Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/rating/service/RatingService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r375f8bce2569de89cfce75b0b67cee5633d24822 -r4b94f3e897300b18ddde2da14ac81cff25557952
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/rating/service/RatingService.java	(.../RatingService.java)	(revision 375f8bce2569de89cfce75b0b67cee5633d24822)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/rating/service/RatingService.java	(.../RatingService.java)	(revision 4b94f3e897300b18ddde2da14ac81cff25557952)
@@ -193,6 +193,11 @@
     public List<ItemRatingDTO> getRatingCriteriaDtos(Long contentId, Collection<Long> itemIds,
 	    boolean isCommentsByOtherUsersRequired, Long userId) {
 
+	// fail safe - if there are no items, don't try to look anything up! LDEV-4094
+	if ( itemIds == null || itemIds.isEmpty() ) {
+	    return new LinkedList<ItemRatingDTO>();
+	}
+
 	//initial preparations
 	NumberFormat numberFormat = NumberFormat.getInstance(Locale.US);
 	numberFormat.setMaximumFractionDigits(1);