diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
index ead9bc9999..305f3d0929 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
@@ -342,4 +342,8 @@ def safe_content(content):
     if (content.get('anonymous') is False) and (content.get('anonymous_to_peers') is False):
         fields += ['username', 'user_id']
 
+    if 'children' in content:
+        safe_children = [safe_content(child) for child in content['children']]
+        content['children'] = safe_children
+
     return strip_none(extract(content, fields))
diff --git a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_show_view.coffee b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_show_view.coffee
index d0de32bd7a..7ae8f779c5 100644
--- a/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_show_view.coffee
+++ b/lms/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/response_comment_show_view.coffee
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ if Backbone?
 
     addReplyLink: () ->
       if @model.hasOwnProperty('parent')
-        html = "<a href='#comment_#{@model.parent.id}'>@#{@model.parent.get('username')}</a>:  "
+        name = @model.parent.get('username') ? "anonymous"
+        html = "<a href='#comment_#{@model.parent.id}'>@#{name}</a>:  "
         p = @$('.response-body p:first')
         p.prepend(html)
 
diff --git a/lms/static/sass/_discussion.scss b/lms/static/sass/_discussion.scss
index 7a697923d9..78bda06442 100644
--- a/lms/static/sass/_discussion.scss
+++ b/lms/static/sass/_discussion.scss
@@ -1702,6 +1702,12 @@ body.discussion {
   background: #f6f6f6 !important;
   border-radius: 3px;
 
+  header {
+    .anonymous{
+      font-size: 15px;
+    }
+  }
+
   .responses {
     margin-top: 40px;
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
index 69a3bac1ed..bf1eb596d4 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@
     <header class="response-local">
         <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="vote-btn" data-tooltip="vote"><span class="plus-icon"></span><span class="votes-count-number">${"<%- votes['up_count'] %>"}</span></a>
         <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="endorse-btn${'<% if (endorsed) { %> is-endorsed<% } %>'} action-endorse" style="cursor: default; display: none;" data-tooltip="endorse"><span class="check-icon" style="pointer-events: none; "></span></a>
-        <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="posted-by">${"<%- username %>"}</a>
+        ${"<% if (obj.username) { %>"}
+        <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="posted-by">${'<%- username %>'}</a>
+        ${"<% } else {print('<span class=\"anonymous\"><em>anonymous</em></span>');} %>"}
         <p class="posted-details" title="${'<%- created_at %>'}">${'<%- created_at %>'}</p>
     </header>
     <div class="response-local"><div class="response-body">${"<%- body %>"}</div></div>
@@ -121,7 +123,11 @@
     <div class="response-body">
       ${'<%- body %>'}
     </div>
-    <p class="posted-details">&ndash;posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%- created_at %>'}">${'<%- created_at %>'}</span> by <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="profile-link">${'<%- username %>'}</a></p>
+    <p class="posted-details">&ndash;posted <span class="timeago" title="${'<%- created_at %>'}">${'<%- created_at %>'}</span> by 
+        ${"<% if (obj.username) { %>"}
+        <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="profile-link">${'<%- username %>'}</a>
+        ${"<% } else {print('anonymous');} %>"}
+    </p>
   </div>
 </script>