diff --git a/lib/db/services.php b/lib/db/services.php
index 9f7392362d9..4cf4a245974 100644
--- a/lib/db/services.php
+++ b/lib/db/services.php
@@ -939,6 +939,15 @@ $functions = array(
         'ajax' => true,
         'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
     ),
+    'core_message_get_received_contact_requests_count' => array(
+        'classname' => 'core_message_external',
+        'methodname' => 'get_received_contact_requests_count',
+        'classpath' => 'message/externallib.php',
+        'description' => 'Gets the number of received contact requests',
+        'type' => 'read',
+        'ajax' => true,
+        'services' => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
+    ),
     'core_message_delete_contacts' => array(
         'classname' => 'core_message_external',
         'methodname' => 'delete_contacts',
diff --git a/message/externallib.php b/message/externallib.php
index f842b85a2f2..c67b4c772ff 100644
--- a/message/externallib.php
+++ b/message/externallib.php
@@ -752,6 +752,60 @@ class core_message_external extends external_api {
         );
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the number of contact requests the user has received parameters description.
+     *
+     * @return external_function_parameters
+     */
+    public static function get_received_contact_requests_count_parameters() {
+        return new external_function_parameters(
+            array(
+                'userid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The id of the user we want to return the number of ' .
+                    'received contact requests for', VALUE_REQUIRED),
+            )
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the number of contact requests the user has received.
+     *
+     * @param int $userid The ID of the user we want to return the number of received contact requests for
+     * @return external_value
+     */
+    public static function get_received_contact_requests_count(int $userid) {
+        global $CFG, $USER;
+
+        // Check if messaging is enabled.
+        if (empty($CFG->messaging)) {
+            throw new moodle_exception('disabled', 'message');
+        }
+
+        // Validate context.
+        $context = context_system::instance();
+        self::validate_context($context);
+
+        $params = [
+            'userid' => $userid,
+        ];
+        $params = self::validate_parameters(self::get_received_contact_requests_count_parameters(), $params);
+
+        $capability = 'moodle/site:manageallmessaging';
+        if (($USER->id != $params['userid']) && !has_capability($capability, $context)) {
+            throw new required_capability_exception($context, $capability, 'nopermissions', '');
+        }
+
+        return \core_message\api::get_received_contact_requests_count($params['userid']);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the number of contact requests the user has received return description.
+     *
+     * @return external_value
+     */
+    public static function get_received_contact_requests_count_returns() {
+        return new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The number of received contact requests');
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns get conversation members parameters description.
      *
diff --git a/message/tests/externallib_test.php b/message/tests/externallib_test.php
index 451b866a04e..d19e171261b 100644
--- a/message/tests/externallib_test.php
+++ b/message/tests/externallib_test.php
@@ -663,6 +663,85 @@ class core_message_externallib_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         core_message_external::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user2->id);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test getting the number of received contact requests.
+     */
+    public function test_get_received_contact_requests_count() {
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+
+        $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user3 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user4 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $this->setUser($user1);
+
+        $contactrequestnumber = core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+        $contactrequestnumber = external_api::clean_returnvalue(
+            core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count_returns(), $contactrequestnumber);
+        $this->assertEquals(0, $contactrequestnumber);
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user2->id, $user1->id);
+
+        $contactrequestnumber = core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+        $contactrequestnumber = external_api::clean_returnvalue(
+            core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count_returns(), $contactrequestnumber);
+        $this->assertEquals(1, $contactrequestnumber);
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user3->id, $user1->id);
+
+        $contactrequestnumber = core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+        $contactrequestnumber = external_api::clean_returnvalue(
+            core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count_returns(), $contactrequestnumber);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $contactrequestnumber);
+
+        \core_message\api::create_contact_request($user1->id, $user4->id);
+
+        // Web service should ignore sent requests.
+        $contactrequestnumber = core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+        $contactrequestnumber = external_api::clean_returnvalue(
+            core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count_returns(), $contactrequestnumber);
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $contactrequestnumber);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test getting the number of received contact requests with no permissions.
+     */
+    public function test_get_received_contact_requests_count_no_permission() {
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+
+        // Create some skeleton data just so we can call the WS.
+        $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $user2 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $this->setUser($user2);
+
+        // Ensure an exception is thrown.
+        $this->expectException('required_capability_exception');
+        core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test getting the number of received contact requests with messaging disabled.
+     */
+    public function test_get_received_contact_requests_count_messaging_disabled() {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        $this->resetAfterTest();
+
+        // Create some skeleton data just so we can call the WS.
+        $user1 = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+
+        $this->setUser($user1);
+
+        // Disable messaging.
+        $CFG->messaging = 0;
+
+        // Ensure an exception is thrown.
+        $this->expectException('moodle_exception');
+        core_message_external::get_received_contact_requests_count($user1->id);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Test creating a contact request.
      */
diff --git a/version.php b/version.php
index 4c5fe15a3fd..2ae71e2a405 100644
--- a/version.php
+++ b/version.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-$version  = 2018112000.01;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch.
+$version  = 2018112000.02;              // YYYYMMDD      = weekly release date of this DEV branch.
                                         //         RR    = release increments - 00 in DEV branches.
                                         //           .XX = incremental changes.