFG->libdir/adminlib.php");
+
+$auth = optional_param('auth', '', PARAM_RAW);
+if (!core_component::is_valid_plugin_name('auth', $auth)) {
+    $auth = '';
+} else if (!file_exists("$CFG->dirroot/auth/$auth/auth.php")) {
+    $auth = '';
+}
+
+require_login();
+require_capability('moodle/site:config', context_system::instance());
+
+navigation_node::override_active_url(new moodle_url('/admin/settings.php', array('section'=>'manageauths')));
+admin_externalpage_setup('authtestsettings');
+
+$returnurl = new moodle_url('/admin/settings.php', array('section'=>'manageauths'));
+
+echo $OUTPUT->header();
+
+if (!$auth) {
+    $options = array();
+    $plugins = core_component::get_plugin_list('auth');
+    foreach ($plugins as $name => $fulldir) {
+        $plugin = get_auth_plugin($name);
+        if (!$plugin or !method_exists($plugin, 'test_settings')) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        $options[$name] = get_string('pluginname', 'auth_'.$name);
+    }
+
+    if (!$options) {
+        redirect($returnurl);
+    }
+
+    echo $OUTPUT->heading(get_string('testsettings', 'core_auth'));
+
+    $url = new moodle_url('/auth/test_settings.php', array('sesskey'=>sesskey()));
+    echo $OUTPUT->single_select($url, 'auth', $options);
+
+    echo $OUTPUT->footer();
+}
+
+$plugin = get_auth_plugin($auth);
+if (!$plugin or !method_exists($plugin, 'test_settings')) {
+    redirect($returnurl);
+}
+
+echo $OUTPUT->heading(get_string('testsettingsheading', 'core_auth', get_string('pluginname', 'auth_'.$auth)));
+
+$plugin->test_settings();
+
+echo $OUTPUT->continue_button($returnurl);
+echo $OUTPUT->footer();
diff --git a/enrol/database/lib.php b/enrol/database/lib.php
index 052458a1e05..cde6d625213 100644
--- a/enrol/database/lib.php
+++ b/enrol/database/lib.php
@@ -938,4 +938,99 @@ class enrol_database_plugin extends enrol_plugin {
         }
         role_assign($roleid, $userid, $contextid, 'enrol_'.$this->get_name(), $instance->id);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Test plugin settings, print info to output.
+     */
+    public function test_settings() {
+        global $CFG, $OUTPUT;
+
+        // NOTE: this is not localised intentionally, admins are supposed to understand English at least a bit...
+
+        raise_memory_limit(MEMORY_HUGE);
+
+        $this->load_config();
+
+        $enroltable = $this->get_config('remoteenroltable');
+        $coursetable = $this->get_config('newcoursetable');
+
+        if (empty($enroltable)) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External enrolment table not specified.', 'notifyproblem');
+        }
+
+        if (empty($coursetable)) {
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('External course table not specified.', 'notifyproblem');
+        }
+
+        if (empty($coursetable) and empty($enroltable)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $olddebug = $CFG->debug;
+        $olddisplay = ini_get('display_errors');
+        ini_set('display_errors', '1');
+        $CFG->debug = DEBUG_DEVELOPER;
+        $olddebugdb = $this->config->debugdb;
+        $this->config->debugdb = 1;
+        error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+
+        $adodb = $this->db_init();
+
+        if (!$adodb or !$adodb->IsConnected()) {
+            $this->config->debugdb = $olddebugdb;
+            $CFG->debug = $olddebug;
+            ini_set('display_errors', $olddisplay);
+            error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+            ob_end_flush();
+
+            echo $OUTPUT->notification('Cannot connect the database.', 'notifyproblem');
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (!empty($enroltable)) {
+            $rs = $adodb->Execute("SELECT *
+                                     FROM $enroltable");
+            if (!$rs) {
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('Can not read external enrol table.', 'notifyproblem');
+
+            } else if ($rs->EOF) {
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('External enrol table is empty.', 'notifyproblem');
+                $rs->Close();
+
+            } else {
+                $fields_obj = $rs->FetchObj();
+                $columns = array_keys((array)$fields_obj);
+
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('External enrolment table contains following columns:<br />'.implode(', ', $columns), 'notifysuccess');
+                $rs->Close();
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!empty($coursetable)) {
+            $rs = $adodb->Execute("SELECT *
+                                     FROM $coursetable");
+            if (!$rs) {
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('Can not read external course table.', 'notifyproblem');
+
+            } else if ($rs->EOF) {
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('External course table is empty.', 'notifyproblem');
