diff --git a/lib/weblib.php b/lib/weblib.php
index 9ce7bb8a83f..214d12d3b1a 100644
--- a/lib/weblib.php
+++ b/lib/weblib.php
@@ -6160,7 +6160,21 @@ function convert_tabrows_to_tree($tabrows, $selected, $inactive, $activated) {
  * @param string $iconpath  The path to the icon to be displayed
  */
 function page_doc_link($text='', $iconpath='') {
-    global $ME, $CFG;
+    global $ME, $COURSE, $CFG;
+
+    if (empty($CFG->docroot)) {
+        return '';
+    }
+
+    if (empty($COURSE->id)) {
+        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM);
+    } else {
+        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_COURSE, $COURSE->id);
+    }
+
+    if (!has_capability('moodle/site:doclinks', $context)) {
+        return '';
+    }
 
     if (empty($CFG->pagepath)) {
         $CFG->pagepath = $ME;
@@ -6187,7 +6201,7 @@ function page_doc_link($text='', $iconpath='') {
 function doc_link($path='', $text='', $iconpath='') {
     global $CFG;
 
-    if (empty($CFG->docroot) || !has_capability('moodle/site:doclinks')) {
+    if (empty($CFG->docroot)) {
         return '';
     }