diff --git a/admin/roles/assign.php b/admin/roles/assign.php
index f5358660441..889a2d111dc 100644
--- a/admin/roles/assign.php
+++ b/admin/roles/assign.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ define("MAX_USERS_TO_LIST_PER_ROLE", 10);
 
 $contextid = required_param('contextid', PARAM_INT);
 $roleid    = optional_param('roleid', 0, PARAM_INT);
-$returnto  = optional_param('return', null, PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT);
+$returnurl = optional_param('returnurl', null, PARAM_LOCALURL);
 
 list($context, $course, $cm) = get_context_info_array($contextid);
 
@@ -53,7 +53,13 @@ if ($course) {
 // Security.
 require_login($course, false, $cm);
 require_capability('moodle/role:assign', $context);
-$PAGE->set_url($url);
+
+navigation_node::override_active_url($url);
+$pageurl = new moodle_url($url);
+if ($returnurl) {
+    $pageurl->param('returnurl', $returnurl);
+}
+$PAGE->set_url($pageurl);
 $PAGE->set_context($context);
 
 $contextname = $context->get_context_name();
@@ -141,6 +147,10 @@ if (!empty($user) && ($user->id != $USER->id)) {
 }
 
 $PAGE->set_pagelayout('admin');
+if ($context->contextlevel == CONTEXT_BLOCK) {
+    // Do not show blocks when changing block's settings, it is confusing.
+    $PAGE->blocks->show_only_fake_blocks(true);
+}
 $PAGE->set_title($title);
 
 switch ($context->contextlevel) {
@@ -186,9 +196,6 @@ if ($roleid) {
 
     // Print the form.
     $assignurl = new moodle_url($PAGE->url, array('roleid'=>$roleid));
-    if ($returnto !== null) {
-        $assignurl->param('return', $returnto);
-    }
 ?>
 <form id="assignform" method="post" action="<?php echo $assignurl ?>"><div>
   <input type="hidden" name="sesskey" value="<?php echo sesskey() ?>" />
@@ -235,18 +242,10 @@ if ($roleid) {
     // Print a form to swap roles, and a link back to the all roles list.
     echo '<div class="backlink">';
 
-    $newroleurl = new moodle_url($PAGE->url);
-    if ($returnto !== null) {
-        $newroleurl->param('return', $returnto);
-    }
-    $select = new single_select($newroleurl, 'roleid', $nameswithcounts, $roleid, null);
+    $select = new single_select($PAGE->url, 'roleid', $nameswithcounts, $roleid, null);
     $select->label = get_string('assignanotherrole', 'core_role');
     echo $OUTPUT->render($select);
-    $backurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $contextid));
-    if ($returnto !== null) {
-        $backurl->param('return', $returnto);
-    }
-    echo '<p><a href="' . $backurl->out() . '">' . get_string('backtoallroles', 'core_role') . '</a></p>';
+    echo '<p><a href="' . $PAGE->url . '">' . get_string('backtoallroles', 'core_role') . '</a></p>';
     echo '</div>';
 
 } else if (empty($assignableroles)) {
@@ -284,9 +283,6 @@ if ($roleid) {
             }
         } else if ($assigncounts[$roleid] > MAX_USERS_TO_LIST_PER_ROLE) {
             $assignurl = new moodle_url($PAGE->url, array('roleid'=>$roleid));
-            if ($returnto !== null) {
-                $assignurl->param('return', $returnto);
-            }
             $roleholdernames[$roleid] = '<a href="'.$assignurl.'">'.$strmorethanmax.'</a>';
         } else {
             $roleholdernames[$roleid] = '';
@@ -307,9 +303,6 @@ if ($roleid) {
     foreach ($assignableroles as $roleid => $rolename) {
         $description = format_string($DB->get_field('role', 'description', array('id'=>$roleid)));
         $assignurl = new moodle_url($PAGE->url, array('roleid'=>$roleid));
-        if ($returnto !== null) {
-            $assignurl->param('return', $returnto);
-        }
         $row = array('<a href="'.$assignurl.'">'.$rolename.'</a>',
                 $description, $assigncounts[$roleid]);
         if ($showroleholders) {
@@ -322,8 +315,8 @@ if ($roleid) {
 
