diff --git a/blocks/tests/behat/configure_block_throughout_site.feature b/blocks/tests/behat/configure_block_throughout_site.feature
index 67146c051b4..95e17058b7c 100644
--- a/blocks/tests/behat/configure_block_throughout_site.feature
+++ b/blocks/tests/behat/configure_block_throughout_site.feature
@@ -4,17 +4,31 @@ Feature: Add and configure blocks throughout the site
   As a manager
   I need to set and configure blocks throughout the site
 
-  Scenario: Add and configure a block throughtout the site
+  Background:
     Given the following "courses" exist:
       | fullname | shortname | category |
       | Course 1 | C1 | 0 |
     And the following "users" exist:
       | username | firstname | lastname | email |
       | manager1 | Manager | 1 | manager1@example.com |
+      | teacher1 | teacher | 1 | teacher@example.com |
+    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
+      | user     | course | role           |
+      | teacher1 | C1     | editingteacher |
     And the following "system role assigns" exist:
       | user | course | role |
       | manager1 | Acceptance test site | manager |
-    And I log in as "manager1"
+    # Allow at least one role assignment in the block context:
+    And I log in as "admin"
+    And I navigate to "Define roles" node in "Site administration > Users > Permissions"
+    And I follow "Edit Non-editing teacher role"
+    And I set the following fields to these values:
+      | Block | 1 |
+    And I press "Save changes"
+    And I log out
+
+  Scenario: Add and configure a block throughtout the site
+    Given I log in as "manager1"
     And I am on site homepage
     And I follow "Turn editing on"
     And I add the "Comments" block
@@ -35,25 +49,13 @@ Feature: Add and configure blocks throughout the site
     And I should see "Comments" in the "//*[@id='region-pre' or @id='block-region-side-pre']/descendant::div[contains(concat(' ', normalize-space(@class), ' '), ' block ')]" "xpath_element"
 
   Scenario: Blocks on the dashboard page cannot have roles assigned to them
-    Given the following "users" exist:
-      | username | firstname | lastname | email |
-      | manager1 | Manager | 1 | manager1@example.com |
-    And I log in as "manager1"
+    Given I log in as "manager1"
     And I click on "Dashboard" "link" in the "Navigation" "block"
     When I press "Customise this page"
     Then I should not see "Assign roles in Navigation block"
 
   Scenario: Blocks on courses can have roles assigned to them
-    Given the following "courses" exist:
-      | fullname | shortname | category |
-      | Course 1 | C1 | 0 |
-    And the following "users" exist:
-      | username | firstname | lastname | email               |
-      | teacher1 | teacher   | 1        | teacher@example.com |
-    And the following "course enrolments" exist:
-      | user     | course | role           |
-      | teacher1 | C1     | editingteacher |
-    And I log in as "teacher1"
+    Given I log in as "teacher1"
     And I follow "Course 1"
     And I follow "Turn editing on"
     Then I should see "Assign roles in Search forums block"
diff --git a/lang/en/role.php b/lang/en/role.php
index b5a46b3822e..5c1eebda825 100644
--- a/lang/en/role.php
+++ b/lang/en/role.php
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ $string['noneinthisxmatching'] = 'No users matching \'{$a->search}\' in this {$a
 $string['norole'] = 'No role';
 $string['noroles'] = 'No roles';
 $string['noroleassignments'] = 'This user does not have any role assignments anywhere in this site.';
-$string['notabletoassignroleshere'] = 'You are not able to assign any roles here';
+$string['notabletoassignroleshere'] = 'Assigning of roles in this context has not been enabled by an administrator.';
 $string['notabletooverrideroleshere'] = 'You are not able to override the permissions on any roles here';
 $string['notes:manage'] = 'Manage notes';
 $string['notes:view'] = 'View notes';
diff --git a/lib/blocklib.php b/lib/blocklib.php
index 5d1874e1762..4866dc23d37 100644
--- a/lib/blocklib.php
+++ b/lib/blocklib.php
@@ -1092,24 +1092,39 @@ class block_manager {
             $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary($url, $icon, $str, $attributes);
         }
 
