Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml
===================================================================
diff -u -r3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6 -reef53b6e15f06522b963c773417aacbcfdcf99b6
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml	(.../toolApplicationContext.xml)	(revision 3964cdfe296f1449e9b31978efc16e4a38a1c5d6)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/toolApplicationContext.xml	(.../toolApplicationContext.xml)	(revision eef53b6e15f06522b963c773417aacbcfdcf99b6)
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 		<property name="target"><ref local="lamsCoreToolServiceTarget"/></property>
 		<property name="transactionAttributes">
 			<props>
-				<prop key="createToolSession*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED,+java.lang.Exception</prop>
+				<prop key="createToolSession*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 				<prop key="notifyTool*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			    <prop key="update*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			    <prop key="remove*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
Index: lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r733eb2e21e1eb54366032ebb068168f7315c6cf5 -reef53b6e15f06522b963c773417aacbcfdcf99b6
--- lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java	(.../LoadToolActivityAction.java)	(revision 733eb2e21e1eb54366032ebb068168f7315c6cf5)
+++ lams_learning/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/learning/web/action/LoadToolActivityAction.java	(.../LoadToolActivityAction.java)	(revision eef53b6e15f06522b963c773417aacbcfdcf99b6)
@@ -77,7 +77,11 @@
 		ICoreLearnerService learnerService = getLearnerService();
 		LearnerProgress learnerProgress = LearningWebUtil.getLearnerProgress(request,learnerService);
 		Activity activity = LearningWebUtil.getActivityFromRequest(request, learnerService);
+        	try {
 		learnerService.createToolSessionsIfNecessary(activity, learnerProgress);
+        	} catch (Exception e) {
+        	    log.warn("Got exception while trying to create a tool session, but carrying on.", e);
+        	}
 				
 		form.setActivityID(activity.getActivityId());