+                $rs->Close();
+
+            } else {
+                $fields_obj = $rs->FetchObj();
+                $columns = array_keys((array)$fields_obj);
+
+                echo $OUTPUT->notification('External course table contains following columns:<br />'.implode(', ', $columns), 'notifysuccess');
+                $rs->Close();
+            }
+        }
+
+        $adodb->Close();
+
+        $this->config->debugdb = $olddebugdb;
+        $CFG->debug = $olddebug;
+        ini_set('display_errors', $olddisplay);
+        error_reporting($CFG->debug);
+        ob_end_flush();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/enrol/test_settings.php b/enrol/test_settings.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b8ae94a9a42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/enrol/test_settings.php
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/**
+ * Test enrol plugin settings.
+ *
+ * @package    core_enrol
+ * @copyright  2013 Petr Skoda {@link http://skodak.org}
+ * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+
+require(__DIR__.'../../config.php');
+require_once("$CFG->libdir/adminlib.php");
+
+$enrol = optional_param('enrol', '', PARAM_RAW);
+if (!core_component::is_valid_plugin_name('enrol', $enrol)) {
+    $enrol = '';
+} else if (!file_exists("$CFG->dirroot/enrol/$enrol/lib.php")) {
+    $enrol = '';
+}
+
+require_login();
+require_capability('moodle/site:config', context_system::instance());
+
+navigation_node::override_active_url(new moodle_url('/admin/settings.php', array('section'=>'manageenrols')));
+admin_externalpage_setup('enroltestsettings');
+
+$returnurl = new moodle_url('/admin/settings.php', array('section'=>'manageenrols'));
+
+echo $OUTPUT->header();
+
+if (!$enrol) {
+    $options = array();
+    $plugins = core_component::get_plugin_list('enrol');
+    foreach ($plugins as $name => $fulldir) {
+        $plugin = enrol_get_plugin($name);
+        if (!$plugin or !method_exists($plugin, 'test_settings')) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        $options[$name] = get_string('pluginname', 'enrol_'.$name);
+    }
+
+    if (!$options) {
+        redirect($returnurl);
+    }
+
+    echo $OUTPUT->heading(get_string('testsettings', 'core_enrol'));
+
+    $url = new moodle_url('/enrol/test_settings.php', array('sesskey'=>sesskey()));
+    echo $OUTPUT->single_select($url, 'enrol', $options);
+
+    echo $OUTPUT->footer();
+}
+
+$plugin = enrol_get_plugin($enrol);
+if (!$plugin or !method_exists($plugin, 'test_settings')) {
+    redirect($returnurl);
+}
+
+echo $OUTPUT->heading(get_string('testsettingsheading', 'core_enrol', get_string('pluginname', 'enrol_'.$enrol)));
+
+$plugin->test_settings();
+
+echo $OUTPUT->continue_button($returnurl);
+echo $OUTPUT->footer();
diff --git a/lang/en/auth.php b/lang/en/auth.php
index ac2377099b0..6e8a439115a 100644
--- a/lang/en/auth.php
+++ b/lang/en/auth.php
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ $string['stdchangepassword_expl'] = 'If the external authentication system allow
 $string['stdchangepassword_explldap'] = 'NOTE: It is recommended that you use LDAP over an SSL encrypted tunnel (ldaps://) if the LDAP server is remote.';
 $string['suspended'] = 'Suspended account';
 $string['suspended_help'] = 'Suspended user accounts cannot log in or use web services, and any outgoing messages are discarded.';
+$string['testsettings'] = 'Test settings';
+$string['testsettingsheading'] = 'Test authentication settings - {$a}';
 $string['unlocked'] = 'Unlocked';
 $string['unlockedifempty'] = 'Unlocked if empty';
 $string['update_never'] = 'Never';
diff --git a/lang/en/enrol.php b/lang/en/enrol.php
index ac01907560b..cbae109d031 100644
--- a/lang/en/enrol.php
+++ b/lang/en/enrol.php
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ $string['rolefromcategory'] = '{$a->role} (Inherited from course category)';
 $string['rolefromsystem'] = '{$a->role} (Assigned at site level)';
 $string['startdatetoday'] = 'Today';
 $string['synced'] = 'Synced';
+$string['testsettings'] = 'Test settings';
+$string['testsettingsheading'] = 'Test enrol settings - {$a}';
 $string['totalenrolledusers'] = '{$a} enrolled users';
 $string['totalotherusers'] = '{$a} other users';
 $string['unassignnotpermitted'] = 'You do not have permission to unassign roles in this course';
diff --git a/lib/adminlib.php b/lib/adminlib.php
index 94d600138b6..380e0c765c0 100644
--- a/lib/adminlib.php
+++ b/lib/adminlib.php
@@ -5045,6 +5045,7 @@ class admin_setting_manageenrols extends admin_setting {
         $struninstall = get_string('uninstallplugin', 'core_admin');
         $strusage     = get_string('enrolusage', 'enrol');
         $strversion   = get_string('version');
+        $strtest      = get_string('testsettings', 'core_enrol');
 
