diff --git a/mod/lesson/classes/external.php b/mod/lesson/classes/external.php
index 70cc7028bd1..8c7f522297d 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/classes/external.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/classes/external.php
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ class mod_lesson_external extends external_api {
         $lesson = $DB->get_record('lesson', array('id' => $lessonid), '*', MUST_EXIST);
         list($course, $cm) = get_course_and_cm_from_instance($lesson, 'lesson');
 
-        $lesson = new lesson($lesson, $cm);
+        $lesson = new lesson($lesson, $cm, $course);
         $lesson->update_effective_access($USER->id);
 
         $context = $lesson->context;
@@ -416,4 +416,62 @@ class mod_lesson_external extends external_api {
             )
         );
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Describes the parameters for view_lesson.
+     *
+     * @return external_external_function_parameters
+     * @since Moodle 3.3
+     */
+    public static function view_lesson_parameters() {
+        return new external_function_parameters (
+            array(
+                'lessonid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'lesson instance id'),
+                'password' => new external_value(PARAM_RAW, 'lesson password', VALUE_DEFAULT, ''),
+            )
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Trigger the course module viewed event and update the module completion status.
+     *
+     * @param int $lessonid lesson instance id
+     * @param str $password optional password (the lesson may be protected)
+     * @return array of warnings and status result
+     * @since Moodle 3.3
+     * @throws moodle_exception
+     */
+    public static function view_lesson($lessonid, $password = '') {
+        global $DB;
+
+        $params = array('lessonid' => $lessonid, 'password' => $password);
+        $params = self::validate_parameters(self::view_lesson_parameters(), $params);
+        $warnings = array();
+
+        list($lesson, $course, $cm, $context) = self::validate_lesson($params['lessonid']);
+        self::validate_attempt($lesson, $params);
+
+        $lesson->set_module_viewed();
+
+        $result = array();
+        $result['status'] = true;
+        $result['warnings'] = $warnings;
+        return $result;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Describes the view_lesson return value.
+     *
+     * @return external_single_structure
+     * @since Moodle 3.3
+     */
+    public static function view_lesson_returns() {
+        return new external_single_structure(
+            array(
+                'status' => new external_value(PARAM_BOOL, 'status: true if success'),
+                'warnings' => new external_warnings(),
+            )
+        );
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/mod/lesson/db/services.php b/mod/lesson/db/services.php
index daa5dc61890..f5c9c760042 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/db/services.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/db/services.php
@@ -44,4 +44,12 @@ $functions = array(
         'capabilities'  => 'mod/lesson:view',
         'services'    => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE),
     ),
+    'mod_lesson_view_lesson' => array(
+        'classname'     => 'mod_lesson_external',
+        'methodname'    => 'view_lesson',
+        'description'   => 'Trigger the course module viewed event and update the module completion status.',
+        'type'          => 'write',
+        'capabilities'  => 'mod/lesson:view',
+        'services'      => array(MOODLE_OFFICIAL_MOBILE_SERVICE)
+    ),
 );
diff --git a/mod/lesson/locallib.php b/mod/lesson/locallib.php
index dc2561dbe53..9e56fb2435c 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/locallib.php
@@ -1017,6 +1017,13 @@ class lesson extends lesson_base {
      */
     protected $cm = null;
 
