diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
index 137e71b24a..87a2943773 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views.py
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ def index(request):
                         course.location.course,
                         course.location.name]))
                     for course in courses],
-        'user': request.user
+        'user': request.user,
+        'disable_course_creation': settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('DISABLE_COURSE_CREATION', False) and not request.user.is_staff
     })
 
 
@@ -1259,6 +1260,10 @@ def edge(request):
 @login_required
 @expect_json
 def create_new_course(request):
+
+    if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('DISABLE_COURSE_CREATION', False) and not request.user.is_staff:
+        raise PermissionDenied()
+
     # This logic is repeated in xmodule/modulestore/tests/factories.py
     # so if you change anything here, you need to also change it there.
     # TODO: write a test that creates two courses, one with the factory and
diff --git a/cms/templates/index.html b/cms/templates/index.html
index 92987babda..45c4edc176 100644
--- a/cms/templates/index.html
+++ b/cms/templates/index.html
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@
 			<h1>My Courses</h1>
 			<article class="my-classes">
 				% if user.is_active:
-				<a href="#" class="new-button new-course-button"><span class="plus-icon white"></span> New Course</a>
+          % if not disable_course_creation:
+				    <a href="#" class="new-button new-course-button"><span class="plus-icon white"></span> New Course</a>
+          %endif
 				<ul class="class-list">
 					%for course, url in courses:
 			    <li>
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
index d6ad9ba4eb..4413ebfc0f 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/views.py
@@ -1112,9 +1112,11 @@ def test_center_login(request):
     # or possibly both.  But for now we know what to do with an ExamSeriesCode, 
     # while we currently have no record of RegistrationID values at all.
     if 'vueExamSeriesCode' not in request.POST:
-        # TODO: confirm this error code (made up, not in documentation)
+        # we are not allowed to make up a new error code, according to Pearson, 
+        # so instead of "missingExamSeriesCode", we use a valid one that is 
+        # inaccurate but at least distinct.  (Sigh.)
         log.error("missing exam series code for cand ID {}".format(client_candidate_id))
-        return HttpResponseRedirect(makeErrorURL(error_url, "missingExamSeriesCode"));
+        return HttpResponseRedirect(makeErrorURL(error_url, "missingPartnerID"));
     exam_series_code = request.POST.get('vueExamSeriesCode')
     # special case for supporting test user:
     if client_candidate_id == "edX003671291147" and exam_series_code != '6002x001':
@@ -1188,7 +1190,7 @@ def test_center_login(request):
     # this information is correct, we allow the user to be logged in
     # without a password.  This could all be formalized in a backend object
     # that does the above checking.  
-    # TODO: create a backend class to do this.
+    # TODO: (brian) create a backend class to do this.
     # testcenteruser.user.backend = "%s.%s" % (backend.__module__, backend.__class__.__name__)    
     testcenteruser.user.backend = "%s.%s" % ("TestcenterAuthenticationModule", "TestcenterAuthenticationClass")    
     login(request, testcenteruser.user)
diff --git a/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py b/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
index 78c986a963..ad084bdaf7 100644
--- a/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
+++ b/common/lib/capa/capa/responsetypes.py
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ def sympy_check2():
         self.context['debug'] = self.system.DEBUG
 
         # exec the check function
-        if type(self.code) == str:
+        if isinstance(self.code, basestring):
             try:
                 exec self.code in self.context['global_context'], self.context
                 correct = self.context['correct']
diff --git a/lms/lib/symmath/symmath_check.py b/lms/lib/symmath/symmath_check.py
index a3dec4aae5..d386ea6b06 100644
--- a/lms/lib/symmath/symmath_check.py
+++ b/lms/lib/symmath/symmath_check.py
@@ -238,8 +238,7 @@ def symmath_check(expect, ans, dynamath=None, options=None, debug=None, xml=None
     ###### PMathML input ######
     # convert mathml answer to formula
     try:
-        if dynamath:
-            mmlans = dynamath[0]
+        mmlans = dynamath[0] if dynamath else None
     except Exception, err:
         mmlans = None
     if not mmlans:
diff --git a/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html b/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
index 61cda0c52b..9324445dd1 100644
--- a/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
+++ b/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ${module_content}
-%if edit_link:
+%if location.category in ['problem','video','html']:
+%  if edit_link:
 <div>
 	<a href="${edit_link}">Edit</a> /
 	<a href="#${element_id}_xqa-modal" onclick="javascript:getlog('${element_id}', {
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ ${module_content}
         'user': '${user}'
      })" id="${element_id}_xqa_log">QA</a>
 </div>
-% endif
+%  endif
 <div><a href="#${element_id}_debug" id="${element_id}_trig">Staff Debug Info</a></div>
 
 <section id="${element_id}_xqa-modal" class="modal xqa-modal" style="width:80%; left:20%; height:80%; overflow:auto" >
@@ -74,3 +75,5 @@ category = ${category | h}
         'user': '${user}'
     });
 </script>
+%endif
+