diff --git a/mod/chat/classes/external.php b/mod/chat/classes/external.php
index 88b4b519d87f7..6f11f668ec178 100644
--- a/mod/chat/classes/external.php
+++ b/mod/chat/classes/external.php
@@ -594,7 +594,8 @@ public static function get_chats_by_courses_returns() {
                             'intro' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'The Chat intro'),
                             'introformat' => new external_format_value('intro'),
                             'introfiles' => new external_files('Files in the introduction text', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
-                            'chatmethod' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, 'chat method (sockets, daemon)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                            'chatmethod' => new external_value(PARAM_PLUGIN, 'chat method (sockets, ajax, header_js)',
+                                VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'keepdays' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'keep days', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'studentlogs' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'student logs visible to everyone', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                             'chattime' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'chat time', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
diff --git a/mod/chat/tests/externallib_test.php b/mod/chat/tests/externallib_test.php
index e9698d29fa296..f17fb2e70a26a 100644
--- a/mod/chat/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/mod/chat/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -223,9 +223,13 @@ public function test_view_chat() {
      * Test get_chats_by_courses
      */
     public function test_get_chats_by_courses() {
-        global $DB, $USER;
+        global $DB, $USER, $CFG;
         $this->resetAfterTest(true);
         $this->setAdminUser();
+
+        // Set global chat method.
+        $CFG->chat_method = 'header_js';
+
         $course1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_course();
         $chatoptions1 = array(
                               'course' => $course1->id,
@@ -272,6 +276,7 @@ public function test_get_chats_by_courses() {
 
         $this->assertCount(1, $chats['chats']);
         $this->assertEquals('Second Chat', $chats['chats'][0]['name']);
+        $this->assertEquals('header_js', $chats['chats'][0]['chatmethod']);
         // We see 17 fields.
         $this->assertCount(17, $chats['chats'][0]);
         // As an Admin you can see some chat properties like 'section'.