diff --git a/grade/report/history/classes/filter_form.php b/grade/report/history/classes/filter_form.php
index 2eead9f4899..9b1bdf4cb20 100644
--- a/grade/report/history/classes/filter_form.php
+++ b/grade/report/history/classes/filter_form.php
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ class filter_form extends \moodleform {
         $itemids  = $this->_customdata['itemids'];
         $graders  = $this->_customdata['graders'];
         $userbutton = $this->_customdata['userbutton'];
-        $names = \html_writer::span('', 'selectednames');
+        $userfullnames = $this->_customdata['userfullnames'];
+        $names = \html_writer::span($userfullnames, 'selectednames');
 
         $mform->addElement('static', 'userselect', get_string('selectusers', 'gradereport_history'), $userbutton);
         $mform->addElement('static', 'selectednames', get_string('selectedusers', 'gradereport_history'), $names);
@@ -79,16 +80,4 @@ class filter_form extends \moodleform {
         // Add a submit button.
         $mform->addElement('submit', 'submitbutton', get_string('submit'));
     }
-
-    /**
-     * This method implements changes to the form that need to be made once the form data is set.
-     */
-    public function definition_after_data() {
-        $mform = $this->_form;
-
-        if ($userfullnames = $mform->getElementValue('userfullnames')) {
-            $mform->getElement('selectednames')->setValue(\html_writer::span($userfullnames, 'selectednames'));
-        }
-    }
-
 }
diff --git a/grade/report/history/classes/output/tablelog.php b/grade/report/history/classes/output/tablelog.php
index 663e29488f8..b90caba85f2 100644
--- a/grade/report/history/classes/output/tablelog.php
+++ b/grade/report/history/classes/output/tablelog.php
@@ -519,7 +519,8 @@ class tablelog extends \table_sql implements \renderable {
 
             $idlist = explode(',', $this->filters->userids);
             list($where, $params) = $DB->get_in_or_equal($idlist);
-            return $DB->get_records_select('user', "id $where", $params);
+            [$order] = users_order_by_sql();
+            return $DB->get_records_select('user', "id $where", $params, $order);
 
         }
         return $idlist;
diff --git a/grade/report/history/index.php b/grade/report/history/index.php
index 127e106aadf..cb8fec8e77e 100644
--- a/grade/report/history/index.php
+++ b/grade/report/history/index.php
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ $itemids = array(0 => get_string('allgradeitems', 'gradereport_history')) + $ite
 
 $output = $PAGE->get_renderer('gradereport_history');
 $graders = \gradereport_history\helper::get_graders($course->id);
-$params = array('course' => $course, 'itemids' => $itemids, 'graders' => $graders, 'userbutton' => null);
+$params = ['course' => $course, 'itemids' => $itemids, 'graders' => $graders,
+        'userbutton' => null, 'userfullnames' => ''];
 $mform = new \gradereport_history\filter_form(null, $params);
 $filters = array();
 if ($data = $mform->get_data()) {
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ $names = array();
 foreach ($table->get_selected_users() as $key => $user) {
     $names[$key] = fullname($user);
 }
-$filters['userfullnames'] = implode(',', $names);
+$userfullnames = implode(', ', $names);
 
 // Set up js.
 \gradereport_history\helper::init_js($course->id, $names);
@@ -94,7 +95,8 @@ $filters['userfullnames'] = implode(',', $names);
 $button = new \gradereport_history\output\user_button($PAGE->url, get_string('selectusers', 'gradereport_history'), 'get');
 
 $userbutton = $output->render($button);
-$params = array('course' => $course, 'itemids' => $itemids, 'graders' => $graders, 'userbutton' => $userbutton);
+$params = ['course' => $course, 'itemids' => $itemids, 'graders' => $graders,
+        'userbutton' => $userbutton, 'userfullnames' => $userfullnames];
 $mform = new \gradereport_history\filter_form(null, $params);
 $mform->set_data($filters);
 
diff --git a/grade/report/history/tests/behat/basic_functionality.feature b/grade/report/history/tests/behat/basic_functionality.feature
index 1b1326a05d8..55dd5dc54e3 100644
--- a/grade/report/history/tests/behat/basic_functionality.feature
+++ b/grade/report/history/tests/behat/basic_functionality.feature
@@ -58,11 +58,22 @@ Feature: A teacher checks the grade history report in a course
       | Student 1          | Rewarding assignment          | 60.00          | 80.00         | Teacher 2 |
       | Student 2          | The greatest assignment ever  | 50.00          | 70.00         | Teacher 2 |
       | Student 2          | Rewarding assignment          | 60.00          | 80.00         | Teacher 2 |
+    # Test filtering by student - display of several users.
+    And I press "Select users"
+    And I click on "Student 1" "checkbox"
+    And I click on "Student 2" "checkbox"
+    And I press "Finish selecting users"
+    And I should see "Student 1, Student 2"
+    And I press "Submit"
+    And I should see "Student 1, Student 2"
     # Test filtering by student.
     And I press "Select users"
-    And I set the field with xpath "//form/input[@class='usp-search-field']" to "Student 1"
-    And I click on "Search" "button" in the "//div[@class='usp-search']" "xpath_element"
-    And I set the field with xpath "//div[@class='usp-checkbox']/input" to "1"
+    And I set the field with xpath "//form/input[@class='usp-search-field']" to "Student 2"
+    And I click on "Search" "button" in the "Select users" "dialogue"
+    And I should see "Student 2" in the "Select users" "dialogue"
+    And I should not see "Student 1" in the "Select users" "dialogue"
+    # Deselect.
+    And I click on "Student 2" "checkbox"
     And I press "Finish selecting users"
     And I press "Submit"
     And the following should exist in the "gradereport_history" table:
diff --git a/grade/report/history/users_ajax.php b/grade/report/history/users_ajax.php
index 038cf0274d4..15f2b62ff5e 100644
--- a/grade/report/history/users_ajax.php
+++ b/grade/report/history/users_ajax.php
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ foreach ($users as $user) {
 }
 
 $outcome->success = true;
-
 echo $OUTPUT->header();
 echo json_encode($outcome);
 echo $OUTPUT->footer();
diff --git a/lib/datalib.php b/lib/datalib.php
index b8f61119a42..aded6e4152a 100644
--- a/lib/datalib.php
+++ b/lib/datalib.php
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ function users_search_sql(string $search, string $u = 'u', bool $searchanywhere
  * @param array $customfieldmappings associative array of mappings for custom fields returned by \core_user\fields::get_sql.
  * @return array with two elements:
  *      string SQL fragment to use in the ORDER BY clause. For example, "firstname, lastname".
- *      array of parameters used in the SQL fragment.
+ *      array of parameters used in the SQL fragment. If $search is not given, this is guaranteed to be an empty array.
  */
 function users_order_by_sql(string $usertablealias = '', string $search = null, context $context = null,
         array $customfieldmappings = []) {