     if ($context->contextlevel > CONTEXT_USER) {
 
-        if ($context->contextlevel === CONTEXT_COURSECAT && $returnto === 'management') {
-            $url = new moodle_url('/course/management.php', array('categoryid' => $context->instanceid));
+        if ($returnurl) {
+            $url = new moodle_url($returnurl);
         } else {
             $url = $context->get_url();
         }
diff --git a/admin/roles/check.php b/admin/roles/check.php
index 0f403080219..10e173ef13e 100644
--- a/admin/roles/check.php
+++ b/admin/roles/check.php
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 require_once(__DIR__ . '/../../config.php');
 
 $contextid = required_param('contextid', PARAM_INT);
+$returnurl  = optional_param('returnurl', null, PARAM_LOCALURL);
 
 list($context, $course, $cm) = get_context_info_array($contextid);
 
@@ -49,7 +50,13 @@ require_login($course, false, $cm);
 if (!has_any_capability(array('moodle/role:assign', 'moodle/role:safeoverride', 'moodle/role:override', 'moodle/role:manage'), $context)) {
     print_error('nopermissions', 'error', '', get_string('checkpermissions', 'core_role'));
 }
-$PAGE->set_url($url);
+
+navigation_node::override_active_url($url);
+$pageurl = new moodle_url($url);
+if ($returnurl) {
+    $pageurl->param('returnurl', $returnurl);
+}
+$PAGE->set_url($pageurl);
 
 if ($context->contextlevel == CONTEXT_USER and $USER->id != $context->instanceid) {
     $PAGE->navbar->includesettingsbase = true;
@@ -75,6 +82,10 @@ $userselector->set_rows(20);
 $title = get_string('checkpermissionsin', 'core_role', $contextname);
 
 $PAGE->set_pagelayout('admin');
+if ($context->contextlevel == CONTEXT_BLOCK) {
+    // Do not show blocks when changing block's settings, it is confusing.
+    $PAGE->blocks->show_only_fake_blocks(true);
+}
 $PAGE->set_title($title);
 
 switch ($context->contextlevel) {
@@ -156,16 +167,7 @@ if (!is_null($reportuser)) {
 
 // Show UI for choosing a user to report on.
 echo $OUTPUT->box_start('generalbox boxwidthnormal boxaligncenter', 'chooseuser');
-echo '<form method="get" action="' . $CFG->wwwroot . '/' . $CFG->admin . '/roles/check.php" >';
-
-// Hidden fields.
-echo '<input type="hidden" name="contextid" value="' . $context->id . '" />';
-if (!empty($user->id)) {
-    echo '<input type="hidden" name="userid" value="' . $user->id . '" />';
-}
-if ($isfrontpage) {
-    echo '<input type="hidden" name="courseid" value="' . $courseid . '" />';
-}
+echo '<form method="post" action="' . $PAGE->url . '" >';
 
 // User selector.
 echo $OUTPUT->heading('<label for="reportuser">' . $selectheading . '</label>', 3);
@@ -180,7 +182,12 @@ echo $OUTPUT->box_end();
 // Appropriate back link.
 if ($context->contextlevel > CONTEXT_USER) {
     echo html_writer::start_tag('div', array('class'=>'backlink'));
-    echo html_writer::tag('a', get_string('backto', '', $contextname), array('href'=>$context->get_url()));
+    if ($returnurl) {
+        $backurl = new moodle_url($returnurl);
+    } else {
+        $backurl = $context->get_url();
+    }
+    echo html_writer::link($backurl, get_string('backto', '', $contextname));
     echo html_writer::end_tag('div');
 }
 
diff --git a/admin/roles/permissions.php b/admin/roles/permissions.php
index c83f819e8cb..89668dc53c5 100644
--- a/admin/roles/permissions.php
+++ b/admin/roles/permissions.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $prevent    = optional_param('prevent', 0, PARAM_BOOL);
 $allow      = optional_param('allow', 0, PARAM_BOOL);
 $unprohibit = optional_param('unprohibit', 0, PARAM_BOOL);
 $prohibit   = optional_param('prohibit', 0, PARAM_BOOL);
-$return     = optional_param('return', null, PARAM_ALPHANUMEXT);
+$returnurl  = optional_param('returnurl', null, PARAM_LOCALURL);
 
 list($context, $course, $cm) = get_context_info_array($contextid);
 