+    /**
+     * Course object gets set and retrieved by directly calling <code>$lesson->courserecord;</code>
+     * @see get_courserecord()
+     * @var stdClass
+     */
+    protected $courserecord = null;
+
     /**
      * Context object gets set and retrieved by directly calling <code>$lesson->context;</code>
      * @see get_context()
@@ -1029,11 +1036,13 @@ class lesson extends lesson_base {
      *
      * @param object $properties
      * @param stdClass $cm course module object
+     * @param stdClass $course course object
      * @since Moodle 3.3
      */
-    public function __construct($properties, $cm = null) {
+    public function __construct($properties, $cm = null, $course = null) {
         parent::__construct($properties);
         $this->cm = $cm;
+        $this->courserecord = $course;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2129,6 +2138,31 @@ class lesson extends lesson_base {
         return $this->cm;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the lesson course object.
+     *
+     * @param stdClass $course course objct
+     * @since  Moodle 3.3
+     */
+    private function set_courserecord($course) {
+        $this->courserecord = $course;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return the lesson course object.
+     *
+     * @return stdClass course
+     * @since  Moodle 3.3
+     */
+    public function get_courserecord() {
+        global $DB;
+
+        if ($this->courserecord == null) {
+            $this->courserecord = $DB->get_record('course', array('id' => $this->properties->course));
+        }
+        return $this->courserecord;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Check if the user can manage the lesson activity.
      *
@@ -2350,6 +2384,7 @@ class lesson extends lesson_base {
      *
      * @param int $retriescount the number of retries for the lesson (the last retry number).
      * @return true if the user left the timed session
+     * @since  Moodle 3.3
      */
     public function left_during_timed_session($retriescount) {
         global $DB, $USER;
@@ -2357,6 +2392,29 @@ class lesson extends lesson_base {
         $conditions = array('lessonid' => $this->properties->id, 'userid' => $USER->id, 'retry' => $retriescount);
         return $DB->count_records('lesson_attempts', $conditions) > 0 || $DB->count_records('lesson_branch', $conditions) > 0;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Trigger module viewed event and set the module viewed for completion.
+     *
+     * @since  Moodle 3.3
+     */
+    public function set_module_viewed() {
+        global $CFG;
+        require_once($CFG->libdir . '/completionlib.php');
+
+        // Trigger module viewed event.
+        $event = \mod_lesson\event\course_module_viewed::create(array(
+            'objectid' => $this->properties->id,
+            'context' => $this->get_context()
+        ));
+        $event->add_record_snapshot('course_modules', $this->get_cm());
+        $event->add_record_snapshot('course', $this->get_courserecord());
+        $event->trigger();
+
+        // Mark as viewed.
+        $completion = new completion_info($this->get_courserecord());
+        $completion->set_module_viewed($this->get_cm());
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/mod/lesson/tests/external_test.php b/mod/lesson/tests/external_test.php
index 06267ff95fc..776ce3a67fa 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/tests/external_test.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/tests/external_test.php
@@ -339,4 +339,66 @@ class mod_lesson_external_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertTrue($result['canviewreports']);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Test test_view_lesson invalid id.
+     */
+    public function test_view_lesson_invalid_id() {
+        $this->setExpectedException('moodle_exception');
+        mod_lesson_external::view_lesson(0);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test test_view_lesson user not enrolled.
+     */
+    public function test_view_lesson_user_not_enrolled() {
+        // Test not-enrolled user.
+        $usernotenrolled = self::getDataGenerator()->create_user();
+        $this->setUser($usernotenrolled);
+        $this->setExpectedException('moodle_exception');
+        mod_lesson_external::view_lesson($this->lesson->id);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test test_view_lesson user student.
+     */
+    public function test_view_lesson_user_student() {
+        // Test user with full capabilities.
+        $this->setUser($this->student);
+
+        // Trigger and capture the event.
+        $sink = $this->redirectEvents();
+
+        $result = mod_lesson_external::view_lesson($this->lesson->id);
+        $result = external_api::clean_returnvalue(mod_lesson_external::view_lesson_returns(), $result);
+        $this->assertTrue($result['status']);
+
+        $events = $sink->get_events();
+        $this->assertCount(1, $events);
+        $event = array_shift($events);
+
+        // Checking that the event contains the expected values.
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('\mod_lesson\event\course_module_viewed', $event);
+        $this->assertEquals($this->context, $event->get_context());
+        $moodlelesson = new \moodle_url('/mod/lesson/view.php', array('id' => $this->cm->id));
+        $this->assertEquals($moodlelesson, $event->get_url());
+        $this->assertEventContextNotUsed($event);
+        $this->assertNotEmpty($event->get_name());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test test_view_lesson user missing capabilities.
+     */
+    public function test_view_lesson_user_missing_capabilities() {
+        // Test user with no capabilities.
+        // We need a explicit prohibit since this capability is only defined in authenticated user and guest roles.
+        assign_capability('mod/lesson:view', CAP_PROHIBIT, $this->studentrole->id, $this->context->id);
+        // Empty all the caches that may be affected  by this change.
+        accesslib_clear_all_caches_for_unit_testing();
+        course_modinfo::clear_instance_cache();
+
+        $this->setUser($this->student);
+        $this->setExpectedException('moodle_exception');
+        mod_lesson_external::view_lesson($this->lesson->id);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/mod/lesson/version.php b/mod/lesson/version.php
index d6ebb85cb13..9ede9fa4bbf 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/version.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/version.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();
 
-$plugin->version   = 2016120502;     // The current module version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
+$plugin->version   = 2016120503;     // The current module version (Date: YYYYMMDDXX)
 $plugin->requires  = 2016112900;    // Requires this Moodle version
 $plugin->component = 'mod_lesson'; // Full name of the plugin (used for diagnostics)
 $plugin->cron      = 0;
diff --git a/mod/lesson/view.php b/mod/lesson/view.php
index 50fca69a1ef..74a2ae45595 100644
--- a/mod/lesson/view.php
+++ b/mod/lesson/view.php
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../config.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/mod/lesson/locallib.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/mod/lesson/view_form.php');
-require_once($CFG->libdir . '/completionlib.php');
 require_once($CFG->libdir . '/grade/constants.php');
 
 $id      = required_param('id', PARAM_INT);             // Course Module ID
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ $backtocourse = optional_param('backtocourse', false, PARAM_RAW);
 
 $cm = get_coursemodule_from_id('lesson', $id, 0, false, MUST_EXIST);
 $course = $DB->get_record('course', array('id' => $cm->course), '*', MUST_EXIST);
-$lesson = new lesson($DB->get_record('lesson', array('id' => $cm->instance), '*', MUST_EXIST), $cm);
+$lesson = new lesson($DB->get_record('lesson', array('id' => $cm->instance), '*', MUST_EXIST), $cm, $course);
 
 require_login($course, false, $cm);
 
@@ -48,10 +47,6 @@ if ($backtocourse) {
 // Apply overrides.
 $lesson->update_effective_access($USER->id);
 
-// Mark as viewed
-$completion = new completion_info($course);
-$completion->set_module_viewed($cm);
-
 $url = new moodle_url('/mod/lesson/view.php', array('id'=>$id));
 if ($pageid !== null) {
     $url->param('pageid', $pageid);
@@ -196,14 +191,7 @@ if ($pageid != LESSON_EOL) {
         $page = $lesson->load_page($newpageid);
     }
 
-    // Trigger module viewed event.
-    $event = \mod_lesson\event\course_module_viewed::create(array(
-        'objectid' => $lesson->id,
-        'context' => $context
-    ));
-    $event->add_record_snapshot('course_modules', $cm);
-    $event->add_record_snapshot('course', $course);
-    $event->trigger();
+    $lesson->set_module_viewed();
 
     // This is where several messages (usually warnings) are displayed
     // all of this is displayed above the actual page