diff --git a/course/view.php b/course/view.php
index 6acd0f83a64..3cc2d0c3da9 100644
--- a/course/view.php
+++ b/course/view.php
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@
     // anything after that point.
     $eventdata = array('context' => context_course::instance($course->id));
     if (!empty($section) && (int)$section == $section) {
-        $eventdata['other'] = array('coursesectionid' => $section);
+        $eventdata['other'] = array('coursesectionnumber' => $section);
     }
     $event = \core\event\course_viewed::create($eventdata);
     $event->trigger();
diff --git a/lib/classes/event/course_viewed.php b/lib/classes/event/course_viewed.php
index 1af160a04e8..a63e3cea8ff 100644
--- a/lib/classes/event/course_viewed.php
+++ b/lib/classes/event/course_viewed.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
  * @property-read array $other {
  *      Extra information about the event.
  *
- *      - int coursesectionid: (optional) The course section ID.
+ *      - int coursesectionnumber: (optional) The course section number.
  * }
  *
  * @package    core
@@ -59,7 +59,17 @@ class course_viewed extends base {
      * @return string
      */
     public function get_description() {
-        return "The user with id '$this->userid' viewed the course with id '$this->courseid'.";
+
+        // We keep compatibility with 2.7 and 2.8 other['coursesectionid'].
+        $sectionstr = '';
+        if (!empty($this->other['coursesectionnumber'])) {
+            $sectionstr = "section number '{$this->other['coursesectionnumber']}' of the ";
+        } else if (!empty($this->other['coursesectionid'])) {
+            $sectionstr = "section number '{$this->other['coursesectionid']}' of the ";
+        }
+        $description = "The user with id '$this->userid' viewed the " . $sectionstr . "course with id '$this->courseid'.";
+
+        return $description;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -78,13 +88,17 @@ class course_viewed extends base {
      */
     public function get_url() {
         global $CFG;
-        $sectionid = null;
-        if (isset($this->other['coursesectionid'])) {
-            $sectionid = $this->other['coursesectionid'];
+
+        // We keep compatibility with 2.7 and 2.8 other['coursesectionid'].
+        $sectionnumber = null;
+        if (isset($this->other['coursesectionnumber'])) {
+            $sectionnumber = $this->other['coursesectionnumber'];
+        } else if (isset($this->other['coursesectionid'])) {
+            $sectionnumber = $this->other['coursesectionid'];
         }
         require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/course/lib.php');
         try {
-            return course_get_url($this->courseid, $sectionid);
+            return course_get_url($this->courseid, $sectionnumber);
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
             return null;
         }
@@ -101,9 +115,15 @@ class course_viewed extends base {
             return null;
         }
 
-        if (isset($this->other['coursesectionid'])) {
-            return array($this->courseid, 'course', 'view section', 'view.php?id=' . $this->courseid . '&sectionid='
-                    . $this->other['coursesectionid'], $this->other['coursesectionid']);
+        // We keep compatibility with 2.7 and 2.8 other['coursesectionid'].
+        if (isset($this->other['coursesectionnumber']) || isset($this->other['coursesectionid'])) {
+            if (isset($this->other['coursesectionnumber'])) {
+                $sectionnumber = $this->other['coursesectionnumber'];
+            } else {
+                $sectionnumber = $this->other['coursesectionid'];
+            }
+            return array($this->courseid, 'course', 'view section', 'view.php?id=' . $this->courseid . '&section='
+                    . $sectionnumber, $sectionnumber);
         }
         return array($this->courseid, 'course', 'view', 'view.php?id=' . $this->courseid, $this->courseid);
     }
diff --git a/lib/tests/events_test.php b/lib/tests/events_test.php
index baaa9e2b538..23fa7cb0058 100644
--- a/lib/tests/events_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/events_test.php
@@ -238,10 +238,10 @@ class core_events_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEventContextNotUsed($event);
 
         // Now try with optional parameters.
-        $sectionid = 34;
+        $sectionnumber = 7;
         $eventparams = array();
         $eventparams['context'] = $context;
-        $eventparams['other'] = array('coursesectionid' => $sectionid);
+        $eventparams['other'] = array('coursesectionnumber' => $sectionnumber);
         $event = \core\event\course_viewed::create($eventparams);
 
         // Trigger and capture the event.
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ class core_events_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
 
         $this->assertInstanceOf('\core\event\course_viewed', $event);
         $this->assertEquals(context_course::instance($course->id), $event->get_context());
-        $expected = array($course->id, 'course', 'view section', 'view.php?id=' . $course->id . '&sectionid='
-                . $sectionid, $sectionid);
+        $expected = array($course->id, 'course', 'view section', 'view.php?id=' . $course->id . '&section='
+                . $sectionnumber, $sectionnumber);
         $this->assertEventLegacyLogData($expected, $event);
         $this->assertEventContextNotUsed($event);
 
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index c1c222450c1..5b570a3128e 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
   additional string parameters.
 * User settings node and course node in navigation now support callbacks from admin tools.
 * grade_get_grades() optional parameteres $itemtype, $itemmodule, $iteminstance are now required.
+* \core\event\course_viewed 'other' argument changes from coursesectionid to coursesectionnumber as it contains the section number.
 
 DEPRECATIONS:
 * completion_info->get_incomplete_criteria() is deprecated and will be removed in Moodle 3.0.