-        // Assign roles icon.
-        if ($this->page->pagetype != 'my-index' && has_capability('moodle/role:assign', $block->context)) {
-            //TODO: please note it is sloppy to pass urls through page parameters!!
-            //      it is shortened because some web servers (e.g. IIS by default) give
-            //      a 'security' error if you try to pass a full URL as a GET parameter in another URL.
-            $return = $this->page->url->out(false);
-            $return = str_replace($CFG->wwwroot . '/', '', $return);
+        // Display either "Assign roles" or "Permissions" or "Change permissions" icon (whichever first is available).
+        if ($this->page->pagetype != 'my-index') {
+            $rolesurl = null;
 
-            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid'=>$block->context->id,
-                                                                         'returnurl'=>$return));
-            // Delete icon.
-            $str = new lang_string('assignrolesinblock', 'block', $blocktitle);
-            $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary(
-                $rolesurl,
-                new pix_icon('t/assignroles', $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
-                $str,
-                array('class' => 'editing_roles')
-            );
+            if (get_assignable_roles($block->context, ROLENAME_SHORT)) {
+                $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
+                $str = new lang_string('assignrolesinblock', 'block', $blocktitle);
+                $icon = 'i/assignroles';
+            } else if (has_capability('moodle/role:review', $block->context) or get_overridable_roles($block->context)) {
+                $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/permissions.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
+                $str = get_string('permissions', 'role');
+                $icon = 'i/permissions';
+            } else if (has_any_capability(array('moodle/role:assign', 'moodle/role:safeoverride', 'moodle/role:override', 'moodle/role:assign'), $block->context)) {
+                $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/check.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
+                $str = get_string('checkpermissions', 'role');
+                $icon = 'i/checkpermissions';
+            }
+
+            if ($rolesurl) {
+                //TODO: please note it is sloppy to pass urls through page parameters!!
+                //      it is shortened because some web servers (e.g. IIS by default) give
+                //      a 'security' error if you try to pass a full URL as a GET parameter in another URL.
+                $return = $this->page->url->out(false);
+                $return = str_replace($CFG->wwwroot . '/', '', $return);
+                $rolesurl->param('returnurl', $return);
+
+                $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary(
+                    $rolesurl,
+                    new pix_icon($icon, $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
+                    $str,
+                    array('class' => 'editing_roles')
+                );
+            }
         }
 
         if ($this->user_can_delete_block($block)) {
diff --git a/lib/navigationlib.php b/lib/navigationlib.php
index 33c2ad51304..f3da8f6a12b 100644
--- a/lib/navigationlib.php
+++ b/lib/navigationlib.php
@@ -4509,18 +4509,23 @@ class settings_navigation extends navigation_node {
         $blocknode->force_open();
 
         // Assign local roles
-        $assignurl = new moodle_url('/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/assign.php', array('contextid'=>$this->context->id));
-        $blocknode->add(get_string('assignroles', 'role'), $assignurl, self::TYPE_SETTING);
+        if (get_assignable_roles($this->context, ROLENAME_ORIGINAL)) {
+            $assignurl = new moodle_url('/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $this->context->id));
+            $blocknode->add(get_string('assignroles', 'role'), $assignurl, self::TYPE_SETTING, null,
+                'roles', new pix_icon('i/assignroles', ''));
+        }
 
         // Override roles
         if (has_capability('moodle/role:review', $this->context) or  count(get_overridable_roles($this->context))>0) {
             $url = new moodle_url('/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/permissions.php', array('contextid'=>$this->context->id));
-            $blocknode->add(get_string('permissions', 'role'), $url, self::TYPE_SETTING);
+            $blocknode->add(get_string('permissions', 'role'), $url, self::TYPE_SETTING, null,
+                'permissions', new pix_icon('i/permissions', ''));
         }
         // Check role permissions
         if (has_any_capability(array('moodle/role:assign', 'moodle/role:safeoverride','moodle/role:override', 'moodle/role:assign'), $this->context)) {
             $url = new moodle_url('/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/check.php', array('contextid'=>$this->context->id));
-            $blocknode->add(get_string('checkpermissions', 'role'), $url, self::TYPE_SETTING);
+            $blocknode->add(get_string('checkpermissions', 'role'), $url, self::TYPE_SETTING, null,
+                'checkpermissions', new pix_icon('i/checkpermissions', ''));
         }
 
         return $blocknode;