diff --git a/enrol/externallib.php b/enrol/externallib.php
index ea5f971c9e0..3a0c38f18a1 100644
--- a/enrol/externallib.php
+++ b/enrol/externallib.php
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class core_enrol_external extends external_api {
                     'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                         new external_single_structure(
                             array(
-                                'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preferences'),
+                                'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preferences'),
                                 'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the custom field'),
                             )
                     ), 'User preferences', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ class core_enrol_external extends external_api {
                     'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                         new external_single_structure(
                             array(
-                                'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preferences'),
+                                'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preferences'),
                                 'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the custom field'),
                             )
                     ), 'User preferences', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
diff --git a/user/externallib.php b/user/externallib.php
index ce0b580fcf6..b203c29c13c 100644
--- a/user/externallib.php
+++ b/user/externallib.php
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class core_user_external extends external_api {
                             'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                                 new external_single_structure(
                                     array(
-                                        'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preference'),
+                                        'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preference'),
                                         'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the preference')
                                     )
                                 ), 'User preferences', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ class core_user_external extends external_api {
                 'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                     new external_single_structure(
                         array(
-                            'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preference'),
+                            'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preference'),
                             'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the preference')
                         )
                     ), 'User preferences', VALUE_DEFAULT, array()
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ class core_user_external extends external_api {
                             'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                                 new external_single_structure(
                                     array(
-                                        'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preference'),
+                                        'type'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preference'),
                                         'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the preference')
                                     )
                                 ), 'User preferences', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
@@ -1069,8 +1069,8 @@ class core_user_external extends external_api {
             'preferences' => new external_multiple_structure(
                 new external_single_structure(
                     array(
-                        'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT, 'The name of the preferences'),
-                        'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the custom field'),
+                        'name'  => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The name of the preferences'),
+                        'value' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The value of the preference'),
                     )
             ), 'Users preferences', VALUE_OPTIONAL)
         );