diff --git a/lib/outputcomponents.php b/lib/outputcomponents.php
index 67747ad967f..3815eba9ea3 100644
--- a/lib/outputcomponents.php
+++ b/lib/outputcomponents.php
@@ -338,6 +338,23 @@ class pix_icon implements renderable {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Data structure representing an emoticon image
+ *
+ * @since     Moodle 2.0
+ */
+class pix_emoticon extends pix_icon implements renderable {
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor
+     * @param string $pix short icon name
+     * @param string $component component name
+     */
+    public function __construct($pix, $alt, $component = 'moodle') {
+        $attributes = array('class' => 'emoticon');
+        parent::__construct($pix, $alt, $component, $attributes);
+    }
+}
 
 /**
  * Data structure representing a simple form with only one button.
diff --git a/lib/outputrenderers.php b/lib/outputrenderers.php
index 7696a6414c3..87c307fb4a3 100644
--- a/lib/outputrenderers.php
+++ b/lib/outputrenderers.php
@@ -1358,6 +1358,17 @@ class core_renderer extends renderer_base {
         return html_writer::empty_tag('img', $attributes);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Render emoticon
+     * @param pix_emoticon $emoticon
+     * @return string HTML fragment
+     */
+    protected function render_pix_emoticon(pix_emoticon $emoticon) {
+        $attributes = $emoticon->attributes;
+        $attributes['src'] = $this->pix_url($emoticon->pix, $emoticon->component);
+        return html_writer::empty_tag('img', $attributes);
+    }
+
     /**
     * Produces the html that represents this rating in the UI
     * @param $page the page object on which this rating will appear