Index: lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/controller/AuthoringController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rf7937adfea85b6a6976eaa98df8c68db93f9f060 -r8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e
--- lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision f7937adfea85b6a6976eaa98df8c68db93f9f060)
+++ lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision 8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e)
@@ -107,14 +107,13 @@
 	ToolAccessMode mode = WebUtil.readToolAccessModeAuthorDefaulted(request);
 	return readDatabaseData(form, request, mode);
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Set the defineLater flag so that learners cannot use content while we are editing. This flag is released when
      * updateContent is called.
      */
     @RequestMapping(path = "/definelater", method = RequestMethod.POST)
-    public String definelater(@ModelAttribute("authoringForm") QaAuthoringForm form,
-	    HttpServletRequest request) {
+    public String definelater(@ModelAttribute("authoringForm") QaAuthoringForm form, HttpServletRequest request) {
 	Long toolContentID = WebUtil.readLongParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_TOOL_CONTENT_ID);
 	qaService.setDefineLater(toolContentID, true);
 
@@ -317,7 +316,7 @@
 	    @RequestParam String sessionMapID, @RequestParam Long qbQuestionUid) {
 	SessionMap<String, Object> sessionMap = getSessionMap(form, request);
 	SortedSet<QaQueContent> qaQuestions = getQuestions(sessionMap);
-	
+
 	//check whether this QB question is a duplicate
 	for (QaQueContent qaQuestion : qaQuestions) {
 	    if (qbQuestionUid.equals(qaQuestion.getQbQuestion().getUid())) {
@@ -342,7 +341,7 @@
 
 	return "authoring/itemlist";
     }
-    
+
     /**
      * Shows "This question has already been added" error message in a browser.
      */
@@ -439,11 +438,11 @@
 	//take care about question's collections. add to collection first
 	Long oldCollectionUid = form.getOldCollectionUid();
 	Long newCollectionUid = form.getNewCollectionUid();
-	if (isAddingQuestion || !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
+	if (isAddingQuestion || (newCollectionUid != null && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid))) {
 	    qbService.addQuestionToCollection(newCollectionUid, updatedQuestion.getQuestionId(), false);
 	}
 	//remove from the old collection, if needed
-	if (!isAddingQuestion && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
+	if (!isAddingQuestion && newCollectionUid != null && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
 	    qbService.removeQuestionFromCollectionByQuestionId(oldCollectionUid, updatedQuestion.getQuestionId(),
 		    false);
 	}
Index: lams_tool_laqa/web/authoring/newQuestionBox.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -re6dc4db4137cfd6b07a4aa79711b9d12b39fb78e -r8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e
--- lams_tool_laqa/web/authoring/newQuestionBox.jsp	(.../newQuestionBox.jsp)	(revision e6dc4db4137cfd6b07a4aa79711b9d12b39fb78e)
+++ lams_tool_laqa/web/authoring/newQuestionBox.jsp	(.../newQuestionBox.jsp)	(revision 8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e)
@@ -174,7 +174,8 @@
 		<footer class="footer fixed-bottom">
 			<div class="panel-heading ">
 		       	<div class="col-xs-12x col-md-6x form-groupx rowx form-inlinex btn-group-md voffset5">
-		       		<span>
+					<%-- Hide if the question is not in users' collections  --%>
+       				<span <c:if test="${empty newQuestionForm.userCollections}">style="visibility: hidden;"</c:if>>
 			       		Collection
 			        		
 						<select class="btn btn-md btn-default" id="collection-uid-select">
Index: lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -re6dc4db4137cfd6b07a4aa79711b9d12b39fb78e -r8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e
--- lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision e6dc4db4137cfd6b07a4aa79711b9d12b39fb78e)
+++ lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision 8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e)
@@ -543,11 +543,11 @@
 	//take care about question's collections. add to collection first
 	Long oldCollectionUid = form.getOldCollectionUid();
 	Long newCollectionUid = form.getNewCollectionUid();
-	if (isAddingQuestion || !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
+	if (isAddingQuestion || (newCollectionUid != null && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid))) {
 	    qbService.addQuestionToCollection(newCollectionUid, updatedQuestion.getQuestionId(), false);
 	}
 	//remove from the old collection, if needed
-	if (!isAddingQuestion && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
+	if (!isAddingQuestion && newCollectionUid != null && !newCollectionUid.equals(oldCollectionUid)) {
 	    qbService.removeQuestionFromCollectionByQuestionId(oldCollectionUid, updatedQuestion.getQuestionId(),
 		    false);
 	}
Index: lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/parts/addItemFooter.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -re8a7110708b15579af2c6b31ac52a6da427fef6d -r8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e
--- lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/parts/addItemFooter.jsp	(.../addItemFooter.jsp)	(revision e8a7110708b15579af2c6b31ac52a6da427fef6d)
+++ lams_tool_scratchie/web/pages/authoring/parts/addItemFooter.jsp	(.../addItemFooter.jsp)	(revision 8a10262db418fe16a5ac30cb2123feddea6f162e)
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 <footer class="footer fixed-bottom">
 	<div class="panel-heading ">
        	<div class="col-xs-12x col-md-6x form-groupx rowx form-inlinex btn-group-md voffset5">
-       		<span>
+       		<%-- Hide if the question is not in users' collections  --%>
+       		<span <c:if test="${empty scratchieItemForm.userCollections}">style="visibility: hidden;"</c:if>>
 	       		Collection
 	        		
 				<select class="btn btn-md btn-default" id="collection-uid-select">