diff --git a/filter/mediaplugin/filter.php b/filter/mediaplugin/filter.php
index e98f6d9d16e..726c1d1abd8 100644
--- a/filter/mediaplugin/filter.php
+++ b/filter/mediaplugin/filter.php
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ class filter_mediaplugin extends moodle_text_filter {
         }
         $jsinitialised = true;
 
-        $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance();
-        $mediamanager->setup($page);
+        // Set up the media manager so that media plugins requiring JS are initialised.
+        $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance($page);
     }
 
     public function filter($text, array $options = array()) {
diff --git a/lib/editor/tinymce/plugins/moodlemedia/preview.php b/lib/editor/tinymce/plugins/moodlemedia/preview.php
index af946c04c11..cf4802fd56e 100644
--- a/lib/editor/tinymce/plugins/moodlemedia/preview.php
+++ b/lib/editor/tinymce/plugins/moodlemedia/preview.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ $PAGE->add_body_class('core_media_preview');
 
 echo $OUTPUT->header();
 
-$mediarenderer = core_media_manager::instance();
+$mediarenderer = core_media_manager::instance($PAGE);
 
 if (isloggedin() and !isguestuser() and $mediarenderer->can_embed_url($url)) {
     require_sesskey();
diff --git a/lib/tests/medialib_test.php b/lib/tests/medialib_test.php
index d2ccdc2a9dd..1710863eaf7 100644
--- a/lib/tests/medialib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/medialib_test.php
@@ -517,4 +517,11 @@ class core_media_manager_test extends core_media_manager {
         }
         return $out;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Override the constructor to access it.
+     */
+    public function __construct() {
+        parent::__construct();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/media/classes/manager.php b/media/classes/manager.php
index 84b4adb9fe9..d7a1b6e3251 100644
--- a/media/classes/manager.php
+++ b/media/classes/manager.php
@@ -100,27 +100,52 @@ class core_media_manager {
     /**
      * Returns a singleton instance of a manager
      *
+     * Note as of Moodle 3.2.2, this will call setup for you.
+     *
      * @return core_media_manager
      */
-    public static function instance() {
+    public static function instance($page = null) {
         if (self::$instance === null) {
-            self::$instance = new self();
+            self::$instance = new self($page);
         }
         return self::$instance;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Construct a new core_media_manager instance
+     *
+     * @param moodle_page $page The page we are going to add requirements to.
+     * @see core_media_manager::instance()
+     */
+    protected function __construct($page = null) {
+        // Use the passed $page if given, otherwise the $PAGE global.
+        if ($page == null) {
+            global $PAGE;
+            if (isset($PAGE)) {
+                $page = $PAGE;
+            }
+        }
+        if ($page) {
+            $players = $this->get_players();
+            foreach ($players as $player) {
+                $player->setup($page);
+            }
+        } else {
+            debugging('Could not determine the $PAGE. Media plugins will not be set up', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Setup page requirements.
      *
      * This should must only be called once per page request.
      *
+     * This function will be deprecated in Moodle 3.3, The setup is now done in ::instance() so there is no need to call this.
      * @param moodle_page $page The page we are going to add requirements to.
+     * @see core_media_manager::instance()
      */
     public function setup($page) {
-        $players = $this->get_players();
-        foreach ($players as $player) {
-            $player->setup($page);
-        }
+        // No need to call ::instance from here, because the instance has already be set up.
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/media/upgrade.txt b/media/upgrade.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eccdb6ca50a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/media/upgrade.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+This files describes API changes in /media/ plugins,
+information provided here is intended especially for developers.
+
+=== 3.2.2 ===
+* core_media_manager setup() is now no longer needed as it is now called when initialising core_media_manager::instance().
diff --git a/mod/lesson/locallib.php b/mod/lesson/locallib.php
index 4e02e441fc5..9a973c7f102 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/locallib.php
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ function lesson_get_media_html($lesson, $context) {
 
     $extension = resourcelib_get_extension($url->out(false));
 
-    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance();
+    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance($PAGE);
     $embedoptions = array(
         core_media_manager::OPTION_TRUSTED => true,
         core_media_manager::OPTION_BLOCK => true
diff --git a/mod/resource/locallib.php b/mod/resource/locallib.php
index 062db7ec179..0dd1f1fe2a3 100644
--- a/mod/resource/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/resource/locallib.php
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function resource_display_embed($resource, $cm, $course, $file) {
 
     $extension = resourcelib_get_extension($file->get_filename());
 
-    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance();
+    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance($PAGE);
     $embedoptions = array(
         core_media_manager::OPTION_TRUSTED => true,
         core_media_manager::OPTION_BLOCK => true,
diff --git a/mod/url/locallib.php b/mod/url/locallib.php
index a29686c7d64..7d9bba291cf 100644
--- a/mod/url/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/url/locallib.php
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ function url_display_embed($url, $cm, $course) {
 
     $extension = resourcelib_get_extension($url->externalurl);
 
-    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance();
+    $mediamanager = core_media_manager::instance($PAGE);
     $embedoptions = array(
         core_media_manager::OPTION_TRUSTED => true,
         core_media_manager::OPTION_BLOCK => true