Index: lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -re423418cca5e77a3b54cb3be496b67abe01c4183 -r0f6e04d06144f4d55986abbf6fbcf2222cf0d43c
--- lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision e423418cca5e77a3b54cb3be496b67abe01c4183)
+++ lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision 0f6e04d06144f4d55986abbf6fbcf2222cf0d43c)
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.scratchie.web.form.ScratchiePedagogicalPlannerForm;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.service.IUserManagementService;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.CommonConstants;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.Configuration;
+import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.ConfigurationKeys;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.FileUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.MessageService;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.WebUtil;
@@ -205,6 +207,10 @@
 	}
 	sessionMap.put(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE, mode);
 	sessionMap.put(ScratchieConstants.ATTR_RESOURCE_FORM, authoringForm);
+
+	boolean questionEtherpadEnabled = StringUtils.isNotBlank(Configuration.get(ConfigurationKeys.ETHERPAD_API_KEY));
+	sessionMap.put(ScratchieConstants.ATTR_IS_QUESTION_ETHERPAD_ENABLED, questionEtherpadEnabled);
+
 	return "pages/authoring/start";
     }
 
Index: lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r4a9a06ad52fb2597bdf42ec929b5d010dbfaab39 -r0f6e04d06144f4d55986abbf6fbcf2222cf0d43c
--- lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp	(.../advance.jsp)	(revision 4a9a06ad52fb2597bdf42ec929b5d010dbfaab39)
+++ lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp	(.../advance.jsp)	(revision 0f6e04d06144f4d55986abbf6fbcf2222cf0d43c)
@@ -64,12 +64,14 @@
 		</label>
 	</div>
 	
-	<div class="checkbox">
-		<label for="question-etherpad-enabled">
-			<form:checkbox path="scratchie.questionEtherpadEnabled" id="question-etherpad-enabled"/>
-			<fmt:message key="label.authoring.advanced.question.etherpad" />
-		</label>
-	</div>
+	<c:if test="${sessionMap.isQuestionEtherpadEnabled}">
+		<div class="checkbox">
+			<label for="question-etherpad-enabled">
+				<form:checkbox path="scratchie.questionEtherpadEnabled" id="question-etherpad-enabled"/>
+				<fmt:message key="label.authoring.advanced.question.etherpad" />
+			</label>
+		</div>
+	</c:if>
 	
 	<div class="checkbox">
 		<label for="shuffle-items">