diff --git a/reportbuilder/classes/local/entities/base.php b/reportbuilder/classes/local/entities/base.php
index 29a56665547..e5daa9d7eaf 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/classes/local/entities/base.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/classes/local/entities/base.php
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 namespace core_reportbuilder\local\entities;
 
 use coding_exception;
-use lang_string;
+use core_reportbuilder\local\helpers\database;
 use core_reportbuilder\local\report\column;
 use core_reportbuilder\local\report\filter;
+use lang_string;
 
 /**
  * Base class for all report entities
@@ -57,14 +58,41 @@ abstract class base {
     private $conditions = [];
 
     /**
-     * Database tables that this entity uses and their default aliases
+     * Database tables that this entity uses
      *
      * Must be overridden by the entity to list all database tables that it expects to be present in the main
      * SQL or in JOINs added to this entity
      *
-     * @return string[] Array of $tablename => $alias
+     * @todo in Moodle 4.8 - make abstract when support for {@see get_default_table_aliases} is finally removed
+     *
+     * @return string[]
      */
-    abstract protected function get_default_table_aliases(): array;
+    protected function get_default_tables(): array {
+        static $debuggingshown;
+
+        // The default implementation falls back to retrieving deprecated table aliases to determine our table names.
+        $tablenamealiases = $this->get_default_table_aliases();
+        if (!empty($tablenamealiases) && !$debuggingshown) {
+            debugging('The function get_default_table_aliases() is deprecated, please define the entity' .
+                ' tables with get_default_tables() in ' . static::class, DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+
+            // Don't be too spammy with the debugging, this method is called multiple times per entity load.
+            $debuggingshown = true;
+        }
+
+        return array_keys($tablenamealiases);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Database tables that this entity uses and their default aliases (note that these aliases are now ignored)
+     *
+     * @return string[] Array of $tablename => $alias
+     *
+     * @deprecated since Moodle 4.4 - aliases are now autogenerated, please implement {@see get_default_tables} instead
+     */
+    protected function get_default_table_aliases(): array {
+        return [];
+    }
 
     /**
      * The default title for this entity
@@ -137,16 +165,17 @@ abstract class base {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Override the default alias for given database table used in entity queries, to avoid table alias clashes that may occur
-     * if multiple entities of a report each define the same default alias for one of their tables
+     * Override the default alias for given database table used in entity queries, for instance when the same table is used
+     * by multiple entities and you want them each to refer to it by the same alias
      *
-     * @param string $tablename
+     * @param string $tablename One of the tables set by {@see get_default_tables}
      * @param string $alias
      * @return self
-     * @throws coding_exception
+     * @throws coding_exception For invalid table name
      */
     final public function set_table_alias(string $tablename, string $alias): self {
-        if (!array_key_exists($tablename, $this->get_default_table_aliases())) {
+        $tablenames = $this->get_default_tables();
+        if (array_search($tablename, $tablenames) === false) {
             throw new coding_exception('Invalid table name', $tablename);
         }
 
@@ -155,9 +184,7 @@ abstract class base {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Override multiple default database table aliases used in entity queries as per {@see set_table_alias}, typically when
-     * you're adding an entity multiple times to a report you'd want to override the table aliases in the second instance to
-     * avoid clashes with the first
+     * Override multiple default database table aliases used in entity queries as per {@see set_table_alias}
      *
      * @param array $aliases Array of tablename => alias values
      * @return self
@@ -172,17 +199,22 @@ abstract class base {
     /**
      * Returns an alias used in the queries for a given table
      *
-     * @param string $tablename
+     * @param string $tablename One of the tables set by {@see get_default_tables}
      * @return string
-     * @throws coding_exception
+     * @throws coding_exception For invalid table name
      */
     final public function get_table_alias(string $tablename): string {
-        $defaulttablealiases = $this->get_default_table_aliases();
-        if (!array_key_exists($tablename, $defaulttablealiases)) {
+        $tablenames = $this->get_default_tables();
+        if (array_search($tablename, $tablenames) === false) {
             throw new coding_exception('Invalid table name', $tablename);
         }
 
-        return $this->tablealiases[$tablename] ?? $defaulttablealiases[$tablename];
+        // We don't have the alias yet, generate a new one.
+        if (!array_key_exists($tablename, $this->tablealiases)) {
+            $this->set_table_alias($tablename, database::generate_alias());
+        }
+
+        return $this->tablealiases[$tablename];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -246,7 +278,7 @@ abstract class base {
     /**
      * Helper method for returning joins necessary for retrieving tags related to the current entity
      *
-     * Both 'tag' and 'tag_instance' aliases must be returned by the entity {@see get_default_table_aliases} method
+     * Both 'tag' and 'tag_instance' aliases must be returned by the entity {@see get_default_tables} method
      *
      * @param string $component
      * @param string $itemtype
diff --git a/reportbuilder/tests/local/entities/base_test.php b/reportbuilder/tests/local/entities/base_test.php
index 38e9ff784a8..ae5d5bf69d6 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/tests/local/entities/base_test.php
+++ b/reportbuilder/tests/local/entities/base_test.php
@@ -50,7 +50,19 @@ class base_test extends advanced_testcase {
      */
     public function test_get_table_alias(): void {
         $entity = new base_test_entity();
-        $this->assertEquals('m', $entity->get_table_alias('mytable'));
+
+        $mytablealias = $entity->get_table_alias('mytable');
+        $this->assertMatchesRegularExpression('/^rbalias(\d+)$/', $mytablealias);
+
+        $myothertablealias = $entity->get_table_alias('myothertable');
+        $this->assertMatchesRegularExpression('/^rbalias(\d+)$/', $myothertablealias);
+
+        // They must differ.
+        $this->assertNotEquals($mytablealias, $myothertablealias);
+
+        // Re-request both, ensure they are identical to what we previously received.
+        $this->assertEquals($mytablealias, $entity->get_table_alias('mytable'));
+        $this->assertEquals($myothertablealias, $entity->get_table_alias('myothertable'));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -314,10 +326,10 @@ class base_test_entity extends base {
      *
      * @return array
      */
-    protected function get_default_table_aliases(): array {
+    protected function get_default_tables(): array {
         return [
-            'mytable' => 'm',
-            'myothertable' => 'o',
+            'mytable',
+            'myothertable',
         ];
     }
 
diff --git a/reportbuilder/upgrade.txt b/reportbuilder/upgrade.txt
index efb95580059..6e80fc1fe70 100644
--- a/reportbuilder/upgrade.txt
+++ b/reportbuilder/upgrade.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Information provided here is intended especially for developers.
 === 4.4 ===
 
 * New methods `get_identity_[columns|filters]` in user entity, for retrieving all user identity field report elements
+* Entity table aliases are now auto-generated, hence usage of the `get_default_table_aliases` method is now deprecated. Instead,
+  entities should implement the `get_default_tables` method to define the tables they use
 * The database helper `generate_alias[es]` and `generate_param_name[s]` methods now accept an optional `$suffix` argument for
   appending additional string to the generated value
 * New report filter types: