diff --git a/lib/questionlib.php b/lib/questionlib.php
index 57e3776826b..91d734c1f32 100644
--- a/lib/questionlib.php
+++ b/lib/questionlib.php
@@ -2073,7 +2073,7 @@ function question_pluginfile($course, $context, $component, $filearea, $args, $f
         }
 
         // export data to moodle file pool
-        if (!$content = $qformat->exportprocess(true)) {
+        if (!$content = $qformat->exportprocess()) {
             send_file_not_found();
         }
 
diff --git a/question/format.php b/question/format.php
index a3257cf8694..2efb253ad5b 100644
--- a/question/format.php
+++ b/question/format.php
@@ -793,11 +793,13 @@ class qformat_default {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Do the export
-     * For most types this should not need to be overrided
-     * @return stored_file
+     * Perform the export.
+     * For most types this should not need to be overrided.
+     *
+     * @param   bool    $checkcapabilities Whether to check capabilities when exporting the questions.
+     * @return  string  The content of the export.
      */
-    public function exportprocess() {
+    public function exportprocess($checkcapabilities = true) {
         global $CFG, $OUTPUT, $DB, $USER;
 
         // get the questions (from database) in this category
@@ -857,7 +859,7 @@ class qformat_default {
             // export the question displaying message
             $count++;
 
-            if (question_has_capability_on($question, 'view')) {
+            if (!$checkcapabilities || question_has_capability_on($question, 'view')) {
                 $expout .= $this->writequestion($question, $contextid) . "\n";
             }
         }
diff --git a/question/upgrade.txt b/question/upgrade.txt
index 7d0bbe35ff3..f34bd6a4626 100644
--- a/question/upgrade.txt
+++ b/question/upgrade.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 This files describes API changes for code that uses the question API.
 
+=== 3.5 ===
+
+1) The question format exportprocess function now adds a
+   $checkcapabilities boolean to allow questions to be exported in
+   certain circumstances.
+
 === 3.2 ===
 
 1) The following renderers have been deprecated in favour of the renderable