diff --git a/lib/portfolio/constants.php b/lib/portfolio/constants.php
index 04e59656c53..0b620143a53 100644
--- a/lib/portfolio/constants.php
+++ b/lib/portfolio/constants.php
@@ -200,3 +200,9 @@ define('PORTFOLIO_ADD_TEXT_LINK', 4);
  *                          this replaces the old portfolio_fake_add_url function
  */
 define('PORTFOLIO_ADD_FAKE_URL', 5);
+
+/**
+ * PORTFOLIO_ADD_MOODULE_URL - hacky way to turn the button class into a moodle_url to redirect to
+ *                             this replaces the old portfolio_fake_add_url function
+ */
+define('PORTFOLIO_ADD_MOODLE_URL', 6);
diff --git a/lib/portfoliolib.php b/lib/portfoliolib.php
index 68fcf860f0a..37d5efeb570 100644
--- a/lib/portfoliolib.php
+++ b/lib/portfoliolib.php
@@ -327,6 +327,11 @@ class portfolio_add_button {
                 return;
             }
         }
+        // If we just want a moodle_url to redirect to, do it now.
+        if ($format == PORTFOLIO_ADD_MOODLE_URL) {
+            return $url;
+        }
+
         // if we just want a url to redirect to, do it now
         if ($format == PORTFOLIO_ADD_FAKE_URL) {
             return $url->out(false);