diff --git a/grade/edit/scale/index.php b/grade/edit/scale/index.php
index 30b2ef835a7..a16bd9187a6 100644
--- a/grade/edit/scale/index.php
+++ b/grade/edit/scale/index.php
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ switch ($action) {
                     'sesskey' =>  sesskey(),
                     'deleteconfirmed'=> 1));
 
-            echo $OUTPUT->confirm(get_string('scaleconfirmdelete', 'grades', $scale->name), $confirmurl, "index.php?id={$courseid}");
+            echo $OUTPUT->confirm(get_string('scaleconfirmdelete', 'grades', $scale->get_name()), $confirmurl,
+                "index.php?id={$courseid}");
             echo $OUTPUT->footer();
             die;
         } else {
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ if ($courseid and $scales = grade_scale::fetch_all_local($courseid)) {
     $data = array();
     foreach($scales as $scale) {
         $line = array();
-        $line[] = format_string($scale->name).'<div class="scale_options">'.str_replace(",",", ",$scale->scale).'</div>';
+        $line[] = $scale->get_name() .'<div class="scale_options">'.str_replace(",", ", ", $scale->scale).'</div>';
 
         $used = $scale->is_used();
         $line[] = $used ? get_string('yes') : get_string('no');
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ if ($scales = grade_scale::fetch_all_global()) {
     $data = array();
     foreach($scales as $scale) {
         $line = array();
-        $line[] = format_string($scale->name).'<div class="scale_options">'.str_replace(",",", ",$scale->scale).'</div>';
+        $line[] = $scale->get_name().'<div class="scale_options">'.str_replace(",", ", ", $scale->scale).'</div>';
 
         $used = $scale->is_used();
         $line[] = $used ? get_string('yes') : get_string('no');
diff --git a/lib/datalib.php b/lib/datalib.php
index 8d8bfae9704..ad64468ad48 100644
--- a/lib/datalib.php
+++ b/lib/datalib.php
@@ -1172,16 +1172,18 @@ function get_my_remotehosts() {
 function get_scales_menu($courseid=0) {
     global $DB;
 
-    $sql = "SELECT id, name
+    $sql = "SELECT id, name, courseid
               FROM {scale}
              WHERE courseid = 0 or courseid = ?
           ORDER BY courseid ASC, name ASC";
     $params = array($courseid);
     $scales = array();
-    $results = $DB->get_records_sql_menu($sql, $params);
-    foreach ($results as $i => $scalename) {
-        $scales[$i] = format_string($scalename, false, array("context" => context_course::instance($courseid)));
+    $results = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, $params);
+    foreach ($results as $index => $record) {
+        $context = empty($record->courseid) ? context_system::instance() : context_course::instance($record->courseid);
+        $scales[$index] = format_string($record->name, false, ["context" => $context]);
     }
+    // Format: [id => 'scale name'].
     return $scales;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_category.php b/lib/grade/grade_category.php
index 9fc1abd7eb6..a668f23be59 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_category.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_category.php
@@ -2312,6 +2312,8 @@ class grade_category extends grade_object {
             return format_string($course->fullname, false, array("context" => context_course::instance($this->courseid)));
 
         } else {
+            // Grade categories can't be set up at system context (unlike scales and outcomes)
+            // We therefore must have a courseid, and don't need to handle system contexts when filtering.
             return format_string($this->fullname, false, array("context" => context_course::instance($this->courseid)));
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_outcome.php b/lib/grade/grade_outcome.php
index 3ba3fab5342..064cdd160cb 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_outcome.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_outcome.php
@@ -276,7 +276,9 @@ class grade_outcome extends grade_object {
      * @return string name
      */
     public function get_name() {
-        return format_string($this->fullname, false, array("context" => context_course::instance($this->courseid)));
+        // Grade outcomes can be created at site or course context, so set the filter context appropriately.
+        $context = empty($this->courseid) ? context_system::instance() : context_course::instance($this->courseid);
+        return format_string($this->fullname, false, ["context" => $context]);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_scale.php b/lib/grade/grade_scale.php
index 0ad3b0a47c4..6a94d78898f 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_scale.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_scale.php
@@ -214,7 +214,9 @@ class grade_scale extends grade_object {
      * @return string name
      */
     public function get_name() {
-        return format_string($this->name);
+        // Grade scales can be created at site or course context, so set the filter context appropriately.
+        $context = empty($this->courseid) ? context_system::instance() : context_course::instance($this->courseid);
+        return format_string($this->name, false, ['context' => $context]);
     }
 
     /**