diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/__init__.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/__init__.py
index e69de29bb2..61f59d6f9b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/__init__.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# call some function from permissions so that the post_save hook is imported
+from permissions import assign_default_role
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/urls.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/urls.py
index 0c3fc24513..e27e041c4b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/urls.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/urls.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ urlpatterns = patterns('django_comment_client.base.views',
     url(r'threads/(?P<thread_id>[\w\-]+)/unvote$', 'undo_vote_for_thread', name='undo_vote_for_thread'),
     url(r'threads/(?P<thread_id>[\w\-]+)/follow$', 'follow_thread', name='follow_thread'),
     url(r'threads/(?P<thread_id>[\w\-]+)/unfollow$', 'unfollow_thread', name='unfollow_thread'),
+    url(r'threads/(?P<thread_id>[\w\-]+)/close$', 'openclose_thread', name='openclose_thread'),
 
     url(r'comments/(?P<comment_id>[\w\-]+)/update$', 'update_comment', name='update_comment'),
     url(r'comments/(?P<comment_id>[\w\-]+)/endorse$', 'endorse_comment', name='endorse_comment'),
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
index 4c78fd94a1..9173c205e0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
@@ -18,6 +18,64 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_response, render_to_string
 from django_comment_client.utils import JsonResponse, JsonError, extract
 
+from django_comment_client.permissions import has_permission, has_permission
+import functools
+
+# 
+
+def permitted(*per):
+    """
+    Accepts a list of permissions and proceed if any of the permission is valid.
+    Note that @permitted("can_view", "can_edit") will proceed if the user has either
+    "can_view" or "can_edit" permission. To use AND operator in between, wrap them in 
+    a list:
+        @permitted(["can_view", "can_edit"])
+
+    Special conditions can be used like permissions, e.g. 
+        @permitted(["can_vote", "open"])  # where open is True if not content['closed']
+    """
+    def decorator(fn):
+        @functools.wraps(fn)
+        def wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
+            permissions = filter(lambda x: len(x), list(per))
+            user = request.user
+            import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
+
+            def fetch_content():
+                if "thread_id" in kwargs:
+                    content = comment_client.get_thread(kwargs["thread_id"])
+                elif "comment_id" in kwargs:
+                    content = comment_client.get_comment(kwargs["comment_id"])
+                else:
+                    logging.warning("missing thread_id or comment_id")
+                    return None
+                return content
+
+            def test_permission(user, permission, operator="or"):
+                if isinstance(permission, basestring):
+                    if permission == "":
+                        return True
+                    elif permission == "author":
+                        return fetch_content()["user_id"] == request.user.id
+                    elif permission == "open":
+                        return not fetch_content()["closed"]
+                    return has_permission(user, permission)
+                elif isinstance(permission, list) and operator in ["and", "or"]:
+                    results = [test_permission(user, x, operator="and") for x in permission]
+                    if operator == "or":
+                        return True in results
+                    elif operator == "and":
+                        return not False in results
+
+            if test_permission(user, permissions, operator="or"):
+                return fn(request, *args, **kwargs)
+            else:
+                return JsonError("unauthorized")
+
+        return wrapper
+    return decorator
+
+
 def thread_author_only(fn):
     def verified_fn(request, *args, **kwargs):
         thread_id = kwargs.get('thread_id', False)
@@ -48,6 +106,7 @@ def instructor_only(fn):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("create_thread")
 def create_thread(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body', 'title', 'tags'])
     attributes['user_id'] = request.user.id
@@ -72,7 +131,7 @@ def create_thread(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@thread_author_only
+@permitted("edit_content", ["update_thread", "open", "author"])
 def update_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body', 'title', 'tags'])
     response = comment_client.update_thread(thread_id, attributes)
@@ -112,6 +171,7 @@ def _create_comment(request, course_id, _response_from_attributes):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted(["create_comment", "open"])
 def create_comment(request, course_id, thread_id):
     def _response_from_attributes(attributes):
         return comment_client.create_comment(thread_id, attributes)
@@ -119,14 +179,14 @@ def create_comment(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@thread_author_only
+@permitted("delete_thread")
 def delete_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     response = comment_client.delete_thread(thread_id)
     return JsonResponse(response)
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@comment_author_only
+@permitted("update_comment", ["update_comment", "open", "author"])
