diff --git a/lib/formslib.php b/lib/formslib.php
index e816da6..e5bb215 100644
--- a/lib/formslib.php
+++ b/lib/formslib.php
@@ -873,12 +873,20 @@ abstract class moodleform {
      * Print html form.
      */
     function display() {
+        echo $this->html();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retrive form html.
+     */
+    function html() {
         //finalize the form definition if not yet done
         if (!$this->_definition_finalized) {
             $this->_definition_finalized = true;
             $this->definition_after_data();
         }
-        $this->_form->display();
+
+        return $this->_form->toHtml();
     }
 
     /**