diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
index 9173c205e0..fa6fc5803b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/base/views.py
@@ -18,62 +18,27 @@ 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
+from django_comment_client.permissions import check_permissions_by_view
 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)
+def permitted(fn):
+    @functools.wraps(fn)
+    def wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
+        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:
-                return JsonError("unauthorized")
+                content = None
+            return content
 
-        return wrapper
-    return decorator
+        if check_permissions_by_view(request.user, fetch_content(), request.view_name):
+            return fn(request, *args, **kwargs)
+        else:
+            return JsonError("unauthorized")
+    return wrapper
 
 
 def thread_author_only(fn):
@@ -106,7 +71,7 @@ def instructor_only(fn):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("create_thread")
+@permitted
 def create_thread(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body', 'title', 'tags'])
     attributes['user_id'] = request.user.id
@@ -131,7 +96,7 @@ def create_thread(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("edit_content", ["update_thread", "open", "author"])
+@permitted
 def update_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body', 'title', 'tags'])
     response = comment_client.update_thread(thread_id, attributes)
@@ -171,7 +136,7 @@ def _create_comment(request, course_id, _response_from_attributes):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted(["create_comment", "open"])
+@permitted
 def create_comment(request, course_id, thread_id):
     def _response_from_attributes(attributes):
         return comment_client.create_comment(thread_id, attributes)
@@ -179,14 +144,14 @@ def create_comment(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("delete_thread")
+@permitted
 def delete_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     response = comment_client.delete_thread(thread_id)
     return JsonResponse(response)
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("update_comment", ["update_comment", "open", "author"])
+@permitted
 def update_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['body'])
     response = comment_client.update_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -205,7 +170,7 @@ def update_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("endorse_comment")
+@permitted
 def endorse_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['endorsed'])
     response = comment_client.update_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -213,7 +178,7 @@ def endorse_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("openclose_thread")
+@permitted
 def openclose_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     attributes = extract(request.POST, ['closed'])
     response = comment_client.update_thread(thread_id, attributes)
@@ -221,7 +186,7 @@ def openclose_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted(["create_sub_comment", "open"])
+@permitted
 def create_sub_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
     def _response_from_attributes(attributes):
         return comment_client.create_sub_comment(comment_id, attributes)
@@ -229,14 +194,14 @@ def create_sub_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("delete_comment")
+@permitted
 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"])
+@permitted
 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)
@@ -244,7 +209,7 @@ def vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id, value):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted(["unvote", "open"])
+@permitted
 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)
@@ -252,7 +217,7 @@ def undo_vote_for_comment(request, course_id, comment_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted(["vote", "open"])
+@permitted
 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)
@@ -260,7 +225,7 @@ def vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id, value):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted(["unvote", "open"])
+@permitted
 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)
@@ -268,7 +233,7 @@ def undo_vote_for_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("follow_thread")
+@permitted
 def follow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.subscribe_thread(user_id, thread_id)
@@ -276,7 +241,7 @@ def follow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("follow_commentable")
+@permitted
 def follow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.subscribe_commentable(user_id, commentable_id)
@@ -284,7 +249,7 @@ def follow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("follow_user")
+@permitted
 def follow_user(request, course_id, followed_user_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.follow(user_id, followed_user_id)
@@ -292,7 +257,7 @@ def follow_user(request, course_id, followed_user_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("unfollow_thread")
+@permitted
 def unfollow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.unsubscribe_thread(user_id, thread_id)
@@ -300,7 +265,7 @@ def unfollow_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("unfollow_commentable")
+@permitted
 def unfollow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
     user_id = request.user.id
     response = comment_client.unsubscribe_commentable(user_id, commentable_id)
@@ -308,7 +273,7 @@ def unfollow_commentable(request, course_id, commentable_id):
 
 @require_POST
 @login_required
-@permitted("unfollow_user")
+@permitted
 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/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 69f426055f..859e3805b0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import json
 import comment_client
 import dateutil
 
+from django_comment_client.permissions import check_permissions_by_view
 
 THREADS_PER_PAGE = 5
 PAGES_NEARBY_DELTA = 2
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ def render_discussion(request, course_id, threads, discussion_id=None, \
         'forum': (lambda: reverse('django_comment_client.forum.views.forum_form_discussion', args=[course_id, discussion_id])),
     }[discussion_type]()
 
-    annotated_content_info = {thread['id']: get_annotated_content_info(thread, request.user.id) for thread in threads}
+    annotated_content_info = {thread['id']: get_annotated_content_info(thread, request.user, is_thread=True) for thread in threads}
 
     context = {
         'threads': threads,
@@ -127,17 +128,18 @@ def forum_form_discussion(request, course_id, discussion_id):
         return render_to_response('discussion/index.html', context)
 
 
-def get_annotated_content_info(content, user_id):
+def get_annotated_content_info(content, user, is_thread):
     return {
-        'editable': str(content['user_id']) == str(user_id), # TODO may relax this to instructors
+        'editable': check_permissions_by_view(user, content, "update_thread" if is_thread else "update_comment"),
+        'can_reply': check_permissions_by_view(user, content, "create_comment" if is_thread else "create_sub_comment"),
     }
 