 def update_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body'])
     response = comment_client.update_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -145,7 +205,7 @@ def update_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@instructor_only
+@permitted("endorse_comment")
 def endorse_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['endorsed'])
     response = comment_client.update_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -153,6 +213,15 @@ def endorse_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("openclose_thread")
+def openclose_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
+    attributes = extract(request.POST, ['closed'])
+    response = comment_client.update_thread(thread_id, attributes)
+    return JsonResponse(response)
+
+@require_POST
+@login_required
+@permitted(["create_sub_comment", "open"])
 def create_sub_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     def _response_from_attributes(attributes):
         return comment_client.create_sub_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -160,13 +229,14 @@ def create_sub_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@comment_author_only
+@permitted("delete_comment")
 def delete_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     response = comment_client.delete_comment(comment_id)
     return JsonResponse(response)
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted(["vote", "open"])
 def vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id, value):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.vote_for_comment(comment_id, user_id, value)
@@ -174,6 +244,7 @@ def vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id, value):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted(["unvote", "open"])
 def undo_vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.undo_vote_for_comment(comment_id, user_id)
@@ -181,6 +252,7 @@ def undo_vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted(["vote", "open"])
 def vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id, value):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.vote_for_thread(thread_id, user_id, value)
@@ -188,6 +260,7 @@ def vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id, value):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted(["unvote", "open"])
 def undo_vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.undo_vote_for_thread(thread_id, user_id)
@@ -195,6 +268,7 @@ def undo_vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("follow_thread")
 def follow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.subscribe_thread(user_id, thread_id)
@@ -202,6 +276,7 @@ def follow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("follow_commentable")
 def follow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.subscribe_commentable(user_id, commentable_id)
@@ -209,6 +284,7 @@ def follow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("follow_user")
 def follow_user(request, course_id, followed_user_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.follow(user_id, followed_user_id)
@@ -216,6 +292,7 @@ def follow_user(request, course_id, followed_user_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("unfollow_thread")
 def unfollow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.unsubscribe_thread(user_id, thread_id)
@@ -223,6 +300,7 @@ def unfollow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("unfollow_commentable")
 def unfollow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.unsubscribe_commentable(user_id, commentable_id)
@@ -230,6 +308,7 @@ def unfollow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
+@permitted("unfollow_user")
 def unfollow_user(request, course_id, followed_user_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.unfollow(user_id, followed_user_id)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/migrations/0001_initial.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/migrations/0001_initial.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..826cbdae35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import datetime
+from south.db import db
+from south.v2 import SchemaMigration
+from django.db import models
+
+
+class Migration(SchemaMigration):
+
+    def forwards(self, orm):
+        # Adding model 'Role'
+        db.create_table('django_comment_client_role', (
+            ('name', self.gf('django.db.models.fields.CharField')(max_length=30, primary_key=True)),
+        ))
+        db.send_create_signal('django_comment_client', ['Role'])
+
+        # Adding M2M table for field users on 'Role'
+        db.create_table('django_comment_client_role_users', (
+            ('id', models.AutoField(verbose_name='ID', primary_key=True, auto_created=True)),
+            ('role', models.ForeignKey(orm['django_comment_client.role'], null=False)),
+            ('user', models.ForeignKey(orm['auth.user'], null=False))
+        ))
+        db.create_unique('django_comment_client_role_users', ['role_id', 'user_id'])
+
+        # Adding model 'Permission'
+        db.create_table('django_comment_client_permission', (
+            ('name', self.gf('django.db.models.fields.CharField')(max_length=30, primary_key=True)),
+        ))
+        db.send_create_signal('django_comment_client', ['Permission'])
+
+        # Adding M2M table for field users on 'Permission'
+        db.create_table('django_comment_client_permission_users', (
+            ('id', models.AutoField(verbose_name='ID', primary_key=True, auto_created=True)),
+            ('permission', models.ForeignKey(orm['django_comment_client.permission'], null=False)),
