diff --git a/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/participants_link.feature b/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/participants_link.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5b2f4d6afba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocks/navigation/tests/behat/participants_link.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+@block @block_navigation
+Feature: Displaying the link to the Participants page
+  In order to see the course / site participants
+  As a student / admin respectively
+  I need a link to the Participants page be displayed (but only if I can access that page)
+
+  Background:
+    Given the following "users" exist:
+      | username | firstname | lastname | email                |
+      | student1 | Student   | One      | student1@example.com |
+      | student2 | Student   | Two      | student2@example.com |
+    And the following "courses" exist:
+      | fullname | shortname |
+      | Course1  | C1        |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user     | course | role    |
+      | student1 | C1     | student |
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: Course participants link is displayed to enrolled students after expanding the course node
+    When I log in as "student1"
+    And I expand "C1" node
+    Then "Participants" "link" should exist in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I navigate to "Participants" node in "My courses > C1"
+    And I should see "Participants"
+    And "Student One" "link" should exist
+    And "Student Two" "link" should not exist
+
+  Scenario: Site participants link is displayed to admins
+    When I log in as "admin"
+    Then "Participants" "link" should exist in the "Navigation" "block"
+    And I navigate to "Participants" node in "Site pages"
+    And I should see "Participants"
+    And "Student One" "link" should exist
+    And "Student Two" "link" should exist
+
+  @javascript
+  Scenario: Site participants link is not displayed to students (MDL-55667)
+    Given I log in as "admin"
+    And I set the following administration settings values:
+      | defaultfrontpageroleid | Student (student) |
+    And I log out
+    When I log in as "student2"
+    And I expand "Site pages" node
+    Then "Participants" "link" should not exist in the "Navigation" "block"
diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index ffcb7054f08..29d0637e199 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -2600,6 +2600,7 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
         }
 
         $sitecontext = context_system::instance();
+        $isfrontpage = ($course->id == SITEID);
 
         // Hidden node that we use to determine if the front page navigation is loaded.
         // This required as there are not other guaranteed nodes that may be loaded.
@@ -2608,8 +2609,8 @@ class global_navigation extends navigation_node {
         // Participants.
         // If this is the site course, they need to have moodle/site:viewparticipants at the site level.
         // If no, then they need to have moodle/course:viewparticipants at the course level.
-        if ((($course->id == SITEID) && has_capability('moodle/site:viewparticipants', $sitecontext)) ||
-                has_capability('moodle/course:viewparticipants', context_course::instance($course->id))) {
+        if (($isfrontpage && has_capability('moodle/site:viewparticipants', $sitecontext)) ||
+                (!$isfrontpage && has_capability('moodle/course:viewparticipants', context_course::instance($course->id)))) {
             $coursenode->add(get_string('participants'), new moodle_url('/user/index.php?id='.$course->id), self::TYPE_CUSTOM, get_string('participants'), 'participants');
         }