diff --git a/auth/mnet/auth.php b/auth/mnet/auth.php
index b3b22f534b1..2744dcddcb6 100644
--- a/auth/mnet/auth.php
+++ b/auth/mnet/auth.php
@@ -737,25 +737,6 @@ class auth_plugin_mnet extends auth_plugin_base {
         return array('code' => 1, 'message' => $returnString, 'last log id' => $remoteclient->last_log_id);
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Cron function will be called automatically by cron.php every 5 minutes
-     *
-     * @return void
-     */
-    function cron() {
-        global $DB;
-
-        // run the keepalive client
-        $this->keepalive_client();
-
-        $random100 = rand(0,100);
-        if ($random100 < 10) {     // Approximately 10% of the time.
-            // nuke olden sessions
-            $longtime = time() - (1 * 3600 * 24);
-            $DB->delete_records_select('mnet_session', "expires < ?", array($longtime));
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Cleanup any remote mnet_sessions, kill the local mnet_session data
      *
diff --git a/auth/mnet/classes/task/cron_task.php b/auth/mnet/classes/task/cron_task.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dbd8e177dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/mnet/classes/task/cron_task.php
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+namespace auth_mnet\task;
+defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
+
+/**
+ * A schedule task for mnet cron.
+ *
+ * @package   auth_mnet
+ * @copyright 2019 Simey Lameze <simey@moodle.com>
+ * @license   http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+class cron_task extends \core\task\scheduled_task {
+    /**
+     * Get a descriptive name for this task (shown to admins).
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function get_name() {
+        return get_string('crontask', 'auth_mnet');
+    }
+    /**
+     * Run auth mnet cron.
+     */
+    public function execute() {
+        global $DB, $CFG;
+
+        require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/auth/mnet/auth.php');
+        $mnetplugin = new \auth_plugin_mnet();
+        $mnetplugin->keepalive_client();
+
+        $random100 = rand(0,100);
+        if ($random100 < 10) {
+            $longtime = time() - DAYSECS;
+            $DB->delete_records_select('mnet_session', "expires < ?", [$longtime]);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/auth/mnet/db/tasks.php b/auth/mnet/db/tasks.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e85dc3d6619
--- /dev/null
+++ b/auth/mnet/db/tasks.php
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+/**
+ * Definition of chat scheduled tasks.
+ *
+ * @package   auth_mnet
+ * @copyright 2019 Simey Lameze <simey@moodle.com>
+ * @license   http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
+$tasks = array(
+    array(
+        'classname' => '\auth_mnet\task\cron_task',
+        'blocking' => 0,
+        'minute' => '*',
+        'hour' => '*',
+        'day' => '*',
+        'month' => '*',
+        'dayofweek' => '*'
+    )
+);
diff --git a/auth/mnet/lang/en/auth_mnet.php b/auth/mnet/lang/en/auth_mnet.php
index a8c7ed3cc47..4836214200b 100644
--- a/auth/mnet/lang/en/auth_mnet.php
+++ b/auth/mnet/lang/en/auth_mnet.php
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ $string['auth_mnet_roamin'] = 'These host\'s users can roam in to your site';
 $string['auth_mnet_roamout'] = 'Your users can roam out to these hosts';
 $string['auth_mnet_rpc_negotiation_timeout'] = 'The timeout in seconds for authentication over the XMLRPC transport.';
 $string['auto_add_remote_users'] = 'Auto add remote users';
+$string['crontask'] = 'Background processing for MNET authentication';
 $string['rpc_negotiation_timeout'] = 'RPC negotiation timeout';
 $string['sso_idp_description'] = 'Publish this service to allow your users to roam to the {$a} site without having to re-login there. <ul><li><em>Dependency</em>: You must also <strong>subscribe</strong> to the SSO (Service Provider) service on {$a}.</li></ul><br />Subscribe to this service to allow authenticated users from {$a} to access your site without having to re-login. <ul><li><em>Dependency</em>: You must also <strong>publish</strong> the SSO (Service Provider) service to {$a}.</li></ul><br />';
 $string['sso_idp_name'] = 'SSO  (Identity Provider)';
diff --git a/auth/mnet/version.php b/auth/mnet/version.php
index ae88a9ff731..bf5d4412333 100644
--- a/auth/mnet/version.php
+++ b/auth/mnet/version.php
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-$plugin->version   = 2018120300;        // The current plugin version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
+$plugin->version   = 2018120301;        // The current plugin version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
 $plugin->requires  = 2018112800;        // Requires this Moodle version
 $plugin->component = 'auth_mnet';       // Full name of the plugin (used for diagnostics)