diff --git a/lib/deprecatedlib.php b/lib/deprecatedlib.php
index 3aab9f4d5a5..05e9c372a4d 100644
--- a/lib/deprecatedlib.php
+++ b/lib/deprecatedlib.php
@@ -4669,3 +4669,13 @@ function convert_tabrows_to_tree($tabrows, $selected, $inactive, $activated) {
 function move_section($course, $section, $move) {
     throw new coding_exception('move_section() can not be used any more, please see move_section_to().');
 }
+/**
+ * Can handle rotated text. Whether it is safe to use the trickery in textrotate.js.
+ *
+ * @deprecated since 2.5 - do not use, the textrotate.js will work it out automatically
+ * @return bool True for yes, false for no
+ */
+function can_use_rotated_text() {
+    debugging('can_use_rotated_text() is deprecated since Moodle 2.5. JS feature detection is used automatically.', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+    return true;
+}
diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 463787578a2..1581cd77edf 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -9111,17 +9111,6 @@ function get_browser_version_classes() {
     return $classes;
 }
 
-/**
- * Can handle rotated text. Whether it is safe to use the trickery in textrotate.js.
- *
- * @return bool True for yes, false for no
- */
-function can_use_rotated_text() {
-    return check_browser_version('MSIE', 9) || check_browser_version('Firefox', 2) ||
-            check_browser_version('Chrome', 21) || check_browser_version('Safari', 536.25) ||
-            check_browser_version('Opera', 12) || check_browser_version('Safari iOS', 533);
-}
-
 /**
  * Determine if moodle installation requires update
  *
diff --git a/report/progress/index.php b/report/progress/index.php
index 6bae97a9cc3..3df14ed14b6 100644
--- a/report/progress/index.php
+++ b/report/progress/index.php
@@ -146,8 +146,6 @@ if ($csv && $grandtotal && count($activities)>0) { // Only show CSV if there are
         $line="\n";
     }
 } else {
-    // Use SVG to draw sideways text if supported
-    $svgcleverness = can_use_rotated_text();
 
     // Navigation and header
     $strreports = get_string("reports");
@@ -156,11 +154,8 @@ if ($csv && $grandtotal && count($activities)>0) { // Only show CSV if there are
     $PAGE->set_title($strcompletion);
     $PAGE->set_heading($course->fullname);
     echo $OUTPUT->header();
-
-    if ($svgcleverness) {
-        $PAGE->requires->js('/report/progress/textrotate.js');
-        $PAGE->requires->js_function_call('textrotate_init', null, true);
-    }
+    $PAGE->requires->js('/report/progress/textrotate.js');
+    $PAGE->requires->js_function_call('textrotate_init', null, true);
 
     // Handle groups (if enabled)
     groups_print_course_menu($course,$CFG->wwwroot.'/report/progress/?course='.$course->id);
diff --git a/report/progress/textrotate.js b/report/progress/textrotate.js
index 7414ec46bdb..56ee2d72855 100644
--- a/report/progress/textrotate.js
+++ b/report/progress/textrotate.js
@@ -48,7 +48,16 @@ function textrotate_make_svg(el)
   el.parentNode.removeChild(el);
 }
 
+function browser_supports_svg() {
+    return document.implementation.hasFeature("http://www.w3.org/TR/SVG11/feature#BasicStructure", "1.1");
+}
+
 function textrotate_init() {
+    if (!browser_supports_svg()) {
+        // Feature detect, else bail.
+        return;
+    }
+
 YUI().use('yui2-dom', function(Y) {
   var elements= Y.YUI2.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName('completion-activityname', 'span');
   for(var i=0;i<elements.length;i++)