@@ -56,7 +56,13 @@ if ($course) {
 // Security first.
 require_login($course, false, $cm);
 require_capability('moodle/role:review', $context);
-$PAGE->set_url($url);
+
+navigation_node::override_active_url($url);
+$pageurl = new moodle_url($url);
+if ($returnurl) {
+    $pageurl->param('returnurl', $returnurl);
+}
+$PAGE->set_url($pageurl);
 
 if ($context->contextlevel == CONTEXT_USER and $USER->id != $context->instanceid) {
     $PAGE->navbar->includesettingsbase = true;
@@ -85,6 +91,11 @@ $straction = get_string('permissions', 'core_role'); // Used by tabs.php.
 $currenttab = 'permissions';
 
 $PAGE->set_pagelayout('admin');
+if ($context->contextlevel == CONTEXT_BLOCK) {
+    // Do not show blocks when changing block's settings, it is confusing.
+    $PAGE->blocks->show_only_fake_blocks(true);
+}
+
 $PAGE->set_title($title);
 switch ($context->contextlevel) {
     case CONTEXT_SYSTEM:
@@ -219,8 +230,8 @@ echo $OUTPUT->box_end();
 
 if ($context->contextlevel > CONTEXT_USER) {
 
-    if ($context->contextlevel === CONTEXT_COURSECAT && $return === 'management') {
-        $url = new moodle_url('/course/management.php', array('categoryid' => $context->instanceid));
+    if ($returnurl) {
+        $url = new moodle_url($returnurl);
     } else {
         $url = $context->get_url();
     }
diff --git a/course/classes/management/helper.php b/course/classes/management/helper.php
index b553923a969..94b6638d826 100644
--- a/course/classes/management/helper.php
+++ b/course/classes/management/helper.php
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class helper {
      * @return array
      */
     public static function get_category_listitem_actions(\coursecat $category) {
+        global $PAGE;
         $baseurl = new \moodle_url('/course/management.php', array('categoryid' => $category->id, 'sesskey' => \sesskey()));
         $actions = array();
         // Edit.
@@ -249,11 +250,11 @@ class helper {
             );
         }
 
-        // Roles.
+        // Assign roles.
         if ($category->can_review_roles()) {
             $actions['assignroles'] = array(
                 'url' => new \moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $category->get_context()->id,
-                    'return' => 'management')),
+                    'returnurl' => $PAGE->url->out_as_local_url(false))),
                 'icon' => new \pix_icon('t/assignroles', new \lang_string('assignroles', 'role')),
                 'string' => new \lang_string('assignroles', 'role')
             );
@@ -263,12 +264,22 @@ class helper {
         if ($category->can_review_permissions()) {
             $actions['permissions'] = array(
                 'url' => new \moodle_url('/admin/roles/permissions.php', array('contextid' => $category->get_context()->id,
-                    'return' => 'management')),
+                    'returnurl' => $PAGE->url->out_as_local_url(false))),
                 'icon' => new \pix_icon('i/permissions', new \lang_string('permissions', 'role')),
                 'string' => new \lang_string('permissions', 'role')
             );
         }
 
