diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
index 9cee068b74..2294d4a65a 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion.coffee
@@ -58,10 +58,24 @@ if Backbone?
           @current_page = response.page
 
     sortByDate: (thread) ->
-      thread.get("created_at")
+
+        if thread.get('pinned')
+          #use tomorrow's date
+          today = new Date();
+          new Date(today.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
+        else
+          thread.get("created_at")
+
+
+      
 
     sortByDateRecentFirst: (thread) ->
-      -(new Date(thread.get("created_at")).getTime())
+        if thread.get('pinned')
+          #use tomorrow's date
+          today = new Date();
+          -(new Date(today.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)));
+        else
+          -(new Date(thread.get("created_at")).getTime())
       #return String.fromCharCode.apply(String,
       #  _.map(thread.get("created_at").split(""),
       #        ((c) -> return 0xffff - c.charChodeAt()))
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 2b05643ff5..03175a4918 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ def get_threads(request, course_id, discussion_id=None, per_page=THREADS_PER_PAG
 
     #now add the group name if the thread has a group id
     for thread in threads:
+        
         if thread.get('group_id'):
             thread['group_name'] = get_cohort_by_id(course_id, thread.get('group_id')).name
             thread['group_string'] = "This post visible only to Group %s." % (thread['group_name'])
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
index 0dec32ad47..66e901f5e9 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
   <div class="discussion-post">
   
     <header>
+    %if thread['pinned']
+    PINNED
+    %endif
     %if thread['group_id']
       <div class="group-visibility-label">This post visible only to group ${cohort_dictionary[thread['group_id']]}. </div>
     %endif
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
index 8a89ffe3ed..5fdfb8aa82 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 
       <div class="post-body">${'<%- body %>'}</div>
       
-      % if has_permission(user, 'change_permission', course.id):
+      % if course and has_permission(user, 'openclose_thread', course.id):
       <div class="admin-pin discussion-pin notpinned" data-role="thread-pin" data-tooltip="pin this thread">                
       <i class="icon"></i><span class="pin-label">Pin Thread</span></div> 
       %else: