diff --git a/lib/myprofilelib.php b/lib/myprofilelib.php
index 54ea27c5cfc..c873280bc2b 100644
--- a/lib/myprofilelib.php
+++ b/lib/myprofilelib.php
@@ -367,19 +367,13 @@ function core_myprofile_navigation(core_user\output\myprofile\tree $tree, $user,
         $tree->add_node($node);
     }
 
-    if ($categories = $DB->get_records('user_info_category', null, 'sortorder ASC')) {
-        foreach ($categories as $category) {
-            if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field', array('categoryid' => $category->id), 'sortorder ASC')) {
-                foreach ($fields as $field) {
-                    require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-                    $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-                    $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $user->id);
-                    if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
-                        $node = new core_user\output\myprofile\node('contact', 'custom_field_' . $formfield->field->shortname,
-                            format_string($formfield->field->name), null, null, $formfield->display_data());
-                        $tree->add_node($node);
-                    }
-                }
+    $categories = profile_get_user_fields_with_data_by_category($user->id);
+    foreach ($categories as $categoryid => $fields) {
+        foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+            if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
+                $node = new core_user\output\myprofile\node('contact', 'custom_field_' . $formfield->field->shortname,
+                    format_string($formfield->field->name), null, null, $formfield->display_data());
+                $tree->add_node($node);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/user/lib.php b/user/lib.php
index 5074fc2f796..a7f9942eedf 100644
--- a/user/lib.php
+++ b/user/lib.php
@@ -331,34 +331,28 @@ function user_get_user_details($user, $course = null, array $userfields = array(
     $userdetails['fullname'] = fullname($user);
 
     if (in_array('customfields', $userfields)) {
-        $fields = $DB->get_recordset_sql("SELECT f.*
-                                            FROM {user_info_field} f
-                                            JOIN {user_info_category} c
-                                                 ON f.categoryid=c.id
-                                        ORDER BY c.sortorder ASC, f.sortorder ASC");
+        $categories = profile_get_user_fields_with_data_by_category($user->id);
         $userdetails['customfields'] = array();
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $user->id);
-            if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
+        foreach ($categories as $categoryid => $fields) {
+            foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+                if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
 
-                // TODO: Part of MDL-50728, this conditional coding must be moved to
-                // proper profile fields API so they are self-contained.
-                // We only use display_data in fields that require text formatting.
-                if ($field->datatype == 'text' or $field->datatype == 'textarea') {
-                    $fieldvalue = $formfield->display_data();
-                } else {
-                    // Cases: datetime, checkbox and menu.
-                    $fieldvalue = $formfield->data;
+                    // TODO: Part of MDL-50728, this conditional coding must be moved to
+                    // proper profile fields API so they are self-contained.
+                    // We only use display_data in fields that require text formatting.
+                    if ($formfield->field->datatype == 'text' or $formfield->field->datatype == 'textarea') {
+                        $fieldvalue = $formfield->display_data();
+                    } else {
+                        // Cases: datetime, checkbox and menu.
+                        $fieldvalue = $formfield->data;
+                    }
+
+                    $userdetails['customfields'][] =
+                        array('name' => $formfield->field->name, 'value' => $fieldvalue,
+                            'type' => $formfield->field->datatype, 'shortname' => $formfield->field->shortname);
                 }
-
-                $userdetails['customfields'][] =
-                    array('name' => $formfield->field->name, 'value' => $fieldvalue,
-                        'type' => $field->datatype, 'shortname' => $formfield->field->shortname);
             }
         }
-        $fields->close();
         // Unset customfields if it's empty.
         if (empty($userdetails['customfields'])) {
             unset($userdetails['customfields']);
diff --git a/user/profile/field/checkbox/field.class.php b/user/profile/field/checkbox/field.class.php
index 7e08b368277..d6d9943157c 100644
--- a/user/profile/field/checkbox/field.class.php
+++ b/user/profile/field/checkbox/field.class.php
@@ -30,39 +30,6 @@
  */
 class profile_field_checkbox extends profile_field_base {
 