         $pluginmanager = core_plugin_manager::instance();
 
@@ -5070,8 +5071,8 @@ class admin_setting_manageenrols extends admin_setting {
         $return .= $OUTPUT->box_start('generalbox enrolsui');
 
         $table = new html_table();
-        $table->head  = array(get_string('name'), $strusage, $strversion, $strenable, $strup.'/'.$strdown, $strsettings, $struninstall);
-        $table->colclasses = array('leftalign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign');
+        $table->head  = array(get_string('name'), $strusage, $strversion, $strenable, $strup.'/'.$strdown, $strsettings, $strtest, $struninstall);
+        $table->colclasses = array('leftalign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign');
         $table->id = 'courseenrolmentplugins';
         $table->attributes['class'] = 'admintable generaltable';
         $table->data  = array();
@@ -5159,8 +5160,14 @@ class admin_setting_manageenrols extends admin_setting {
                 $uninstall = html_writer::link($uninstallurl, $struninstall);
             }
 
+            $test = '';
+            if (!empty($enrols_available[$enrol]) and method_exists($enrols_available[$enrol], 'test_settings')) {
+                $url = new moodle_url('/enrol/test_settings.php', array('enrol'=>$enrol, 'sesskey'=>sesskey()));
+                $test = html_writer::link($url, $strtest);
+            }
+
             // Add a row to the table.
-            $row = new html_table_row(array($icon.$displayname, $usage, $version, $hideshow, $updown, $settings, $uninstall));
+            $row = new html_table_row(array($icon.$displayname, $usage, $version, $hideshow, $updown, $settings, $test, $uninstall));
             if ($class) {
                 $row->attributes['class'] = $class;
             }
@@ -5582,6 +5589,7 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
             'up', 'down', 'none', 'users'));
         $txt->updown = "$txt->up/$txt->down";
         $txt->uninstall = get_string('uninstallplugin', 'core_admin');
+        $txt->testsettings = get_string('testsettings', 'core_auth');
 
         $authsavailable = core_component::get_plugin_list('auth');
         get_enabled_auth_plugins(true); // fix the list of enabled auths
@@ -5595,8 +5603,10 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
         $displayauths = array();
         $registrationauths = array();
         $registrationauths[''] = $txt->disable;
+        $authplugins = array();
         foreach ($authsenabled as $auth) {
             $authplugin = get_auth_plugin($auth);
+            $authplugins[$auth] = $authplugin;
             /// Get the auth title (from core or own auth lang files)
             $authtitle = $authplugin->get_title();
             /// Apply titles
@@ -5611,6 +5621,7 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
                 continue; //already in the list
             }
             $authplugin = get_auth_plugin($auth);
+            $authplugins[$auth] = $authplugin;
             /// Get the auth title (from core or own auth lang files)
             $authtitle = $authplugin->get_title();
             /// Apply titles
@@ -5624,8 +5635,8 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
         $return .= $OUTPUT->box_start('generalbox authsui');
 
         $table = new html_table();
-        $table->head  = array($txt->name, $txt->users, $txt->enable, $txt->updown, $txt->settings, $txt->uninstall);
-        $table->colclasses = array('leftalign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign');
+        $table->head  = array($txt->name, $txt->users, $txt->enable, $txt->updown, $txt->settings, $txt->testsettings, $txt->uninstall);
+        $table->colclasses = array('leftalign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign', 'centeralign');
         $table->data  = array();
         $table->attributes['class'] = 'admintable generaltable';
         $table->id = 'manageauthtable';
@@ -5635,11 +5646,11 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
         $settings = "<a href=\"auth_config.php?auth=manual\">{$txt->settings}</a>";
         //$settings = "<a href=\"settings.php?section=authsettingmanual\">{$txt->settings}</a>";
         $usercount = $DB->count_records('user', array('auth'=>'manual', 'deleted'=>0));
-        $table->data[] = array($displayname, $usercount, '', '', $settings, '');
+        $table->data[] = array($displayname, $usercount, '', '', $settings, '', '');
         $displayname = $displayauths['nologin'];
         $settings = "<a href=\"auth_config.php?auth=nologin\">{$txt->settings}</a>";
         $usercount = $DB->count_records('user', array('auth'=>'nologin', 'deleted'=>0));
-        $table->data[] = array($displayname, $usercount, '', '', $settings, '');
+        $table->data[] = array($displayname, $usercount, '', '', $settings, '', '');
 
 
         // iterate through auth plugins and add to the display table
@@ -5703,8 +5714,14 @@ class admin_setting_manageauths extends admin_setting {
                 $uninstall = html_writer::link($uninstallurl, $txt->uninstall);
             }
 
+            $test = '';
+            if (!empty($authplugins[$auth]) and method_exists($authplugins[$auth], 'test_settings')) {
+                $url = new moodle_url('/auth/test_settings.php', array('auth'=>$auth, 'sesskey'=>sesskey()));
+                $test = html_writer::link($url, $txt->testsettings);
+            }
+
             // Add a row to the table.
-            $row = new html_table_row(array($displayname, $usercount, $hideshow, $updown, $settings, $uninstall));
+            $row = new html_table_row(array($displayname, $usercount, $hideshow, $updown, $settings, $test, $uninstall));
             if ($class) {
                 $row->attributes['class'] = $class;
             }