Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Forum.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rf1e0b7ce7d91dd9bb8c03647456beec2be16b612 -r4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Forum.java	(.../Forum.java)	(revision f1e0b7ce7d91dd9bb8c03647456beec2be16b612)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Forum.java	(.../Forum.java)	(revision 4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf)
@@ -499,6 +499,17 @@
 	fromContent.toolContentHandler = forumToolContentHandler;
 	toContent = (Forum) fromContent.clone();
 	toContent.setContentId(contentId);
+	
+	Set topics = toContent.getMessages();
+	if (topics != null) {
+	    Iterator iter = topics.iterator();
+	    while (iter.hasNext()) {
+		Message msg = (Message) iter.next();
+		// clear message forum so that they can be saved when persistent happens
+		msg.setForum(null);
+	    }
+	}
+	
 	return toContent;
     }
 
Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Message.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r901372af1b71238311d32a55f25ec8ba637bf5ca -r4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Message.java	(.../Message.java)	(revision 901372af1b71238311d32a55f25ec8ba637bf5ca)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/persistence/Message.java	(.../Message.java)	(revision 4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf)
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@
     }
 
     /**
-     * @return the set of all messages cloned from this message. See getAuthoredParent().
+     * @return the set of all messages cloned from this message.
      * 
      * @hibernate.set cascade="none" inverse="false"
      * @hibernate.collection-key column="authored_parent_uid"
Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r84151d175a3fce3cd3ff1bd4eeccfd7cbef01802 -r4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision 84151d175a3fce3cd3ff1bd4eeccfd7cbef01802)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/service/ForumService.java	(.../ForumService.java)	(revision 4fb3d978934e94b0008c9ff0bcdd53258298b1cf)
@@ -499,9 +499,8 @@
     }
 
     public Long getToolDefaultContentIdBySignature(String toolSignature) {
-	Long contentId = null;
-	contentId = new Long(toolService.getToolDefaultContentIdBySignature(toolSignature));
-	if (contentId == null) {
+	Long contentId = new Long(toolService.getToolDefaultContentIdBySignature(toolSignature));
+	if (contentId.equals(0L)) {
 	    String error = "Could not retrieve default content id for this tool";
 	    ForumService.log.error(error);
 	    throw new ForumException(error);
@@ -1037,19 +1036,8 @@
 	    defaultContent.getConditions().add(getForumOutputFactory().createDefaultTopicDateToAnswersCondition(defaultContent));
 	}
 	// get default content by given ID.
-	Forum content = new Forum();
-	content = Forum.newInstance(defaultContent, contentID, forumToolContentHandler);
+	Forum content = Forum.newInstance(defaultContent, contentID, forumToolContentHandler);
 
-	Set topics = content.getMessages();
-	if (topics != null) {
-	    Iterator iter = topics.iterator();
-	    while (iter.hasNext()) {
-		Message msg = (Message) iter.next();
-		// clear message forum so that they can be saved when persistent happens
-		msg.setForum(null);
-	    }
-	}
-
 	return content;
     }