diff --git a/lib/tablelib.php b/lib/tablelib.php
index cbf66ac17a3..4a2f6d81378 100644
--- a/lib/tablelib.php
+++ b/lib/tablelib.php
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ class flexible_table {
     var $uniqueid        = NULL;
     var $attributes      = array();
     var $headers         = array();
+
+    /**
+     * @var string For create header with help icon.
+     */
+    private $helpforheaders = array();
     var $columns         = array();
     var $column_style    = array();
     var $column_class    = array();
@@ -422,6 +427,19 @@ class flexible_table {
         $this->headers = $headers;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Must be called after {@link define_headers()}.
+     * Always use this function if you need to create header with sorting and help icon.
+     * @param int $index of header.
+     * @param string $identifier the keyword that defines a help page.
+     * @param string $component component name.
+     * @param string|bool $linktext true means use $title as link text, string means link text value.
+     */
+    public function define_help_for_header($index, $identifier, $component = 'moodle', $linktext = '') {
+        global $OUTPUT;
+        $this->helpforheaders[$index] = $OUTPUT->help_icon($identifier, $component, $linktext);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Must be called after table is defined. Use methods above first. Cannot
      * use functions below till after calling this method.
@@ -1225,8 +1243,12 @@ class flexible_table {
                         // Done this way for the possibility of more than two sortable full name display fields.
                         $this->headers[$index] = '';
                         foreach ($requirednames as $name) {
+                            $helpicon = '';
+                            if (isset($this->helpforheaders[$index])) {
+                                $helpicon = $this->helpforheaders[$index];
+                            }
                             $sortname = $this->sort_link(get_string($name),
-                                    $name, $primarysortcolumn === $name, $primarysortorder);
+                                    $name, $primarysortcolumn === $name, $primarysortorder, $helpicon);
                             $this->headers[$index] .= $sortname . ' / ';
                         }
                         $this->headers[$index] = substr($this->headers[$index], 0, -3);
@@ -1240,8 +1262,12 @@ class flexible_table {
 
                 default:
                 if ($this->is_sortable($column)) {
+                    $helpicon = '';
+                    if (isset($this->helpforheaders[$index])) {
+                        $helpicon = $this->helpforheaders[$index];
+                    }
                     $this->headers[$index] = $this->sort_link($this->headers[$index],
-                            $column, $primarysortcolumn == $column, $primarysortorder);
+                            $column, $primarysortcolumn == $column, $primarysortorder, $helpicon);
                 }
             }
 
@@ -1257,7 +1283,11 @@ class flexible_table {
                 if (is_array($this->column_style[$column])) {
                     $attributes['style'] = $this->make_styles_string($this->column_style[$column]);
                 }
-                $content = $this->headers[$index] . html_writer::tag('div',
+                $helpicon = '';
+                if (isset($this->helpforheaders[$index]) && !$this->is_sortable($column)) {
+                    $helpicon  = $this->helpforheaders[$index];
+                }
+                $content = $this->headers[$index] . $helpicon . html_writer::tag('div',
                         $icon_hide, array('class' => 'commands'));
             }
             echo html_writer::tag('th', $content, $attributes);
@@ -1310,14 +1340,15 @@ class flexible_table {
      * @param string $column the column name, may be a fake column like 'firstname' or a real one.
      * @param bool $isprimary whether the is column is the current primary sort column.
      * @param int $order SORT_ASC or SORT_DESC
+     * @param string $helpicon if the header contains helpicon must be used exactly this param.
      * @return string HTML fragment.
      */
-    protected function sort_link($text, $column, $isprimary, $order) {
+    protected function sort_link($text, $column, $isprimary, $order, $helpicon = '') {
         return html_writer::link($this->baseurl->out(false,
                 array($this->request[TABLE_VAR_SORT] => $column)),
                 $text . get_accesshide(get_string('sortby') . ' ' .
                 $text . ' ' . $this->sort_order_name($isprimary, $order))) . ' ' .
-                $this->sort_icon($isprimary, $order);
+                $helpicon . ' ' . $this->sort_icon($isprimary, $order);
     }
 
     /**