diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 2c919acc48..b41cb8e3ab 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ def inline_discussion(request, course_id, discussion_id):
         'user_info': user_info,
         'annotated_content_info': annotated_content_info,
         'page': query_params['page'],
-        'num_pages': query_params['num_pages']
+        'num_pages': query_params['num_pages'],
+        'roles': utils.get_role_ids(course_id),
     })
 
 @login_required
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion_module_view.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion_module_view.coffee
index 2d2f3eaa04..01199ac106 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion_module_view.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/discussion_module_view.coffee
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ if Backbone?
     page_re: /\?discussion_page=(\d+)/
     initialize: ->
       @toggleDiscussionBtn = @$(".discussion-show")
-      # Set the page if it was set in the URL. This is used to allow deep linking to pages      
+      # Set the page if it was set in the URL. This is used to allow deep linking to pages
       match = @page_re.exec(window.location.href)
       if match
         @page = parseInt(match[1])
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ if Backbone?
       event.preventDefault()
       if !@newPostForm
         @toggleDiscussion()
-        @isWaitingOnNewPost = true;        
+        @isWaitingOnNewPost = true;
         return
       if @showed
         @newPostForm.slideDown(300)
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ if Backbone?
     renderDiscussion: ($elem, response, textStatus, discussionId) =>
       window.user = new DiscussionUser(response.user_info)
       Content.loadContentInfos(response.annotated_content_info)
+      DiscussionUtil.loadRoles(response.roles)
       # $elem.html("Hide Discussion")
       @discussion = new Discussion()
       @discussion.reset(response.discussion_data, {silent: false})
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/main.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/main.coffee
index 029eeda176..dfd9d086a0 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/main.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/main.coffee
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ if Backbone?
   DiscussionApp =
     start: (elem)->
       # TODO: Perhaps eliminate usage of global variables when possible
+      DiscussionUtil.loadRolesFromContainer()
       element = $(elem)
       window.$$course_id = element.data("course-id")
       user_info = element.data("user-info")
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
index 52a0b510ac..056778a0df 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
@@ -15,9 +15,14 @@ class @DiscussionUtil
   @getTemplate: (id) ->
     $("script##{id}").html()
 
+  @loadRoles: (roles)->
+    @roleIds = roles
+
+  @loadRolesFromContainer: ->
+    @loadRoles($("#discussion-container").data("roles"))
+
   @isStaff: (user_id) ->
-    ids = $("#discussion-container").data("roles")
-    staff = _.union(ids['Staff'], ids['Moderator'], ids['Administrator'])
+    staff = _.union(@roleIds['Staff'], @roleIds['Moderator'], @roleIds['Administrator'])
     _.include(staff, parseInt(user_id))
 
   @bulkUpdateContentInfo: (infos) ->
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_view.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_view.coffee
index fbd3b917a1..3de715692b 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_view.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_view.coffee
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ if Backbone?
 
     markAsStaff: ->
       if DiscussionUtil.isStaff(@model.get("user_id"))
-        @$el.find("a").after('<span class="staff-label">staff</span>')
+        @$el.find("a.profile-link").after('<span class="staff-label">staff</span>')
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
index e913852798..9638c93ad9 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
     <a href="#comment_${'<%- parent_id %>'}">@${'<%- parent_username %>'}</a>:
     ${'<% }%>'}
     <span class="response-body">${'<%- body %>'}</span>
-    <span class="posted-details">&ndash;posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%- created_at %>'}">${'<%- created_at %>'}</span> by <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}">${'<%- username %>'}</a></span>
+    <span class="posted-details">&ndash;posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%- created_at %>'}">${'<%- created_at %>'}</span> by <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="profile-link">${'<%- username %>'}</a></span>
   </p>
 </script>