diff --git a/lib/accesslib.php b/lib/accesslib.php
index 62b1395a6f9..0ca34fbe07a 100644
--- a/lib/accesslib.php
+++ b/lib/accesslib.php
@@ -2820,18 +2820,21 @@ function get_roles_used_in_context(context $context) {
  */
 function get_user_roles_in_course($userid, $courseid) {
     global $CFG, $DB;
-
-    if (empty($CFG->profileroles)) {
-        return '';
-    }
-
     if ($courseid == SITEID) {
         $context = context_system::instance();
     } else {
         $context = context_course::instance($courseid);
     }
+    // If the current user can assign roles, then they can also see those assignable roles on the profile and participants page,
+    // provided the roles are assigned to at least 1 user in the context.
+    $policyroles = empty($CFG->profileroles) ? [] : array_map('trim', explode(',', $CFG->profileroles));
+    $assignableroles = array_keys(get_assignable_roles($context));
+    $rolesinscope = array_values(array_unique(array_merge($policyroles, $assignableroles)));
+    if (empty($rolesinscope)) {
+        return '';
+    }
 
-    list($rallowed, $params) = $DB->get_in_or_equal(explode(',', $CFG->profileroles), SQL_PARAMS_NAMED, 'a');
+    list($rallowed, $params) = $DB->get_in_or_equal($rolesinscope, SQL_PARAMS_NAMED, 'a');
     list($contextlist, $cparams) = $DB->get_in_or_equal($context->get_parent_context_ids(true), SQL_PARAMS_NAMED, 'p');
     $params = array_merge($params, $cparams);