+            ('user', models.ForeignKey(orm['auth.user'], null=False))
+        ))
+        db.create_unique('django_comment_client_permission_users', ['permission_id', 'user_id'])
+
+        # Adding M2M table for field roles on 'Permission'
+        db.create_table('django_comment_client_permission_roles', (
+            ('id', models.AutoField(verbose_name='ID', primary_key=True, auto_created=True)),
+            ('permission', models.ForeignKey(orm['django_comment_client.permission'], null=False)),
+            ('role', models.ForeignKey(orm['django_comment_client.role'], null=False))
+        ))
+        db.create_unique('django_comment_client_permission_roles', ['permission_id', 'role_id'])
+
+
+    def backwards(self, orm):
+        # Deleting model 'Role'
+        db.delete_table('django_comment_client_role')
+
+        # Removing M2M table for field users on 'Role'
+        db.delete_table('django_comment_client_role_users')
+
+        # Deleting model 'Permission'
+        db.delete_table('django_comment_client_permission')
+
+        # Removing M2M table for field users on 'Permission'
+        db.delete_table('django_comment_client_permission_users')
+
+        # Removing M2M table for field roles on 'Permission'
+        db.delete_table('django_comment_client_permission_roles')
+
+
+    models = {
+        'auth.group': {
+            'Meta': {'object_name': 'Group'},
+            'id': ('django.db.models.fields.AutoField', [], {'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'unique': 'True', 'max_length': '80'}),
+            'permissions': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'to': "orm['auth.Permission']", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'blank': 'True'})
+        },
+        'auth.permission': {
+            'Meta': {'ordering': "('content_type__app_label', 'content_type__model', 'codename')", 'unique_together': "(('content_type', 'codename'),)", 'object_name': 'Permission'},
+            'codename': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100'}),
+            'content_type': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ForeignKey', [], {'to': "orm['contenttypes.ContentType']"}),
+            'id': ('django.db.models.fields.AutoField', [], {'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '50'})
+        },
+        'auth.user': {
+            'Meta': {'object_name': 'User'},
+            'about': ('django.db.models.fields.TextField', [], {'blank': 'True'}),
+            'avatar_type': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'default': "'n'", 'max_length': '1'}),
+            'bronze': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'consecutive_days_visit_count': ('django.db.models.fields.IntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'country': ('django_countries.fields.CountryField', [], {'max_length': '2', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'date_joined': ('django.db.models.fields.DateTimeField', [], {'default': 'datetime.datetime.now'}),
+            'date_of_birth': ('django.db.models.fields.DateField', [], {'null': 'True', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'display_tag_filter_strategy': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'email': ('django.db.models.fields.EmailField', [], {'max_length': '75', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'email_isvalid': ('django.db.models.fields.BooleanField', [], {'default': 'False'}),
+            'email_key': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '32', 'null': 'True'}),
+            'email_tag_filter_strategy': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '1'}),
+            'first_name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '30', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'gold': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'gravatar': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '32'}),
+            'groups': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'to': "orm['auth.Group']", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'id': ('django.db.models.fields.AutoField', [], {'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'ignored_tags': ('django.db.models.fields.TextField', [], {'blank': 'True'}),
+            'interesting_tags': ('django.db.models.fields.TextField', [], {'blank': 'True'}),
+            'is_active': ('django.db.models.fields.BooleanField', [], {'default': 'True'}),
+            'is_staff': ('django.db.models.fields.BooleanField', [], {'default': 'False'}),
+            'is_superuser': ('django.db.models.fields.BooleanField', [], {'default': 'False'}),
+            'last_login': ('django.db.models.fields.DateTimeField', [], {'default': 'datetime.datetime.now'}),
+            'last_name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '30', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'last_seen': ('django.db.models.fields.DateTimeField', [], {'default': 'datetime.datetime.now'}),
+            'location': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'new_response_count': ('django.db.models.fields.IntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'password': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '128'}),
+            'questions_per_page': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '10'}),
+            'real_name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'reputation': ('django.db.models.fields.PositiveIntegerField', [], {'default': '1'}),
+            'seen_response_count': ('django.db.models.fields.IntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'show_country': ('django.db.models.fields.BooleanField', [], {'default': 'False'}),
