diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py
index 10c05c75e9..3c3ab2bb53 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py
@@ -46,11 +46,13 @@ class Role(models.Model):
     def add_permission(self, permission):
         self.permissions.add(Permission.objects.get_or_create(name=permission)[0])
 
+
     def has_permission(self, permission):
         course = get_course_by_id(self.course_id)
-        if self.name == FORUM_ROLE_STUDENT and \
-           (permission.startswith('edit') or permission.startswith('update') or permission.startswith('create')) and \
-           (not course.forum_posts_allowed):
+        changing_comments = permission.startswith('edit') or \
+            permission.startswith('update') or permission.startswith('create')
+        in_blackout_period = not course.forum_posts_allowed
+        if (self.name == FORUM_ROLE_STUDENT) and in_blackout_period and changing_comments:
             return False
         
         return self.permissions.filter(name=permission).exists()
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_models.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_models.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3c9b05b202
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import django_comment_client.models as models
+import django_comment_client.permissions as permissions
+from django.test import TestCase
+from nose.plugins.skip import SkipTest
+from courseware.courses import get_course_by_id
+
+class RoleClassTestCase(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.course_id = "edX/toy/2012_Fall"
+        self.student_role = models.Role.objects.create(name="Student",
+                                                       course_id=self.course_id)
+
+    def test_unicode(self):
+        self.assertEqual(str(self.student_role), "Student for edX/toy/2012_Fall")
+
+        self.admin_for_all = models.Role.objects.create(name="Administrator")
+        self.assertEqual(str(self.admin_for_all), "Administrator for all courses")
+
+    def test_has_permission(self):
+        self.student_role.add_permission("delete_thread")
+        self.TA_role = models.Role.objects.create(name="Community TA",
+                                                  course_id=self.course_id)
+        self.assertTrue(self.student_role.has_permission("delete_thread"))
+        self.assertFalse(self.TA_role.has_permission("delete_thread"))
+
+    # Toy course does not have a blackout period defined.
+    def test_students_can_create_if_not_during_blackout(self):
+        self.student_role.add_permission("create_comment")
+        self.assertTrue(self.student_role.has_permission("create_comment"))
+
+    def test_students_cannot_create_during_blackout(self):
+        # Not sure how to set up these conditions
+        raise SkipTest()
+
+    def test_inherit_permissions(self):
+        self.student_role.add_permission("delete_thread")
+        self.TA_role = models.Role.objects.create(name="Community TA",
+                                                  course_id=self.course_id)
+        self.TA_role.inherit_permissions(self.student_role)
+        self.assertTrue(self.TA_role.has_permission("delete_thread"))
+
+    # TODO: You should not be able to inherit permissions across courses?
+    def test_inherit_permissions_across_courses(self):
+        raise SkipTest()
+        self.student_role.add_permission("delete_thread")
+        self.course_id_2 = "MITx/6.002x/2012_Fall"
+        self.admin_role = models.Role.objects.create(name="Administrator",
+                                                     course_id=self.course_id_2)
+        self.admin_role.inherit_permissions(self.student_role)
+
+class PermissionClassTestCase(TestCase):
+    def test_unicode(self):
+        self.permission = permissions.Permission.objects.create(name="test")
+        self.assertEqual(str(self.permission), "test")