Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/PresenceChatAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -re64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac -rbe6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/PresenceChatAction.java	(.../PresenceChatAction.java)	(revision e64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/webservice/PresenceChatAction.java	(.../PresenceChatAction.java)	(revision be6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee)
@@ -88,7 +88,11 @@
 	    // roster is used also to get messages by other users, so we need to synchronise on it
 	    synchronized (roster) {
 		Date currentDate = new Date(currentTime);
-		activeUsers.put(nickname, currentDate);
+		
+		if (!StringUtils.isBlank(nickname)) {
+		    // blank nickname means this is just check but user is not really using chat
+		    activeUsers.put(nickname, currentDate);
+		}
 
 		if (currentTime - lastCheckTime > IPresenceChatService.PRESENCE_IDLE_TIMEOUT) {
 		    // store active users
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@
 		    }
 
 		    lastCheckTime = currentTime;
-		} else {
+		} else if (!StringUtils.isBlank(nickname)) {
 		    roster.put(nickname, currentDate);
 		}
 
@@ -123,13 +127,13 @@
 	    HttpServletResponse response) {
 	try {
 	    long lessonId = WebUtil.readLongParam(request, AttributeNames.PARAM_LESSON_ID);
-	    boolean presenceShown = Boolean.parseBoolean(request.getParameter("presenceShown"));
+	    boolean getMessages = Boolean.parseBoolean(request.getParameter("getMessages"));
 	    // this is the current user
 	    String nickname = request.getParameter("to");
-
+ 
 	    JSONObject responseJSON = new JSONObject();
 	    // no need to fetch messages if presence is collapsed
-	    if (presenceShown) {
+	    if (getMessages && !StringUtils.isBlank(nickname)) {
 		// this is the other user from opened tab, null if it is group chat
 		String from = request.getParameter("from");
 		if (StringUtils.isBlank(from)) {
Index: lams_learning/web/includes/javascript/presence.js
===================================================================
diff -u -re64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac -rbe6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee
--- lams_learning/web/includes/javascript/presence.js	(.../presence.js)	(revision e64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac)
+++ lams_learning/web/includes/javascript/presence.js	(.../presence.js)	(revision be6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee)
@@ -214,18 +214,25 @@
 	// skip another attempt if previous did not return yet (slow server?)
 	if (!pollInProgress) {
 		pollInProgress = true;
-		var selected = presenceChatTabs.tabs('option','selected');
-		var from = getUserFromTabIndex(selected);
-		if (groupChatInfo.nick == from) {
-			from = null;
+		var from = null;
+		var selected = null;
+		var lastMessageUid = null;
+		var getMessages = presenceShown && presenceImEnabled;
+		if (getMessages) {
+			selected = presenceChatTabs.tabs('option','active');
+			from = getUserFromTabIndex(selected);
+			if (groupChatInfo.nick == from) {
+				from = null;
+			}
+			lastMessageUid = roster.lastMessageUids[from ? from : 'group'];
 		}
-		
+
 		$.ajax({
 			  url      : actionUrl,
 			  data     : {'method'          : 'getChatContent',
 					  	  'lessonID'        : lessonId,
-					  	  'presenceShown'   : presenceShown,
-					  	  'lastMessageUid'  : roster.lastMessageUids[from ? from : 'group'],
+					  	  'getMessages'     : getMessages,
+					  	  'lastMessageUid'  : lastMessageUid,
 					  	  'to'              : nickname,
 					  	  'from'            : from
 					  	 },
Index: lams_learning/web/presenceChat.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -re64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac -rbe6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee
--- lams_learning/web/presenceChat.jsp	(.../presenceChat.jsp)	(revision e64a90c0cc74118c5b88f5cbae323065abd59cac)
+++ lams_learning/web/presenceChat.jsp	(.../presenceChat.jsp)	(revision be6b9658350d706f615e5ce3e4a6b96b8513c5ee)
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 	var lamsUrl = "<lams:LAMSURL/>";
 	var actionUrl = lamsUrl + "PresenceChat.do";
 	var lessonId = "${param.lessonID}";
-	var presenceEnabled = "${param.presenceEnabledPatch}";
-	var presenceShown = ${param.presenceShown == 'true'};
-	var presenceImEnabled = "${param.presenceImEnabled}";
+	var presenceEnabled = ${param.presenceEnabledPatch eq 'true'};
+	var presenceShown = ${param.presenceShown eq 'true'};
+	var presenceImEnabled = ${param.presenceImEnabled eq 'true'};
 	var nickname = "<lams:user property="firstName"/>" + " " + "<lams:user property="lastName"/>";
 	
 	// labels used in JS file
@@ -37,34 +37,28 @@
 		// otherwise enable presence chat
 		else {
 			// if presence im is enabled
-			if (presenceEnabled == 'true') {
+			if (presenceEnabled) {
 				// make visible
 				presenceChat.removeClass("startHidden");
 				
 				// create chat tabs
-				presenceChatTabs = $("#presenceChatTabs").tabs({'scrollable'    : true,
-																// set default class for new panel
-																'panelTemplate' : '<div class="chatPanel"></div>'
-															   });
-				
-				// bind the select function to do extra stuff
-				presenceChatTabs.bind('tabsselect', function(event, ui) {
-					lastMessageUid = null;
-					// remove visual indicators of new message
-					var nick =  getUserFromTabIndex(ui.index);
-					var tag = nickToTag(nick);
-					$("#" + tagToTabLabel(tag)).removeClass('presenceTabNewMessage');
-					
-					if (nick != groupChatInfo.nick) {
-						$("#" + tagToListing(tag)).removeClass('presenceListingNewMessage');
+				presenceChatTabs = $("#presenceChatTabs").tabs({
+					'scrollable'    : true,
+					// set default class for new panel
+					'panelTemplate' : '<div class="chatPanel"></div>',
+					'activate' : function(event, ui) {
+						// remove visual indicators of new message
+						var nick =  getUserFromTabIndex(presenceChatTabs.tabs('option','active'));
+						var tag = nickToTag(nick);
+						$("#" + tagToTabLabel(tag)).removeClass('presenceTabNewMessage');
+						
+						if (nick != groupChatInfo.nick) {
+							$("#" + tagToListing(tag)).removeClass('presenceListingNewMessage');
+						}
+						
+						updateChat();
 					}
-	
-					// scroll to the clicked tab
-					presenceChatTabs.tabs('scrollTo', ui.tab.offsetLeft);
-				});
-				
-				// bind the show function to do extra stuff
-				presenceChatTabs.bind('tabsshow', updateChat);
+				   });
 			}
 			
 			// create roster tab