diff --git a/mod/lesson/essay.php b/mod/lesson/essay.php
index a0a611c466a..e60f43e654b 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/essay.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/essay.php
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ switch ($mode) {
         $data->id = $cm->id;
         $data->attemptid = $attemptid;
         $data->score = $essayinfo->score;
-        $data->studentanswer = format_string($essayinfo->answer, FORMAT_MOODLE);
+        $data->studentanswer = format_string($essayinfo->answer, $essayinfo->answerformat);
         $data->response = $essayinfo->response;
         $mform->set_data($data);
 
diff --git a/mod/lesson/pagetypes/essay.php b/mod/lesson/pagetypes/essay.php
index d6705f34a5b..43f8e1447b6 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/pagetypes/essay.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/pagetypes/essay.php
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ class lesson_page_type_essay extends lesson_page {
 
         if (is_array($data->answer)) {
             $studentanswer = $data->answer['text'];
+            $studentanswerformat = $data->answer['format'];
         } else {
             $studentanswer = $data->answer;
+            $studentanswerformat = FORMAT_MOODLE;
         }
 
         if (trim($studentanswer) === '') {
@@ -117,9 +119,10 @@ class lesson_page_type_essay extends lesson_page {
         $userresponse->graded = 0;
         $userresponse->score = 0;
         $userresponse->answer = $studentanswer;
+        $userresponse->answerformat = $studentanswerformat;
         $userresponse->response = "";
         $result->userresponse = serialize($userresponse);
-
+        $result->studentanswerformat = $studentanswerformat;
         $result->studentanswer = s($studentanswer);
         return $result;
     }
@@ -220,7 +223,7 @@ class lesson_page_type_essay extends lesson_page {
                 // dont think this should ever be reached....
                 $avescore = get_string("nooneansweredthisquestion", "lesson");
             }
-            $answerdata->answers[] = array(format_text($essayinfo->answer, FORMAT_MOODLE, $formattextdefoptions), $avescore);
+            $answerdata->answers[] = array(format_text($essayinfo->answer, $essayinfo->answerformat, $formattextdefoptions), $avescore);
             $answerpage->answerdata = $answerdata;
         }
         return $answerpage;