diff --git a/lib/classes/progress/base.php b/lib/classes/progress/base.php
index 34123629e00..39446827c11 100644
--- a/lib/classes/progress/base.php
+++ b/lib/classes/progress/base.php
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 /**
  * Base class for handling progress information.
  *
- * Subclasses should generally override the current_progress function which
+ * Subclasses should generally override the {@link current_progress} function which
  * summarises all progress information.
  *
  * @package core_progress
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ abstract class base {
      * frontendservertimeout config option to a lower value, such as 180
      * seconds (default for some commercial products).
      *
-     * @var int The number of seconds that can pass without progress() calls.
+     * @var int The number of seconds that can pass without {@link progress()} calls.
      */
     const TIME_LIMIT_WITHOUT_PROGRESS = 3600;
 
@@ -80,13 +80,13 @@ abstract class base {
      * This can be called multiple times for nested progress sections. It must
      * be paired with calls to end_progress.
      *
-     * The progress maximum may be INDETERMINATE if the current operation has
+     * The progress maximum may be {@link self::INDETERMINATE} if the current operation has
      * an unknown number of steps. (This is default.)
      *
      * Calling this function will always result in a new display, so this
      * should not be called exceedingly frequently.
      *
-     * When it is complete by calling end_progress, each start_progress section
+     * When it is complete by calling {@link end_progress()}, each {@link start_progress} section
      * automatically adds progress to its parent, as defined by $parentcount.
      *
      * @param string $description Description to display
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ abstract class base {
     /**
      * Marks the end of an operation that will display progress.
      *
-     * This must be paired with each start_progress call.
+     * This must be paired with each {@link start_progress} call.
      *
      * If there is a parent progress section, its progress will be increased
      * automatically to reflect the end of the child section.
@@ -158,25 +158,19 @@ abstract class base {
      * Indicates that progress has occurred.
      *
      * The progress value should indicate the total progress so far, from 0
-     * to the value supplied for $max (inclusive) in start_progress.
+     * to the value supplied for $max (inclusive) in {@link start_progress}.
      *
      * You do not need to call this function for every value. It is OK to skip
      * values. It is also OK to call this function as often as desired; it
-     * doesn't do anything if called more than once per second.
+     * doesn't update the display if called more than once per second.
      *
-     * It must be INDETERMINATE if start_progress was called with $max set to
+     * It must be INDETERMINATE if {@link start_progress} was called with $max set to
      * INDETERMINATE. Otherwise it must not be indeterminate.
      *
      * @param int $progress Progress so far
      * @throws \coding_exception If progress value is invalid
      */
     public function progress($progress = self::INDETERMINATE) {
-        // Ignore too-frequent progress calls (more than once per second).
-        $now = $this->get_time();
-        if ($now === $this->lastprogresstime) {
-            return;
-        }
-
         // Check we are inside a progress section.
         $max = end($this->maxes);
         if ($max === false) {
@@ -207,6 +201,12 @@ abstract class base {
             $this->currents[key($this->currents)] = $progress;
         }
 
+        // Don't update progress bar too frequently (more than once per second).
+        $now = $this->get_time();
+        if ($now === $this->lastprogresstime) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         // Update progress.
         $this->count++;
         $this->lastprogresstime = $now;
@@ -216,6 +216,21 @@ abstract class base {
         $this->update_progress();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * An alternative to calling progress. This keeps track of the number of items done internally. Call this method
+     * with no parameters to increment the internal counter by one or you can use the $incby parameter to specify a positive
+     * change in progress. The internal progress counter should not exceed $max as passed to {@link start_progress} for this
+     * section.
+     *
+     * If you called {@link start_progress} with parameter INDETERMINATE then you cannot call this method.
+     *
+     * @var int $incby The positive change to apply to the internal progress counter. Defaults to 1.
+     */
+    public function increment_progress($incby = 1) {
+        $current = end($this->currents);
+        $this->progress($current + $incby);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Gets time (this is provided so that unit tests can override it).
      *
@@ -240,7 +255,7 @@ abstract class base {
     /**
      * Checks max value of current progress section.
      *
-     * @return int Current max value (may be \core\progress\base::INDETERMINATE)
+     * @return int Current max value - may be {@link \core\progress\base::INDETERMINATE}.
      * @throws \coding_exception If not in a progress section
      */
     public function get_current_max() {
diff --git a/lib/tests/progress_test.php b/lib/tests/progress_test.php
index fa50404d7f5..5181f4f59d4 100644
--- a/lib/tests/progress_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/progress_test.php
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class core_progress_testcase extends basic_testcase {
         // Do another progress run at same time, it should be ignored.
         $progress->progress(3);
         $this->assertFalse($progress->was_update_called());
-        $this->assert_min_max(0.2, 0.2, $progress);
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.3, 0.3, $progress);
 
         // End the section. This should cause an update.
         $progress->end_progress();
@@ -317,6 +317,65 @@ class core_progress_testcase extends basic_testcase {
         }
     }
 
+    public function test_progress_change() {
+
+        $progress = new core_mock_progress();
+
+        $progress->start_progress('hello', 50);
+
+
+        for ($n = 1; $n <= 10; $n++) {
+            $progress->increment_progress();
+        }
+
+        // Check numeric position and indeterminate count.
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.2, 0.2, $progress);
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+        // Make some progress and check that the time limit gets added.
+        $progress->step_time();
+
+        for ($n = 1; $n <= 20; $n++) {
+            $progress->increment_progress();
+        }
+
+        $this->assertTrue($progress->was_update_called());
+
+        // Check the new value.
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.6, 0.6, $progress);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+        for ($n = 1; $n <= 10; $n++) {
+            $progress->increment_progress();
+        }
+        $this->assertFalse($progress->was_update_called());
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.8, 0.8, $progress);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+        // Do another progress run at same time, it should be ignored.
+        $progress->increment_progress(5);
+        $this->assertFalse($progress->was_update_called());
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.9, 0.9, $progress);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+        for ($n = 1; $n <= 3; $n++) {
+            $progress->step_time();
+            $progress->increment_progress(1);
+        }
+        $this->assertTrue($progress->was_update_called());
+        $this->assert_min_max(0.96, 0.96, $progress);
+        $this->assertEquals(5, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+
+        // End the section. This should cause an update.
+        $progress->end_progress();
+        $this->assertTrue($progress->was_update_called());
+        $this->assertEquals(5, $progress->get_progress_count());
+
+        // Because there are no sections left open, it thinks we finished.
+        $this->assert_min_max(1.0, 1.0, $progress);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Checks the current progress values are as expected.
      *