Index: lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/controller/AuthoringController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rf7837f2892736221011a0eb6cbef1027b6692224 -rc680ce61e5a1b9f8a764b8d99f8ca701955223d8
--- lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision f7837f2892736221011a0eb6cbef1027b6692224)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/web/controller/AuthoringController.java	(.../AuthoringController.java)	(revision c680ce61e5a1b9f8a764b8d99f8ca701955223d8)
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@
 	sessionMap.put(AssessmentConstants.ATTR_IS_AUTHORING_RESTRICTED, isAssessmentAttempted && mode.isTeacher());
 	sessionMap.put(AttributeNames.ATTR_MODE, mode);
 	sessionMap.put(AssessmentConstants.ATTR_ASSESSMENT_FORM, assessmentForm);
+
+	boolean questionEtherpadEnabled = StringUtils.isNotBlank(Configuration.get(ConfigurationKeys.ETHERPAD_API_KEY));
+	sessionMap.put(AssessmentConstants.ATTR_IS_QUESTION_ETHERPAD_ENABLED, questionEtherpadEnabled);
+
 	return "pages/authoring/start";
     }
 
Index: lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r0dc158981713b0ab875102e364bd7c4a3a0e2235 -rc680ce61e5a1b9f8a764b8d99f8ca701955223d8
--- lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp	(.../advance.jsp)	(revision 0dc158981713b0ab875102e364bd7c4a3a0e2235)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/web/pages/authoring/advance.jsp	(.../advance.jsp)	(revision c680ce61e5a1b9f8a764b8d99f8ca701955223d8)
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 <%@ include file="/common/taglibs.jsp"%>
 <%@ page import="org.lamsfoundation.lams.confidencelevel.ConfidenceLevelDTO"%>
+<c:set var="sessionMapID" value="${assessmentForm.sessionMapID}" />
+<c:set var="sessionMap" value="${sessionScope[sessionMapID]}" />
 
 <script lang="javascript">
 	$(document).ready(function(){
@@ -73,12 +75,16 @@
 	</label>
 </div>
 
-<div class="checkbox loffset20" <c:if test="${!assessmentForm.assessment.useSelectLeaderToolOuput}">style="display:none;"</c:if>>
-	<label for="questionEtherpadEnabled">
-		<form:checkbox path="assessment.questionEtherpadEnabled" id="questionEtherpadEnabled"/>
-		<fmt:message key="label.authoring.advance.question.etherpad" />
-	</label>
-</div>
+<c:if test="${sessionMap.isQuestionEtherpadEnabled}">
+	<div class="checkbox loffset20"
+		<c:if test="${!assessmentForm.assessment.useSelectLeaderToolOuput}">style="display:none;"</c:if>>
+		<label for="questionEtherpadEnabled">
+			<form:checkbox path="assessment.questionEtherpadEnabled" id="questionEtherpadEnabled"/>
+			<fmt:message key="label.authoring.advance.question.etherpad" />
+		</label>
+	</div>
+</c:if>
+
 </lams:SimplePanel>
 
 <lams:SimplePanel titleKey="label.question.options">