-    /**
-     * Constructor method.
-     * Pulls out the options for the checkbox from the database and sets the
-     * the corresponding key for the data if it exists
-     *
-     * @param int $fieldid
-     * @param int $userid
-     */
-    public function __construct($fieldid=0, $userid=0) {
-        global $DB;
-        // First call parent constructor.
-        parent::__construct($fieldid, $userid);
-
-        if (!empty($this->field)) {
-            $datafield = $DB->get_field('user_info_data', 'data', array('userid' => $this->userid, 'fieldid' => $this->fieldid));
-            if ($datafield !== false) {
-                $this->data = $datafield;
-            } else {
-                $this->data = $this->field->defaultdata;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Old syntax of class constructor. Deprecated in PHP7.
-     *
-     * @deprecated since Moodle 3.1
-     */
-    public function profile_field_checkbox($fieldid=0, $userid=0) {
-        debugging('Use of class name as constructor is deprecated', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
-        self::__construct($fieldid, $userid);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Add elements for editing the profile field value.
      * @param moodleform $mform
diff --git a/user/profile/field/menu/field.class.php b/user/profile/field/menu/field.class.php
index e662c490ba7..a304cc4102a 100644
--- a/user/profile/field/menu/field.class.php
+++ b/user/profile/field/menu/field.class.php
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ class profile_field_menu extends profile_field_base {
      *
      * @param int $fieldid
      * @param int $userid
+     * @param object $fielddata
      */
-    public function __construct($fieldid = 0, $userid = 0) {
+    public function __construct($fieldid = 0, $userid = 0, $fielddata = null) {
         // First call parent constructor.
-        parent::__construct($fieldid, $userid);
+        parent::__construct($fieldid, $userid, $fielddata);
 
         // Param 1 for menu type is the options.
         if (isset($this->field->param1)) {
@@ -73,16 +74,6 @@ class profile_field_menu extends profile_field_base {
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Old syntax of class constructor. Deprecated in PHP7.
-     *
-     * @deprecated since Moodle 3.1
-     */
-    public function profile_field_menu($fieldid=0, $userid=0) {
-        debugging('Use of class name as constructor is deprecated', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
-        self::__construct($fieldid, $userid);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Create the code snippet for this field instance
      * Overwrites the base class method
diff --git a/user/profile/field/upgrade.txt b/user/profile/field/upgrade.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72fc8683d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/user/profile/field/upgrade.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+This files describes API changes in /user/profile/field/* - user profile fields,
+information provided here is intended especially for developers.
+
+=== 3.4 ===
+
+* profile_field_base::__construct() now takes three arguments instead of two. Update your plugins if required.
diff --git a/user/profile/lib.php b/user/profile/lib.php
index 36a63e20d34..6223bb63395 100644
--- a/user/profile/lib.php
+++ b/user/profile/lib.php
@@ -56,17 +56,44 @@ class profile_field_base {
     /** @var string */
     public $dataformat;
 
+    /** @var string name of the user profile category */
+    protected $categoryname;
+
     /**
      * Constructor method.
      * @param int $fieldid id of the profile from the user_info_field table
      * @param int $userid id of the user for whom we are displaying data
+     * @param object $fielddata optional data for the field object plus additional fields 'hasuserdata', 'data' and 'dataformat'
+     *    with user data. (If $fielddata->hasuserdata is empty, user data is not available and we should use default data).
+     *    If this parameter is passed, constructor will not call load_data() at all.
      */
-    public function __construct($fieldid=0, $userid=0) {
-        global $USER;
+    public function __construct($fieldid=0, $userid=0, $fielddata=null) {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        if ($CFG->debugdeveloper) {
+            // In Moodle 3.4 the new argument $fielddata was added to the constructor. Make sure that
+            // plugin constructor properly passes this argument.
+            $backtrace = debug_backtrace();
+            if (isset($backtrace[1]['class']) && $backtrace[1]['function'] === '__construct' &&
+                    in_array(self::class, class_parents($backtrace[1]['class']))) {
+                // If this constructor is called from the constructor of the plugin make sure that the third argument was passed through.
+                if (count($backtrace[1]['args']) >= 3 && count($backtrace[0]['args']) < 3) {
+                    debugging($backtrace[1]['class'].'::__construct() must support $fielddata as the third argument ' .
+                        'and pass it to the parent constructor', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+                }
+            }
+        }
 