+            'silver': ('django.db.models.fields.SmallIntegerField', [], {'default': '0'}),
+            'status': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'default': "'w'", 'max_length': '2'}),
+            'user_permissions': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'to': "orm['auth.Permission']", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'blank': 'True'}),
+            'username': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'unique': 'True', 'max_length': '30'}),
+            'website': ('django.db.models.fields.URLField', [], {'max_length': '200', 'blank': 'True'})
+        },
+        'contenttypes.contenttype': {
+            'Meta': {'ordering': "('name',)", 'unique_together': "(('app_label', 'model'),)", 'object_name': 'ContentType', 'db_table': "'django_content_type'"},
+            'app_label': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100'}),
+            'id': ('django.db.models.fields.AutoField', [], {'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'model': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100'}),
+            'name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '100'})
+        },
+        'django_comment_client.permission': {
+            'Meta': {'object_name': 'Permission'},
+            'name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '30', 'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'roles': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'related_name': "'permissions'", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'to': "orm['django_comment_client.Role']"}),
+            'users': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'related_name': "'permissions'", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'to': "orm['auth.User']"})
+        },
+        'django_comment_client.role': {
+            'Meta': {'object_name': 'Role'},
+            'name': ('django.db.models.fields.CharField', [], {'max_length': '30', 'primary_key': 'True'}),
+            'users': ('django.db.models.fields.related.ManyToManyField', [], {'related_name': "'roles'", 'symmetrical': 'False', 'to': "orm['auth.User']"})
+        }
+    }
+
+    complete_apps = ['django_comment_client']
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/migrations/__init__.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/migrations/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..22794677fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from django.db import models
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+
+
+class Role(models.Model):
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=30, null=False, blank=False, primary_key=True)
+    users = models.ManyToManyField(User, related_name="roles")
+
+    def __unicode__(self):
+        return self.name
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def register(name):
+        return Role.objects.get_or_create(name=name)[0]
+
+    def register_permissions(self, permissions):
+        for p in permissions:
+            if not self.permissions.filter(name=p):
+                self.permissions.add(Permission.register(p))
+
+    def inherit_permissions(self, role):
+        self.register_permissions(map(lambda p: p.name, role.permissions.all()))
+
+
+class Permission(models.Model):
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=30, null=False, blank=False, primary_key=True)
+    users = models.ManyToManyField(User, related_name="permissions")
+    roles = models.ManyToManyField(Role, related_name="permissions")
+
+    def __unicode__(self):
+        return self.name
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def register(name):
+        return Permission.objects.get_or_create(name=name)[0]
+
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3bd69969cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+from .models import Role, Permission
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.db.models.signals import post_save
+from django.dispatch import receiver
+import logging
+
+def has_permission(user, p):
+    if not Permission.objects.filter(name=p).exists():
+        logging.warning("Permission %s was not registered. " % p)
+    if Permission.objects.filter(users=user, name=p).exists():
+        return True
+    if Permission.objects.filter(roles__in=user.roles.all(), name=p).exists():
+        return True
+    return False
+
+def has_permissions(user, *args):
+    for p in args:
+        if not has_permission(user, p):
+            return False
+    return True
+
+def add_permission(instance, p):
+    permission = Permission.register(name=p)
+    if isinstance(instance, User) or isinstance(isinstance, Role):
+        instance.permissions.add(permission)
+    else:
+        raise TypeError("Permission can only be added to a role or user")
+
+
+@receiver(post_save, sender=User)
+def assign_default_role(sender, instance, **kwargs):
+    # if kwargs.get("created", True):
+    role = moderator_role if instance.is_staff else student_role
+    logging.info("assign_default_role: adding %s as %s" % (instance, role))
+    instance.roles.add(role)
+
+moderator_role = Role.register("Moderator")
+student_role = Role.register("Student")
+
+moderator_role.register_permissions(["edit_content", "delete_thread", "openclose_thread",
+                                     "update_thread", "endorse_comment", "delete_comment"])
+student_role.register_permissions(["vote", "update_thread", "follow_thread", "unfollow_thread",
+                                   "update_comment", "create_sub_comment", "unvote" , "create_thread",
