diff --git a/course/renderer.php b/course/renderer.php
index 437c406e9bb9c..b793cfcf5d7bc 100644
--- a/course/renderer.php
+++ b/course/renderer.php
@@ -2022,7 +2022,10 @@ public function get_course_formatted_summary($course, $options = array()) {
         $summary = file_rewrite_pluginfile_urls($course->summary, 'pluginfile.php', $context->id, 'course', 'summary', null);
         $summary = format_text($summary, $course->summaryformat, $options);
         if (!empty($this->searchcriteria['search'])) {
-            $summary = highlight($this->searchcriteria['search'], $summary);
+            // The course summary we are highlighting is a formatted string,
+            // so the search term should also be a formatted string to match.
+            $search = format_string($this->searchcriteria['search'], true, $options);
+            $summary = highlight($search, $summary);
         }
         return $summary;
     }
@@ -2041,7 +2044,10 @@ public function get_course_formatted_name($course, $options = array()) {
         }
         $name = format_string(get_course_display_name_for_list($course), true, $options);
         if (!empty($this->searchcriteria['search'])) {
-            $name = highlight($this->searchcriteria['search'], $name);
+            // The course name we are highlighting is a formatted string,
+            // so the search term should also be a formatted string to match.
+            $search = format_string($this->searchcriteria['search'], true, $options);
+            $name = highlight($search, $name);
         }
         return $name;
     }