Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml
===================================================================
diff -u -rdfe9ef3dde4b722b5d87c4964a66f19fd48ea2b0 -r3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml	(.../toolApplicationContext.xml)	(revision dfe9ef3dde4b722b5d87c4964a66f19fd48ea2b0)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml	(.../toolApplicationContext.xml)	(revision 3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6)
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 		<property name="target"><ref local="lamsCoreToolServiceTarget"/></property>
 		<property name="transactionAttributes">
 			<props>
-				<prop key="createToolSession*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
+				<prop key="createToolSession*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED,+java.lang.Exception</prop>
 				<prop key="notifyTool*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			    <prop key="update*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			    <prop key="remove*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rb2616ff3a4153db1ee5f5f3919772b3bb6224893 -r3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java	(.../LoadToolActivityAction.java)	(revision b2616ff3a4153db1ee5f5f3919772b3bb6224893)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java	(.../LoadToolActivityAction.java)	(revision 3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6)
@@ -75,10 +75,14 @@
 		ActivityMapping actionMappings = LearnerServiceProxy.getActivityMapping(this.getServlet().getServletContext());
 		
 		ICoreLearnerService learnerService = getLearnerService();
-		LearnerProgress learnerProgress = LearningWebUtil.getLearnerProgress(request,learnerService);
-		Activity activity = LearningWebUtil.getActivityFromRequest(request, learnerService);
-		learnerService.createToolSessionsIfNecessary(activity, learnerProgress);
-				
+        	LearnerProgress learnerProgress = LearningWebUtil.getLearnerProgress(request, learnerService);
+        	Activity activity = LearningWebUtil.getActivityFromRequest(request, learnerService);
+        	try {
+        	    learnerService.createToolSessionsIfNecessary(activity, learnerProgress);
+        	} catch (Exception e) {
+        	    log.warn("Got exception while trying to create a tool session, but carrying on.", e);
+        	}
+
 		form.setActivityID(activity.getActivityId());
 		
 		String mappingName = "displayTool";