Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/controller/LearningController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r62aaf160878735888d077bf28fac3c1989bb8fbd -r56d688cfa2d286f1c63e48ed58b53dad40b0ed9e
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/controller/LearningController.java	(.../LearningController.java)	(revision 62aaf160878735888d077bf28fac3c1989bb8fbd)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/controller/LearningController.java	(.../LearningController.java)	(revision 56d688cfa2d286f1c63e48ed58b53dad40b0ed9e)
@@ -611,6 +611,11 @@
     @RequestMapping("/createTopic")
     public String createTopic(@ModelAttribute MessageForm messageForm, HttpServletRequest request)
 	    throws IOException, ServletException, PersistenceException {
+	MultiValueMap<String, String> errorMap = messageForm.validate(request, messageService);
+	if (!errorMap.isEmpty()) {
+	    request.setAttribute("errorMap", errorMap);
+	    return "jsps/learning/create";
+	}
 
 	SessionMap sessionMap = getSessionMap(request, messageForm);
 	Long forumId = (Long) sessionMap.get(ForumConstants.ATTR_FORUM_ID);
Index: lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/forms/MessageForm.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r084f494736aefde70938e39eded1a334f0886e5f -r56d688cfa2d286f1c63e48ed58b53dad40b0ed9e
--- lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/forms/MessageForm.java	(.../MessageForm.java)	(revision 084f494736aefde70938e39eded1a334f0886e5f)
+++ lams_tool_forum/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/forum/web/forms/MessageForm.java	(.../MessageForm.java)	(revision 56d688cfa2d286f1c63e48ed58b53dad40b0ed9e)
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.FileUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.FileValidatorSpringUtil;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.util.MessageService;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Qualifier;
 import org.springframework.util.LinkedMultiValueMap;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
 import org.springframework.web.multipart.MultipartFile;
@@ -50,10 +48,6 @@
     private static final long serialVersionUID = -9054365604649146734L;
     private static Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(MessageForm.class.getName());
 
-    @Autowired
-    @Qualifier("forumMessageService")
-    private MessageService messageService;
-
     protected Message message;
     protected String sessionMapID;
     protected Long forumId;
@@ -74,7 +68,7 @@
      * MessageForm validation method from STRUCT interface.
      *
      */
-    public MultiValueMap<String, String> validate(HttpServletRequest request) {
+    public MultiValueMap<String, String> validate(HttpServletRequest request, MessageService messageService) {
 
 	MultiValueMap<String, String> errorMap = new LinkedMultiValueMap<String, String>();