+        // Check permissions.
+        if ($category->can_review_permissions()) {
+            $actions['checkroles'] = array(
+                'url' => new \moodle_url('/admin/roles/check.php', array('contextid' => $category->get_context()->id,
+                    'returnurl' => $PAGE->url->out_as_local_url(false))),
+                'icon' => new \pix_icon('i/checkpermissions', new \lang_string('checkpermissions', 'role')),
+                'string' => new \lang_string('checkpermissions', 'role')
+            );
+        }
+
         // Cohorts.
         if ($category->can_review_cohorts()) {
             $actions['cohorts'] = array(
diff --git a/course/tests/management_helper_test.php b/course/tests/management_helper_test.php
index ee9a952035a..6d1708b6896 100644
--- a/course/tests/management_helper_test.php
+++ b/course/tests/management_helper_test.php
@@ -1088,8 +1088,11 @@ class core_course_management_helper_test extends advanced_testcase {
      * Tests the fetching of actions for a category.
      */
     public function test_get_category_listitem_actions() {
+        global $PAGE;
         $this->resetAfterTest(true);
 
+        $PAGE->set_url(new moodle_url('/course/management.php'));
+
         $generator = $this->getDataGenerator();
         $category = $generator->create_category();
         $context = context_system::instance();
diff --git a/lib/blocklib.php b/lib/blocklib.php
index c592b1d9de2..6dd989201e2 100644
--- a/lib/blocklib.php
+++ b/lib/blocklib.php
@@ -1221,36 +1221,39 @@ class block_manager {
             $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary($url, $icon, $str, $attributes);
         }
 
-        // Display either "Assign roles" or "Permissions" or "Change permissions" icon (whichever first is available).
-        $rolesurl = null;
-
+        // Assign roles.
         if (get_assignable_roles($block->context, ROLENAME_SHORT)) {
-            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
+            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/assign.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id,
+                'returnurl' => $this->page->url->out_as_local_url()));
             $str = new lang_string('assignrolesinblock', 'block', $blocktitle);
-            $icon = 'i/assignroles';
-        } else if (has_capability('moodle/role:review', $block->context) or get_overridable_roles($block->context)) {
-            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/permissions.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
-            $str = get_string('permissions', 'role');
-            $icon = 'i/permissions';
-        } else if (has_any_capability(array('moodle/role:safeoverride', 'moodle/role:override', 'moodle/role:assign'), $block->context)) {
-            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/check.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id));
-            $str = get_string('checkpermissions', 'role');
-            $icon = 'i/checkpermissions';
-        }
-
-        if ($rolesurl) {
-            // TODO: please note it is sloppy to pass urls through page parameters!!
-            //      it is shortened because some web servers (e.g. IIS by default) give
-            //      a 'security' error if you try to pass a full URL as a GET parameter in another URL.
-            $return = $this->page->url->out(false);
-            $return = str_replace($CFG->wwwroot . '/', '', $return);
-            $rolesurl->param('returnurl', $return);
-
             $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary(
                 $rolesurl,
-                new pix_icon($icon, $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
-                $str,
-                array('class' => 'editing_roles')
+                new pix_icon('i/assignroles', $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
+                $str, array('class' => 'editing_assignroles')
+            );
+        }
+
+        // Permissions.
+        if (has_capability('moodle/role:review', $block->context) or get_overridable_roles($block->context)) {
+            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/permissions.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id,
+                'returnurl' => $this->page->url->out_as_local_url()));
+            $str = get_string('permissions', 'role');
+            $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary(
+                $rolesurl,
+                new pix_icon('i/permissions', $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
+                $str, array('class' => 'editing_permissions')
+            );
+        }
+
+        // Change permissions.
+        if (has_any_capability(array('moodle/role:safeoverride', 'moodle/role:override', 'moodle/role:assign'), $block->context)) {
+            $rolesurl = new moodle_url('/admin/roles/check.php', array('contextid' => $block->context->id,
+                'returnurl' => $this->page->url->out_as_local_url()));
+            $str = get_string('checkpermissions', 'role');
+            $controls[] = new action_menu_link_secondary(
+                $rolesurl,
+                new pix_icon('i/checkpermissions', $str, 'moodle', array('class' => 'iconsmall', 'title' => '')),
+                $str, array('class' => 'editing_checkroles')
             );
         }