Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml
===================================================================
diff -u -r5540073d41b09023132de765ea353e297a50e524 -r31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml	(.../commonContext.xml)	(revision 5540073d41b09023132de765ea353e297a50e524)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml	(.../commonContext.xml)	(revision 31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287)
@@ -555,8 +555,9 @@
 		</property>
 		<property name="transactionAttributes">
 			<props>
-				<prop key="is*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED,readOnly</prop>
-				<prop key="has*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED,readOnly</prop>
+				<prop key="is*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
+				<prop key="has*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
+				<prop key="ensure*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			</props>
 		</property>
 	</bean>
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/security/SecurityDAO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r8830dd5050d233d69e83a761594e3ef9ed30b028 -r31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/security/SecurityDAO.java	(.../SecurityDAO.java)	(revision 8830dd5050d233d69e83a761594e3ef9ed30b028)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/security/SecurityDAO.java	(.../SecurityDAO.java)	(revision 31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287)
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 
-import org.hibernate.Query;
-import org.hibernate.SQLQuery;
+import org.hibernate.query.Query;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.dao.hibernate.LAMSBaseDAO;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.lesson.Lesson;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.usermanagement.Organisation;
@@ -75,11 +74,8 @@
 
     @Override
     public boolean hasOrgRole(Integer orgId, Integer userId, String... roles) {
-	Query query = getSession().createQuery(SecurityDAO.CHECK_ORG_ROLE);
-	query.setParameter("orgId", orgId);
-	query.setParameter("userId", userId);
-	query.setParameterList("roles", roles);
-	return !query.setCacheable(true).list().isEmpty();
+	return !doFindByNamedParam(SecurityDAO.CHECK_ORG_ROLE, new String[] { "orgId", "userId", "roles" },
+		new Object[] { orgId, userId, roles }).isEmpty();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -96,9 +92,9 @@
 
     @Override
     public boolean isLessonLearner(Long lessonId, Integer userId) {
-	SQLQuery query = getSession().createSQLQuery(SecurityDAO.CHECK_LESSON_LEARNER);
-	query.setLong("lessonId", lessonId);
-	query.setInteger("user_id", userId);
+	Query query = getSession().createSQLQuery(SecurityDAO.CHECK_LESSON_LEARNER);
+	query.setParameter("lessonId", lessonId);
+	query.setParameter("user_id", userId);
 	return !query.list().isEmpty();
     }
 
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/presence/PresenceWebsocketServer.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rf3e44aee5373a1233080ea5acd1cb5959bb46544 -r31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/presence/PresenceWebsocketServer.java	(.../PresenceWebsocketServer.java)	(revision f3e44aee5373a1233080ea5acd1cb5959bb46544)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/presence/PresenceWebsocketServer.java	(.../PresenceWebsocketServer.java)	(revision 31bce49235ce48b8f2b5367aa7153d4341664287)
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.learning.presence;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -121,6 +122,10 @@
 	    try {
 		ArrayNode rosterJSON = roster.getRosterJSON();
 		for (Session websocket : lessonWebsockets) {
+		    if (!websocket.isOpen()) {
+			PresenceWebsocketServer.removeWebsocket(websocket, lessonWebsockets);
+			continue;
+		    }
 		    // if this run is meant only for one learner, skip the others
 		    String websocketNickName = (String) websocket.getUserProperties().get(PARAM_NICKNAME);
 		    if ((nickName != null) && !nickName.equals(websocketNickName)) {
@@ -279,14 +284,7 @@
     public void unregisterUser(Session websocket) {
 	Long lessonId = (Long) websocket.getUserProperties().get(AttributeNames.PARAM_LESSON_ID);
 	Set<Session> lessonWebsockets = PresenceWebsocketServer.websockets.get(lessonId);
-	Iterator<Session> sessionIterator = lessonWebsockets.iterator();
-	while (sessionIterator.hasNext()) {
-	    Session storedSession = sessionIterator.next();
-	    if (storedSession.equals(websocket)) {
-		sessionIterator.remove();
-		break;
-	    }
-	}
+	PresenceWebsocketServer.removeWebsocket(websocket, lessonWebsockets);
 
 	if (PresenceWebsocketServer.log.isDebugEnabled()) {
 	    PresenceWebsocketServer.log.debug("User " + websocket.getUserProperties().get(PARAM_NICKNAME)
@@ -398,6 +396,20 @@
 	return messagesJSON;
     }
 
+    private static void removeWebsocket(Session websocket, Collection<Session> lessonWebsockets) {
+	if (lessonWebsockets == null) {
+	    return;
+	}
+	Iterator<Session> sessionIterator = lessonWebsockets.iterator();
+	while (sessionIterator.hasNext()) {
+	    Session storedSession = sessionIterator.next();
+	    if (storedSession.equals(websocket)) {
+		sessionIterator.remove();
+		break;
+	    }
+	}
+    }
+
     private static ObjectNode buildMessageJSON(PresenceChatMessage message) {
 	ObjectNode messageJSON = JsonNodeFactory.instance.objectNode();
 	messageJSON.put("uid", message.getUid());