diff --git a/common/static/js/vendor/ova/catch/js/catch.js b/common/static/js/vendor/ova/catch/js/catch.js
index a5da7106a8..727bc9407c 100644
--- a/common/static/js/vendor/ova/catch/js/catch.js
+++ b/common/static/js/vendor/ova/catch/js/catch.js
@@ -1123,11 +1123,10 @@ CatchAnnotation.prototype = {
         
         // checks to make sure that Grouping is redone when switching tags in text annotations
         if (this.options.media === 'text') {
-            if (this.current_tab ==='public') {
-                this.annotator.plugins.Grouping.useGrouping = 0;
-            } else {
-                this.annotator.plugins.Grouping.useGrouping = 1;
-            }
+            if (typeof this.annotator.plugins.Grouping !== 'undefined') {
+                // this is to check if user is is MyNotes instead of the annotation component
+                this.annotator.plugins.Grouping.useGrouping = this.current_tab === 'public' ? 0 : 1;
+            } 
             this.annotator.publish("changedTabsInCatch");
         }
         // Change userid and refresh
@@ -1156,7 +1155,11 @@ CatchAnnotation.prototype = {
         var searchtype = searchtype || "";
         var searchInput = searchInput || ""; 
         this.clean = true;
-        this._clearAnnotator();
+
+        // the following cannot run in notes for there are no highlights
+        if ($("#notesHolder").length === 0) {
+            this._clearAnnotator();
+        }
         
         var annotator = this.annotator;
         var loadFromSearch = annotator.plugins.Store.options.loadFromSearch;
diff --git a/lms/templates/imageannotation.html b/lms/templates/imageannotation.html
index 06e4964a30..c357171016 100644
--- a/lms/templates/imageannotation.html
+++ b/lms/templates/imageannotation.html
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
                         'delete': ["${user.email}"],
                         'admin':  ["${user.email}"]
                 },
-                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: true,
+                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 showEditPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 userAuthorize: function(action, annotation, user) {
                     var token, tokens, _i, _len;
diff --git a/lms/templates/notes.html b/lms/templates/notes.html
index 569393daaa..fcdca788e9 100644
--- a/lms/templates/notes.html
+++ b/lms/templates/notes.html
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 <%namespace name='static' file='static_content.html'/>
 ${static.css(group='style-vendor-tinymce-content', raw=True)}
 ${static.css(group='style-vendor-tinymce-skin', raw=True)}
+${static.css(group='style-xmodule-annotations', raw=True)}
 <script type="text/javascript" src="${static.url('js/vendor/tinymce/js/tinymce/tinymce.full.min.js', raw=True)}"></script>
  <script type="text/javascript" src="${static.url('js/vendor/tinymce/js/tinymce/jquery.tinymce.min.js', raw=True)}" ></script>
 <%inherit file="main.html" />
diff --git a/lms/templates/textannotation.html b/lms/templates/textannotation.html
index edc51a327f..d5d83e4960 100644
--- a/lms/templates/textannotation.html
+++ b/lms/templates/textannotation.html
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ ${static.css(group='style-xmodule-annotations', raw=True)}
                         'delete': ["${user.email}"],
                         'admin':  ["${user.email}"]
                 },
-                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: true,
+                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 showEditPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 userAuthorize: function(action, annotation, user) {
                     var token, tokens, _i, _len;
diff --git a/lms/templates/videoannotation.html b/lms/templates/videoannotation.html
index bbeed57e08..78f88c236c 100644
--- a/lms/templates/videoannotation.html
+++ b/lms/templates/videoannotation.html
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ ${static.css(group='style-xmodule-annotations', raw=True)}
                         'delete': ["${user.email}"],
                         'admin':  ["${user.email}"]
                 },
-                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: true,
+                showViewPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 showEditPermissionsCheckbox: false,
                 userAuthorize: function(action, annotation, user) {
                     var token, tokens, _i, _len;