+                                   "follow_commentable", "unfollow_commentable", "create_comment", ])
+
+moderator_role.inherit_permissions(student_role)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ac18c5b5bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.utils import unittest
+import string
+import random
+from .permissions import student_role, moderator_role, add_permission, has_permission
+from .models import Role, Permission
+
+
+class PermissionsTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def random_str(self, length=15, chars=string.ascii_uppercase + string.digits):
+        return ''.join(random.choice(chars) for x in range(length))
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.student = User.objects.create(username=self.random_str(),
+                            password="123456", email="john@yahoo.com")
+        self.moderator = User.objects.create(username=self.random_str(),
+                            password="123456", email="staff@edx.org")
+        self.moderator.is_staff = True
+        self.moderator.save()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.student.delete()
+        self.moderator.delete()
+
+    def testDefaultRoles(self):
+        self.assertTrue(student_role in self.student.roles.all())
+        self.assertTrue(moderator_role in self.moderator.roles.all())
+
+    def testPermission(self):
+        name = self.random_str()
+        Permission.register(name)
+        add_permission(moderator_role, name)
+        self.assertTrue(has_permission(self.moderator, name))
+
+        add_permission(self.student, name)
+        self.assertTrue(has_permission(self.student, name))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
index 8caca7aaa8..dc78802564 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class JsonError(HttpResponse):
                                    indent=2,
                                    ensure_ascii=False)
         super(JsonError, self).__init__(content,
-                                        mimetype='application/json; charset=utf8')
+                                        mimetype='application/json; charset=utf8', status=500)
 
 class HtmlResponse(HttpResponse):
     def __init__(self, html=''):
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
index b98c5eb7f0..b195514afa 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
@@ -195,6 +195,33 @@ initializeFollowThread = (thread) ->
             else
               $(content).removeClass("endorsed")
 
+    handleOpenClose = (elem, text) ->
+      url = Discussion.urlFor('openclose_thread', id)
+      closed = undefined
+      if text.match(/Close/)
+        closed = true
+      else if text.match(/[Oo]pen/)
+        closed = false
+      else
+        return console.log "Unexpected text " + text + "for open/close thread."
+
+      Discussion.safeAjax
+        $elem: $(elem)
+        url: url
+        type: "POST"
+        dataType: "json"
+        data: {closed: closed}
+        success: (response, textStatus) =>
+          if textStatus == "success"
+            if closed
+              $(content).addClass("closed")
+              $(elem).text "Re-open Thread"
+            else
+              $(content).removeClass("closed")
+              $(elem).text "Close Thread"
+        error: (response, textStatus, e) ->
+          console.log e
+
     handleHideSingleThread = (elem) ->
       $threadTitle = $local(".thread-title")
       $showComments = $local(".discussion-show-comments")
@@ -271,6 +298,9 @@ initializeFollowThread = (thread) ->
       "click .discussion-endorse": ->
         handleEndorse(this, $(this).is(":checked"))
 
+      "click .discussion-openclose": ->
+        handleOpenClose(this, $(this).text())
+
       "click .discussion-edit": ->
         if $content.hasClass("thread")
           handleEditThread(this)
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
index 44944f0201..1c0769a72a 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ wmdEditors = {}
       undo_vote_for_thread   : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/threads/#{param}/unvote"
       follow_thread          : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/threads/#{param}/follow"
       unfollow_thread        : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/threads/#{param}/unfollow"
+      openclose_thread       : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/threads/#{param}/close"
       update_comment         : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/comments/#{param}/update"
       endorse_comment        : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/comments/#{param}/endorse"
       create_sub_comment     : "/courses/#{$$course_id}/discussion/comments/#{param}/reply"
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_thread.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_thread.html
index 1b9fcbadc3..b044c98da6 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_thread.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_thread.html
@@ -86,6 +86,13 @@
       % endif
       <label class="discussion-link" for="discussion-endorse-${content['id']}">Endorsed</label>
     % endif
+    % if type == "thread" and request.user.is_staff:
+      % if content['closed']:
+        <a class="discussion-openclose" id="discussion-openclose-${content['id']}" href="javascript:void(0);">Re-open thread</a>
+      % else:
+        <a class="discussion-openclose" id="discussion-openclose-${content['id']}" href="javascript:void(0);">Close thread</a>
+      % endif
+    % endif
   </div>
 </%def>