         $this->set_fieldid($fieldid);
         $this->set_userid($userid);
-        $this->load_data();
+        if ($fielddata) {
+            $this->set_field($fielddata);
+            if ($userid && !empty($fielddata->hasuserdata)) {
+                $this->set_user_data($fielddata->data, $fielddata->dataformat);
+            }
+        } else {
+            $this->load_data();
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -288,9 +315,73 @@ class profile_field_base {
         $this->fieldid = $fieldid;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the field object and default data and format into $this->data and $this->dataformat
+     *
+     * This method should be called before {@link self::set_user_data}
+     *
+     * @param stdClass $field
+     * @throws coding_exception
+     */
+    public function set_field($field) {
+        global $CFG;
+        if ($CFG->debugdeveloper) {
+            $properties = ['id', 'shortname', 'name', 'datatype', 'description', 'descriptionformat', 'categoryid', 'sortorder',
+                'required', 'locked', 'visible', 'forceunique', 'signup', 'defaultdata', 'defaultdataformat', 'param1', 'param2',
+                'param3', 'param4', 'param5'];
+            foreach ($properties as $property) {
+                if (!property_exists($field, $property)) {
+                    debugging('The \'' . $property . '\' property must be set.', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if ($this->fieldid && $this->fieldid != $field->id) {
+            throw new coding_exception('Can not set field object after a different field id was set');
+        }
+        $this->fieldid = $field->id;
+        $this->field = $field;
+        $this->inputname = 'profile_field_' . $this->field->shortname;
+        $this->data = $this->field->defaultdata;
+        $this->dataformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets user id and user data for the field
+     *
+     * @param mixed $data
+     * @param int $dataformat
+     */
+    public function set_user_data($data, $dataformat) {
+        $this->data = $data;
+        $this->dataformat = $dataformat;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the name for the profile category where this field is
+     *
+     * @param string $categoryname
+     */
+    public function set_category_name($categoryname) {
+        $this->categoryname = $categoryname;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the name of the profile category where this field is
+     *
+     * @return string
+     */
+    public function get_category_name() {
+        global $DB;
+        if ($this->categoryname === null) {
+            $this->categoryname = $DB->get_field('user_info_category', 'name', ['id' => $this->field->categoryid]);
+        }
+        return $this->categoryname;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Accessor method: Load the field record and user data associated with the
      * object's fieldid and userid
+     *
      * @internal This method should not generally be overwritten by child classes.
      */
     public function load_data() {
@@ -301,18 +392,13 @@ class profile_field_base {
             $this->field = null;
             $this->inputname = '';
         } else {
-            $this->field = $field;
-            $this->inputname = 'profile_field_'.$field->shortname;
+            $this->set_field($field);
         }
 
-        if (!empty($this->field)) {
+        if (!empty($this->field) && $this->userid) {
             $params = array('userid' => $this->userid, 'fieldid' => $this->fieldid);
             if ($data = $DB->get_record('user_info_data', $params, 'data, dataformat')) {
-                $this->data = $data->data;
-                $this->dataformat = $data->dataformat;
-            } else {
-                $this->data = $this->field->defaultdata;
-                $this->dataformat = FORMAT_HTML;
+                $this->set_user_data($data->data, $data->dataformat);
             }
         } else {
             $this->data = null;
@@ -327,6 +413,8 @@ class profile_field_base {
     public function is_visible() {
         global $USER;
 
