diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_recent_active_posts.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_recent_active_posts.html
index 6a476f3c14..0e087b5eca 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_recent_active_posts.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_recent_active_posts.html
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@
   
   <div class="recent-activity-title">Recent Activity:</div>
 
-<div class="recent-active-posts">
-  % for thread in recent_active_threads:
-    <a class="recent-active-post" href="javascript:void(0)">${thread['title']}</a>
-  % endfor
-</div>
+% if recent_active_threads:
+  <div class="recent-active-posts">
+    % for thread in recent_active_threads:
+      <a class="recent-active-post" href="javascript:void(0)">${thread['title']}</a>
+    % endfor
+  </div>
+% endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_trending_tags.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_trending_tags.html
index 1460cb5888..9cc97c7921 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_trending_tags.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_trending_tags.html
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 <div class="trending-tags">
 Trending tags:
-
-  % for tag, count in trending_tags:
-    <div class="trending-tag">
-      <a class="trending-tag-link" href="javascript:void(0)">${tag}</a>
-      &times;
-      <span class="trending-tag-count">${count}</span>
-    </div>
-  % endfor
+  % if trending_tags:
+    % for tag, count in trending_tags:
+      <div class="trending-tag">
+        <a class="trending-tag-link" href="javascript:void(0)">${tag}</a>
+        &times;
+        <span class="trending-tag-count">${count}</span>
+      </div>
+    % endfor
+  % endif
 </div>