diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_category.php b/lib/grade/grade_category.php
index 5ab5293d03d..70cc6fc9f60 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_category.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_category.php
@@ -939,6 +939,16 @@ class grade_category extends grade_object {
         return $this->grade_item->get_sortorder();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the idnumber of the associated grade_item. This method is also available in
+     * grade_item, for cases where the object type is not known.
+     * @return string idnumber
+     */
+    function get_idnumber() {
+        $this->load_grade_item();
+        return $this->grade_item->get_idnumber();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets sortorder variable for this category.
      * This method is also available in grade_item, for cases where the object type is not know.
diff --git a/lib/grade/grade_item.php b/lib/grade/grade_item.php
index 31dade871e2..5d7b58c5057 100644
--- a/lib/grade/grade_item.php
+++ b/lib/grade/grade_item.php
@@ -1018,6 +1018,15 @@ class grade_item extends grade_object {
         return $this->sortorder;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the idnumber of this grade_item. This method is also available in
+     * grade_category, for cases where the object type is not know.
+     * @return string idnumber
+     */
+    function get_idnumber() {
+        return $this->idnumber;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the sortorder of this grade_item. This method is also available in
      * grade_category, for cases where the object type is not know.