+        $context = $this->userid ? context_user::instance($this->userid) : context_system::instance();
+
         switch ($this->field->visible) {
             case PROFILE_VISIBLE_ALL:
                 return true;
@@ -334,12 +422,10 @@ class profile_field_base {
                 if ($this->userid == $USER->id) {
                     return true;
                 } else {
-                    return has_capability('moodle/user:viewalldetails',
-                            context_user::instance($this->userid));
+                    return has_capability('moodle/user:viewalldetails', $context);
                 }
             default:
-                return has_capability('moodle/user:viewalldetails',
-                        context_user::instance($this->userid));
+                return has_capability('moodle/user:viewalldetails', $context);
         }
     }
 
@@ -411,20 +497,64 @@ class profile_field_base {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns an array of all custom field records with any defined data (or empty data), for the specified user id.
+ * @param int $userid
+ * @return profile_field_base[]
+ */
+function profile_get_user_fields_with_data($userid) {
+    global $DB, $CFG;
+
+    // Join any user info data present with each user info field for the user object.
+    $sql = 'SELECT uif.*, uic.name AS categoryname ';
+    if ($userid) {
+        $sql .= ', uid.id AS hasuserdata, uid.data, uid.dataformat ';
+    }
+    $sql .= 'FROM {user_info_field} uif ';
+    $sql .= 'LEFT JOIN {user_info_category} uic ON uif.categoryid = uic.id ';
+    if ($userid) {
+        $sql .= 'LEFT JOIN {user_info_data} uid ON uif.id = uid.fieldid AND uid.userid = :userid ';
+    }
+    $sql .= 'ORDER BY uic.sortorder ASC, uif.sortorder ASC ';
+    $fields = $DB->get_records_sql($sql, ['userid' => $userid]);
+    $data = [];
+    foreach ($fields as $field) {
+        require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/user/profile/field/' . $field->datatype . '/field.class.php');
+        $classname = 'profile_field_' . $field->datatype;
+        $field->hasuserdata = !empty($field->hasuserdata);
+        /** @var profile_field_base $fieldobject */
+        $fieldobject = new $classname($field->id, $userid, $field);
+        $fieldobject->set_category_name($field->categoryname);
+        unset($field->categoryname);
+        $data[] = $fieldobject;
+    }
+    return $data;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns an array of all custom field records with any defined data (or empty data), for the specified user id, by category.
+ * @param int $userid
+ * @return profile_field_base[][]
+ */
+function profile_get_user_fields_with_data_by_category($userid) {
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($userid);
+    $data = [];
+    foreach ($fields as $field) {
+        $data[$field->field->categoryid][] = $field;
+    }
+    return $data;
+}
+
 /**
  * Loads user profile field data into the user object.
  * @param stdClass $user
  */
 function profile_load_data($user) {
-    global $CFG, $DB;
+    global $CFG;
 
-    if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field')) {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $user->id);
-            $formfield->edit_load_user_data($user);
-        }
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($user->id);
+    foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+        $formfield->edit_load_user_data($user);
     }
 }
 
@@ -440,28 +570,21 @@ function profile_definition($mform, $userid = 0) {
     // If user is "admin" fields are displayed regardless.
     $update = has_capability('moodle/user:update', context_system::instance());
 
-    if ($categories = $DB->get_records('user_info_category', null, 'sortorder ASC')) {
-        foreach ($categories as $category) {
-            if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field', array('categoryid' => $category->id), 'sortorder ASC')) {
+    $categories = profile_get_user_fields_with_data_by_category($userid);
+    foreach ($categories as $categoryid => $fields) {
+        // Check first if *any* fields will be displayed.
+        $display = false;
+        foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+            if ($formfield->is_visible()) {
+                $display = true;
+            }
+        }
 
