diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/html_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/html_module.py
index c0b82fef90..6c424c26f2 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/html_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/html_module.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class HtmlDescriptor(XmlDescriptor, EditingDescriptor):
# online and has imported all current (fall 2012) courses from xml
if not system.resources_fs.exists(filepath):
candidates = cls.backcompat_paths(filepath)
- log.debug("candidates = {0}".format(candidates))
+ #log.debug("candidates = {0}".format(candidates))
for candidate in candidates:
if system.resources_fs.exists(candidate):
filepath = candidate
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/xml_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/xml_module.py
index c7042efda2..b6f791ffc6 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/xml_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/xml_module.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def get_metadata_from_xml(xml_object, remove=True):
if meta is None:
return ''
dmdata = meta.text
- log.debug('meta for %s loaded: %s' % (xml_object,dmdata))
+ #log.debug('meta for %s loaded: %s' % (xml_object,dmdata))
if remove:
xml_object.remove(meta)
return dmdata
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/README.md b/common/test/data/test_start_date/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0810107838
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Simple course. If start dates are on, non-staff users should see Overview, but not Ch 2.
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/course.xml b/common/test/data/test_start_date/course.xml
new file mode 120000
index 0000000000..49041310f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/course.xml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+roots/2012_Fall.xml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/course/2012_Fall.xml b/common/test/data/test_start_date/course/2012_Fall.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77eca9f46c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/course/2012_Fall.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Welcome
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.html b/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81df84bd63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Lab 2A: Superposition Experiment
+
+Isn't the toy course great?
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.xml b/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ab78aeb494
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/html/toylab.xml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/policies/2012_Fall.json b/common/test/data/test_start_date/policies/2012_Fall.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a12ccecf1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/policies/2012_Fall.json
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{
+ "course/2012_Fall": {
+ "graceperiod": "2 days 5 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds",
+ "start": "2011-07-17T12:00",
+ "display_name": "Toy Course"
+ },
+ "chapter/Overview": {
+ "display_name": "Overview"
+ },
+ "chapter/Ch2": {
+ "display_name": "Chapter 2",
+ "start": "2015-07-17T12:00"
+ },
+ "videosequence/Toy_Videos": {
+ "display_name": "Toy Videos",
+ "format": "Lecture Sequence"
+ },
+ "html/toylab": {
+ "display_name": "Toy lab"
+ },
+ "video/Video_Resources": {
+ "display_name": "Video Resources"
+ },
+ "video/Welcome": {
+ "display_name": "Welcome"
+ }
+}
diff --git a/common/test/data/test_start_date/roots/2012_Fall.xml b/common/test/data/test_start_date/roots/2012_Fall.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30dd5e0180
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/test/data/test_start_date/roots/2012_Fall.xml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+