Index: lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/WhiteboardUserDAO.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262 -r8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a
--- lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/WhiteboardUserDAO.java	(.../WhiteboardUserDAO.java)	(revision 90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262)
+++ lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/WhiteboardUserDAO.java	(.../WhiteboardUserDAO.java)	(revision 8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a)
@@ -28,10 +28,12 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.dao.IBaseDAO;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.whiteboard.model.WhiteboardUser;
 
-public interface WhiteboardUserDAO extends IBaseDAO{
+public interface WhiteboardUserDAO extends IBaseDAO {
 
     WhiteboardUser getUserByUserIDAndSessionID(Long userID, Long sessionId);
 
+    WhiteboardUser getLearnerByUserIDAndContent(Long userId, Long contentId);
+
     WhiteboardUser getUserByUserIDAndContentID(Long userId, Long contentId);
 
     List<WhiteboardUser> getBySessionID(Long sessionId);
Index: lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/hibernate/WhiteboardUserDAOHibernate.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262 -r8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a
--- lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/hibernate/WhiteboardUserDAOHibernate.java	(.../WhiteboardUserDAOHibernate.java)	(revision 90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262)
+++ lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/dao/hibernate/WhiteboardUserDAOHibernate.java	(.../WhiteboardUserDAOHibernate.java)	(revision 8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a)
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 
     private static final String FIND_BY_USER_ID_CONTENT_ID = "from " + WhiteboardUser.class.getName()
 	    + " as u where u.userId =? and u.whiteboard.contentId=?";
+    private static final String FIND_LEARNER_BY_USER_ID_CONTENT_ID = FIND_BY_USER_ID_CONTENT_ID
+	    + " AND u.session IS NOT NULL";
     private static final String FIND_BY_USER_ID_SESSION_ID = "from " + WhiteboardUser.class.getName()
 	    + " as u where u.userId =? and u.session.sessionId=?";
     private static final String FIND_BY_SESSION_ID = "from " + WhiteboardUser.class.getName()
@@ -50,6 +52,15 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public WhiteboardUser getLearnerByUserIDAndContent(Long userId, Long contentId) {
+	List<?> list = this.doFind(FIND_LEARNER_BY_USER_ID_CONTENT_ID, new Object[] { userId, contentId });
+	if (list == null || list.size() == 0) {
+	    return null;
+	}
+	return (WhiteboardUser) list.get(0);
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public WhiteboardUser getUserByUserIDAndContentID(Long userId, Long contentId) {
 	List<?> list = this.doFind(FIND_BY_USER_ID_CONTENT_ID, new Object[] { userId, contentId });
 	if (list == null || list.size() == 0) {
Index: lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/IWhiteboardService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rd1b5adfc103345fa2525236c53313dcda1cfb7c0 -r8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a
--- lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/IWhiteboardService.java	(.../IWhiteboardService.java)	(revision d1b5adfc103345fa2525236c53313dcda1cfb7c0)
+++ lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/IWhiteboardService.java	(.../IWhiteboardService.java)	(revision 8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a)
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@
 
     List<User> getPossibleIndividualTimeLimitUsers(long toolContentId, String searchString);
 
+    /**
+     * Get learner by given user ID and tool content ID, i.e. user who has a session assigned.
+     */
+    WhiteboardUser getLearnerByIDAndContent(Long userId, Long contentId);
+
     WhiteboardUser getUserByIDAndContent(Long userID, Long contentId);
 
     WhiteboardUser getUserByLoginAndContent(String login, long contentId);
Index: lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/WhiteboardService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r3c4e1e8fb214d5f82dc908c6520ef99178d5e5e4 -r8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a
--- lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/WhiteboardService.java	(.../WhiteboardService.java)	(revision 3c4e1e8fb214d5f82dc908c6520ef99178d5e5e4)
+++ lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/service/WhiteboardService.java	(.../WhiteboardService.java)	(revision 8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a)
@@ -224,10 +224,17 @@
     public LocalDateTime launchTimeLimit(long toolContentId, int userId) {
 	WhiteboardUser user = getUserByIDAndContent(Long.valueOf(userId), toolContentId);
 	if (user != null) {
+	    WhiteboardSession session = user.getSession();
+	    Whiteboard whiteboard = session.getWhiteboard();
+
 	    LocalDateTime launchedDate = LocalDateTime.now();
 	    user.setTimeLimitLaunchedDate(launchedDate);
 	    whiteboardUserDao.update(user);
-	    return launchedDate;
+	    // if the user is not a leader, store his launch date, but return null so the leader's launch date is in use
+	    if (!whiteboard.isUseSelectLeaderToolOuput() || (session.getGroupLeader() != null
+		    && session.getGroupLeader().getUserId().equals(Long.valueOf(userId)))) {
+		return launchedDate;
+	    }
 	}
 	return null;
     }
@@ -245,6 +252,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public WhiteboardUser getLearnerByIDAndContent(Long userId, Long contentId) {
+	return whiteboardUserDao.getLearnerByUserIDAndContent(userId, contentId);
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public WhiteboardUser getUserByIDAndContent(Long userId, Long contentId) {
 	return whiteboardUserDao.getUserByUserIDAndContentID(userId, contentId);
     }
Index: lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/web/controller/LearningWebsocketServer.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262 -r8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a
--- lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/web/controller/LearningWebsocketServer.java	(.../LearningWebsocketServer.java)	(revision 90e5fd15f6474eb56d0b497d1b73e14bda75e262)
+++ lams_tool_whiteboard/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/whiteboard/web/controller/LearningWebsocketServer.java	(.../LearningWebsocketServer.java)	(revision 8619d599fd212a4b3b5d17bda4f340b76849684a)
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@
 	existingTimeSettings.timeLimitAdjustment = whiteboard.getTimeLimitAdjustments();
 
 	for (Integer userId : userIds) {
-	    WhiteboardUser user = whiteboardService.getUserByIDAndContent(userId.longValue(), toolContentId);
+	    WhiteboardUser user = whiteboardService.getLearnerByIDAndContent(userId.longValue(), toolContentId);
+	    if (whiteboard.isUseSelectLeaderToolOuput()) {
+		// if team leader is enabled, show consistent timer for all group members
+		user = user.getSession().getGroupLeader();
+	    }
 	    if (user != null && user.getTimeLimitLaunchedDate() != null) {
 		existingTimeSettings.timeLimitLaunchedDate.put(userId, user.getTimeLimitLaunchedDate());
 	    }