Index: lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/LearningAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r6384417b366772b66b92f64b43f7609e583efc8b -rd702d483647b1a6f71b95add900b718fefc34cc3
--- lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/LearningAction.java	(.../LearningAction.java)	(revision 6384417b366772b66b92f64b43f7609e583efc8b)
+++ lams_tool_notebook/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/notebook/web/actions/LearningAction.java	(.../LearningAction.java)	(revision d702d483647b1a6f71b95add900b718fefc34cc3)
@@ -139,8 +139,10 @@
 		}
 		
 		// get any existing notebook entry
-		NotebookEntry nbEntry = notebookService.getEntry(notebookUser
-				.getEntryUID());
+		NotebookEntry nbEntry = null;
+		if ( notebookUser != null ) {
+			nbEntry = notebookService.getEntry(notebookUser.getEntryUID());
+		}
 		if (nbEntry != null) {
 			learningForm.setEntryText(nbEntry.getEntry());
 		}
Index: lams_tool_notebook/web/pages/learning/notebook.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -recfd06ed9f05e30114b9ed8d1600a251bb7681d8 -rd702d483647b1a6f71b95add900b718fefc34cc3
--- lams_tool_notebook/web/pages/learning/notebook.jsp	(.../notebook.jsp)	(revision ecfd06ed9f05e30114b9ed8d1600a251bb7681d8)
+++ lams_tool_notebook/web/pages/learning/notebook.jsp	(.../notebook.jsp)	(revision d702d483647b1a6f71b95add900b718fefc34cc3)
@@ -37,17 +37,19 @@
 							styleClass="text-area"></html:textarea>
 					</c:otherwise>
 				</c:choose>
+
+				<div class="space-bottom-top align-right">
+					<html:submit styleClass="button" styleId="finishButton">
+						<fmt:message>button.finish</fmt:message>
+					</html:submit>
+				</div>
+
 			</c:when>
 
 			<c:otherwise>
 					<lams:out value="${lrnForm.entryText}" />
 				</c:otherwise>
 		</c:choose>
 
-		<div class="space-bottom-top align-right">
-			<html:submit styleClass="button" styleId="finishButton">
-				<fmt:message>button.finish</fmt:message>
-			</html:submit>
-		</div>
 	</html:form>
 </div>