diff --git a/user/classes/participants_table.php b/user/classes/participants_table.php
index 0224f52c82..48b3c6d3ed 100644
--- a/user/classes/participants_table.php
+++ b/user/classes/participants_table.php
@@ -266,6 +266,45 @@ class participants_table extends \table_sql {
             $params = ['contextid' => $this->context->id, 'courseid' => $this->course->id];
             $PAGE->requires->js_call_amd('core_user/status_field', 'init', [$params]);
         }
+
+        $jsoption = 2;
+
+        if ($jsoption == 1) {
+            // This sadly works only for the first element but this is what we'd like to have - pass a selector
+            // instead of an element and expect it to also work for other elements added to DOM later.
+            $PAGE->requires->js_amd_inline(<<<EOJS1
+require(['core_message/message_user_button'], function(MessageUserButton) {
+    MessageUserButton.send('[data-action="wpmessage"][data-userid]');
+});
+EOJS1
+            );
+        } else if ($jsoption == 2) {
+            // This used to work in 3.8.2 and works in 3.8.3 but the jumpto does not work.
+            $PAGE->requires->js_amd_inline(<<<EOJS2
+require(['core_message/message_user_button'], function(MessageUserButton) {
+    $('[data-action="wpmessage"][data-userid]').each(function() {
+        MessageUserButton.send(this);
+    });
+});
+EOJS2
+            );
+        } else if ($jsoption == 3) {
+            // This used to work in 3.8.2 but does not work in 3.8.3 because createConversationWithUser() changed argument type.
+            // This was our workaround for the problem that send() does not accept selectors.
+            $PAGE->requires->js_amd_inline(<<<EOJS3
+    require(['jquery', 'core/custom_interaction_events', 'core_message/message_drawer_helper'],
+    function($, CustomEvents, MessageDrawerHelper) {
+        var elementLocator = '[data-action="wpmessage"][data-userid]';
+        CustomEvents.define($('body'), [CustomEvents.events.activate]);
+        $('body').on(CustomEvents.events.activate, elementLocator, function(e, data) {
+            e.preventDefault();
+            data.originalEvent.preventDefault();
+            MessageDrawerHelper.createConversationWithUser(parseInt($(e.currentTarget).attr('data-userid')));
+        });
+    });
+EOJS3
+);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -298,7 +337,16 @@ class participants_table extends \table_sql {
     public function col_fullname($data) {
         global $OUTPUT;
 
-        return $OUTPUT->user_picture($data, array('size' => 35, 'courseid' => $this->course->id, 'includefullname' => true));
+        $messagepix = $OUTPUT->pix_icon('t/messages', get_string('sendmessage', 'core_message'), 'core');
+        $message = <<<EOL
+<span class="iconcontainer d-inline-block nomargin mr-3 p-2">
+                <a href="#" data-userid="{$data->id}" data-conversationid="0" data-action="wpmessage">
+                    $messagepix
+                </a>
+            </span>
+EOL;
+
+        return $OUTPUT->user_picture($data, array('size' => 35, 'courseid' => $this->course->id, 'includefullname' => true)) . $message;
     }
 
     /**