Index: lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/QaLearningAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -re80e38877be7ac75430f1ffc851c2b25f0c59123 -rfde1a6a48b01dd4d4899b5d4220c0ae4b766566a
--- lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/QaLearningAction.java	(.../QaLearningAction.java)	(revision e80e38877be7ac75430f1ffc851c2b25f0c59123)
+++ lams_tool_laqa/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/qa/web/QaLearningAction.java	(.../QaLearningAction.java)	(revision fde1a6a48b01dd4d4899b5d4220c0ae4b766566a)
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
 import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONArray;
 import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONException;
 import org.apache.tomcat.util.json.JSONObject;
-import org.lamsfoundation.lams.learning.service.ICoreLearnerService;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.notebook.model.NotebookEntry;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.notebook.service.CoreNotebookConstants;
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.tool.exception.ToolException;
@@ -150,10 +149,11 @@
 		if (dto.isRequired() && isEmpty(answer)) {
 		    errors.add(Globals.ERROR_KEY, new ActionMessage("error.required", questionIndexInteger));
 		    forwardName = QaAppConstants.LOAD_LEARNER;
+		} else {
+		    // store
+		    QaLearningAction.qaService.updateResponseWithNewAnswer(answer, toolSessionID, new Long(
+			    questionIndex));
 		}
-
-		// store
-		QaLearningAction.qaService.updateResponseWithNewAnswer(answer, toolSessionID, new Long(questionIndex));
 	    }
 	    saveErrors(request, errors);