diff --git a/course/lib.php b/course/lib.php
index 619f3e0e6a229..61d26c6468af3 100644
--- a/course/lib.php
+++ b/course/lib.php
@@ -1911,7 +1911,7 @@ function get_module_metadata($course, $modnames, $sectionreturn = null) {
                 if ($sm->string_exists('modulename_link', $modname)) {  // Link to further info in Moodle docs
                     $link = get_string('modulename_link', $modname);
                     $linktext = get_string('morehelp');
-                    $module->help .= html_writer::tag('div', $OUTPUT->doc_link($link, $linktext), array('class' => 'helpdoclink'));
+                    $module->help .= html_writer::tag('div', $OUTPUT->doc_link($link, $linktext, true), array('class' => 'helpdoclink'));
                 }
             }
             $module->archetype = plugin_supports('mod', $modname, FEATURE_MOD_ARCHETYPE, MOD_ARCHETYPE_OTHER);
diff --git a/course/yui/modchooser/modchooser.js b/course/yui/modchooser/modchooser.js
index 8ade475930ec0..28b90815d9f1d 100644
--- a/course/yui/modchooser/modchooser.js
+++ b/course/yui/modchooser/modchooser.js
@@ -34,36 +34,6 @@ YUI.add('moodle-course-modchooser', function(Y) {
 
             // Catch the page toggle
             Y.all('.block_settings #settingsnav .type_course .modchoosertoggle a').on('click', this.toggle_mod_chooser, this);
-
-            // Ensure that help links are opened in an appropriate popup
-            this.container.all('div.helpdoclink a').on('click', function(e) {
-                var anchor = e.target.ancestor('a', true);
-
-                var args = {
-                    'name'          : 'popup',
-                    'url'           : anchor.getAttribute('href'),
-                    'option'        : ''
-                };
-                var options = [
-                    'height=600',
-                    'width=800',
-                    'top=0',
-                    'left=0',
-                    'menubar=0',
-                    'location=0',
-                    'scrollbars',
-                    'resizable',
-                    'toolbar',
-                    'status',
-                    'directories=0',
-                    'fullscreen=0',
-                    'dependent'
-                ]
-                args.options = options.join(',');
-
-                // Note: openpopup is provided by lib/javascript-static.js
-                openpopup(e, args);
-            });
         },
         /**
          * Update any section areas within the scope of the specified
diff --git a/lib/javascript-static.js b/lib/javascript-static.js
index b9ed5278fae4c..ecb402aa3521a 100644
--- a/lib/javascript-static.js
+++ b/lib/javascript-static.js
@@ -1403,6 +1403,42 @@ function hide_item(itemid) {
     }
 }
 
+M.util.help_popups = {
+    setup : function(Y) {
+        Y.one('body').delegate('click', this.open_popup, 'a.helplinkpopup', this);
+    },
+    open_popup : function(e) {
+        // Prevent the default page action
+        e.preventDefault();
+
+        // Grab the anchor that was clicked
+        var anchor = e.target.ancestor('a', true);
+        var args = {
+            'name'          : 'popup',
+            'url'           : anchor.getAttribute('href'),
+            'options'       : ''
+        };
+        var options = [
+            'height=600',
+            'width=800',
+            'top=0',
+            'left=0',
+            'menubar=0',
+            'location=0',
+            'scrollbars',
+            'resizable',
+            'toolbar',
+            'status',
+            'directories=0',
+            'fullscreen=0',
+            'dependent'
+        ]
+        args.options = options.join(',');
+
+        openpopup(e, args);
+    }
+}
+
 M.util.help_icon = {
     Y : null,
     instance : null,
diff --git a/lib/outputrenderers.php b/lib/outputrenderers.php
index 918235b37e9d2..6572ff131d08b 100644
--- a/lib/outputrenderers.php
+++ b/lib/outputrenderers.php
@@ -370,6 +370,9 @@ public function standard_head_html() {
         // flow player embedding support
         $this->page->requires->js_function_call('M.util.load_flowplayer');
 
+        // Set up help link popups for all links with the helplinkpopup class
+        $this->page->requires->js_init_call('M.util.help_popups.setup');
+
         $this->page->requires->js_function_call('setTimeout', array('fix_column_widths()', 20));
 
         $focus = $this->page->focuscontrol;
@@ -1514,9 +1517,10 @@ protected function render_url_select(url_select $select) {
      *
      * @param string $path The page link after doc root and language, no leading slash.
      * @param string $text The text to be displayed for the link
+     * @param boolean $forcepopup Whether to force a popup regardless of the value of $CFG->doctonewwindow
      * @return string
      */
-    public function doc_link($path, $text = '') {
+    public function doc_link($path, $text = '', $forcepopup = false) {
         global $CFG;
 
         $icon = $this->pix_icon('docs', $text, 'moodle', array('class'=>'iconhelp'));
@@ -1524,8 +1528,8 @@ public function doc_link($path, $text = '') {
         $url = new moodle_url(get_docs_url($path));
 
         $attributes = array('href'=>$url);
-        if (!empty($CFG->doctonewwindow)) {
-            $attributes['id'] = $this->add_action_handler(new popup_action('click', $url));
+        if (!empty($CFG->doctonewwindow) || $forcepopup) {
+            $attributes['class'] = 'helplinkpopup';
         }
 
         return html_writer::tag('a', $icon.$text, $attributes);