diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/classes/external.php b/admin/tool/lp/classes/external.php
index f5585d19ee2..1fc1c928da2 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/classes/external.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/classes/external.php
@@ -864,6 +864,8 @@ class external extends external_api {
 
         $context = context_system::instance();
         self::validate_context($context);
+        require_capability('moodle/competency:templatemanage', $context);
+
         $output = $PAGE->get_renderer('tool_lp');
 
         list($filtercapsql, $filtercapparams) = api::filter_users_with_capability_on_user_context_sql($cap,
diff --git a/admin/tool/lp/db/services.php b/admin/tool/lp/db/services.php
index 7c66a389708..8fe082d0791 100644
--- a/admin/tool/lp/db/services.php
+++ b/admin/tool/lp/db/services.php
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ $functions = array(
         'classpath'    => '',
         'description'  => 'Search for users.',
         'type'         => 'read',
-        'capabilities' => '',
+        'capabilities' => 'moodle/competency:templatemanage',
         'ajax'         => true,
     ),
     // This function was originally in this plugin but has been moved to core.