-                // Check first if *any* fields will be displayed.
-                $display = false;
-                foreach ($fields as $field) {
-                    if ($field->visible != PROFILE_VISIBLE_NONE) {
-                        $display = true;
-                    }
-                }
-
-                // Display the header and the fields.
-                if ($display or $update) {
-                    $mform->addElement('header', 'category_'.$category->id, format_string($category->name));
-                    foreach ($fields as $field) {
-                        require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-                        $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-                        $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $userid);
-                        $formfield->edit_field($mform);
-                    }
-                }
+        // Display the header and the fields.
+        if ($display or $update) {
+            $mform->addElement('header', 'category_'.$categoryid, format_string($formfield->get_category_name()));
+            foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+                $formfield->edit_field($mform);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -473,17 +596,13 @@ function profile_definition($mform, $userid = 0) {
  * @param int $userid
  */
 function profile_definition_after_data($mform, $userid) {
-    global $CFG, $DB;
+    global $CFG;
 
     $userid = ($userid < 0) ? 0 : (int)$userid;
 
-    if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field')) {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $userid);
-            $formfield->edit_after_data($mform);
-        }
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($userid);
+    foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+        $formfield->edit_after_data($mform);
     }
 }
 
@@ -494,16 +613,12 @@ function profile_definition_after_data($mform, $userid) {
  * @return array
  */
 function profile_validation($usernew, $files) {
-    global $CFG, $DB;
+    global $CFG;
 
     $err = array();
-    if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field')) {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $usernew->id);
-            $err += $formfield->edit_validate_field($usernew, $files);
-        }
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($usernew->id);
+    foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+        $err += $formfield->edit_validate_field($usernew, $files);
     }
     return $err;
 }
@@ -513,15 +628,11 @@ function profile_validation($usernew, $files) {
  * @param stdClass $usernew
  */
 function profile_save_data($usernew) {
-    global $CFG, $DB;
+    global $CFG;
 
-    if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field')) {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $usernew->id);
-            $formfield->edit_save_data($usernew);
-        }
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($usernew->id);
+    foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+        $formfield->edit_save_data($usernew);
     }
 }
 
@@ -532,18 +643,12 @@ function profile_save_data($usernew) {
 function profile_display_fields($userid) {
     global $CFG, $USER, $DB;
 
-    if ($categories = $DB->get_records('user_info_category', null, 'sortorder ASC')) {
-        foreach ($categories as $category) {
-            if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field', array('categoryid' => $category->id), 'sortorder ASC')) {
-                foreach ($fields as $field) {
-                    require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-                    $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-                    $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $userid);
-                    if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
-                        echo html_writer::tag('dt', format_string($formfield->field->name));
-                        echo html_writer::tag('dd', $formfield->display_data());
-                    }
-                }
+    $categories = profile_get_user_fields_with_data_by_category($userid);
+    foreach ($categories as $categoryid => $fields) {
+        foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+            if ($formfield->is_visible() and !$formfield->is_empty()) {
+                echo html_writer::tag('dt', format_string($formfield->field->name));
+                echo html_writer::tag('dd', $formfield->display_data());
             }
         }
     }
@@ -611,18 +716,14 @@ function profile_signup_fields($mform) {
  * @return stdClass
  */
 function profile_user_record($userid, $onlyinuserobject = true) {
-    global $CFG, $DB;
+    global $CFG;
 
     $usercustomfields = new stdClass();
 
-    if ($fields = $DB->get_records('user_info_field')) {
-        foreach ($fields as $field) {
-            require_once($CFG->dirroot.'/user/profile/field/'.$field->datatype.'/field.class.php');
-            $newfield = 'profile_field_'.$field->datatype;
-            $formfield = new $newfield($field->id, $userid);
-            if (!$onlyinuserobject || $formfield->is_user_object_data()) {
-                $usercustomfields->{$field->shortname} = $formfield->data;
-            }
+    $fields = profile_get_user_fields_with_data($userid);
+    foreach ($fields as $formfield) {
+        if (!$onlyinuserobject || $formfield->is_user_object_data()) {
+            $usercustomfields->{$formfield->field->shortname} = $formfield->data;
         }
     }