-def get_annotated_content_infos(thread, user_id):
+def get_annotated_content_infos(thread, user):
     infos = {}
-    def _annotate(content):
-        infos[str(content['id'])] = get_annotated_content_info(content, user_id)
+    def _annotate(content, is_thread=True):
+        infos[str(content['id'])] = get_annotated_content_info(content, user, is_thread)
         for child in content.get('children', []):
-            _annotate(child)
+            _annotate(child, is_thread=False)
     _annotate(thread)
     return infos
 
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ def render_single_thread(request, course_id, thread_id):
     thread = comment_client.get_thread(thread_id, recursive=True)
 
     annotated_content_info = get_annotated_content_infos(thread=thread, \
-                                user_id=request.user.id)
+                                user=request.user, is_thread=True)
 
     context = {
         'thread': thread,
@@ -162,8 +164,7 @@ def single_thread(request, course_id, discussion_id, thread_id):
     if request.is_ajax():
         
         thread = comment_client.get_thread(thread_id, recursive=True)
-        annotated_content_info = get_annotated_content_infos(thread=thread, \
-                                user_id=request.user.id)
+        annotated_content_info = get_annotated_content_infos(thread, request.user)
         context = {'thread': thread}
         html = render_to_string('discussion/_ajax_single_thread.html', context)
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
index 3bd69969cb..7049bf7dbb 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
@@ -34,11 +34,76 @@ def assign_default_role(sender, instance, **kwargs):
     logging.info("assign_default_role: adding %s as %s" % (instance, role))
     instance.roles.add(role)
 
+
+def check_permissions(user, content, per):
+    """
+    Accepts a list of permissions and proceed if any of the permission is valid.
+    Note that check_permissions("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:
+        check_permissions(["can_view", "can_edit"])
+
+    Special conditions can be used like permissions, e.g. 
+        (["can_vote", "open"])  # where open is True if not content['closed']
+    """
+    permissions = filter(lambda x: len(x), list(per))
+
+    def test_permission(user, permission, operator="or"):
+        if isinstance(permission, basestring):
+            # import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
+            if permission == "":
+                return True
+            elif permission == "author":
+                return content["user_id"] == str(user.id)
+            elif permission == "open":
+                return not 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
+
+    return test_permission(user, permissions, operator="or")
+
+
+VIEW_PERMISSIONS = {
+    'update_thread'     :       ('edit_content', ['update_thread', 'open', 'author']),
+    'create_comment'    :       (["create_comment", "open"]),
+    'delete_thread'     :       ('delete_thread'),
+    'update_comment'    :       ('edit_content', ['update_comment', 'open', 'author']),
+    'endorse_comment'   :       ('endorse_comment'),
+    'openclose_thread'  :       ('openclose_thread'),
+    'create_sub_comment':       (['create_sub_comment', 'open']),
+    'delete_comment'    :       ('delete_comment'),
+    'vote_for_commend'  :       (['vote', 'open']),
+    'undo_vote_for_comment':    (['unvote', 'open']),
+    'vote_for_thread'   :       (['vote', 'open']),
+    'undo_vote_for_thread':     (['unvote', 'open']),
+    'follow_thread'     :       ('follow_thread'),
+    'follow_commentable':       ('follow_commentable'),
+    'follow_user'       :       ('follow_user'),
+    'unfollow_thread'   :       ('unfollow_thread'),
+    'unfollow_commentable':     ('unfollow_commentable'),
+    'unfollow_user'     :       ('unfollow_user'),
+    'create_thread'     :       ('create_thread'),
+}
+
+def check_permissions_by_view(user, content, name):
+    try:
+        p = VIEW_PERMISSIONS[name]
+    except KeyError:
+        logging.warning("Permission for view named %s does not exist in permissions.py" % name)
+    permissions = list((p, ) if isinstance(p, basestring) else p)
+    return check_permissions(user, content, permissions)
+
+
 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"])
+                                    "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", ])
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
index dc78802564..b2e6758b6b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
@@ -120,3 +120,7 @@ class JsonError(HttpResponse):
 class HtmlResponse(HttpResponse):
     def __init__(self, html=''):
         super(HtmlResponse, self).__init__(html, content_type='text/plain')
+
+class ViewNameMiddleware(object):  
+    def process_view(self, request, view_func, view_args, view_kwargs):  
+        request.view_name = view_func.__name__
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 2c7655b183..defae7cb12 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -294,6 +294,8 @@ MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
     'askbot.middleware.spaceless.SpacelessMiddleware',
     # 'askbot.middleware.pagesize.QuestionsPageSizeMiddleware',
     # 'debug_toolbar.middleware.DebugToolbarMiddleware',
+
+    'django_comment_client.utils.ViewNameMiddleware',
 )
 
 ############################### Pipeline #######################################
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
index b195514afa..2c0754e046 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/content.coffee
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ initializeFollowThread = (thread) ->
           $comment = $(response.html)
           $content.children(".comments").prepend($comment)
           Discussion.setWmdContent $content, $local, "reply-body", ""
+          Discussion.setContentInfo response.content['id'], 'can_reply', true
           Discussion.setContentInfo response.content['id'], 'editable', true
           Discussion.initializeContent($comment)
           Discussion.bindContentEvents($comment)
@@ -321,3 +322,5 @@ initializeFollowThread = (thread) ->
     id = $content.attr("_id")
     if not Discussion.getContentInfo id, 'editable'
       $local(".discussion-edit").remove()
+    if not Discussion.getContentInfo id, 'can_reply'
+      $local(".discussion-reply").remove()