diff --git a/controllers/story.js b/controllers/story.js
index be129b8dd1..f31891c312 100644
--- a/controllers/story.js
+++ b/controllers/story.js
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ exports.returnIndividualStory = function(req, res, next) {
             upVotes: story.upVotes,
             comments: story.comments,
             id: story._id,
-            user: req.user,
+            user: req.user || null,
             timeAgo: moment(story.timePosted).fromNow(),
             image: story.image,
             page: 'show',
@@ -227,6 +227,9 @@ exports.comments = function(req, res, next) {
 };
 
 exports.newStory = function(req, res) {
+    if (!req.user) {
+      res.status(500);
+    }
     var url = req.body.data.url;
     var cleanURL = sanitizeHtml(url, {
       allowedTags: [],
@@ -284,6 +287,9 @@ exports.newStory = function(req, res) {
 
 exports.storySubmission = function(req, res) {
     var data = req.body.data;
+    if (!req.user && !data.author) {
+      res.status(500);
+    }
     var storyLink = data.headline
         .replace(/\'/g, '')
         .replace(/\"/g, '')
@@ -327,6 +333,9 @@ exports.storySubmission = function(req, res) {
 
 exports.commentSubmit = function(req, res) {
     var data = req.body.data;
+    if (!req.user && !data.author) {
+      res.status(500);
+    }
     var sanitizedBody = sanitizeHtml(data.body,
         {
             allowedTags: [],
@@ -353,6 +362,9 @@ exports.commentSubmit = function(req, res) {
 
 exports.commentOnCommentSubmit = function(req, res) {
     var data = req.body.data;
+    if (!req.user && !data.author) {
+      res.status(500);
+    }
     var sanitizedBody = sanitizeHtml(data.body,
         {
             allowedTags: [],
diff --git a/views/stories/comments.jade b/views/stories/comments.jade
index 53ae1f12b3..bc33e9188f 100644
--- a/views/stories/comments.jade
+++ b/views/stories/comments.jade
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
                         success: function (data, textStatus, xhr) {
                             commentDetails = data;
                             var div = document.createElement('div');
+                            var disabledReply = !!user;
+
                             $(div)
                                     .html(
                                         '<div class="media media-news">' +
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@
                                                     '<p>' + commentDetails.body + '</p>' +
                                                         '<h6>' +
                                                             '<div class="clearfix comment-a-comment negative-15">' +
-                                                                "<a class='btn btn-no-shadow btn-primary btn-xs btn-primary-ghost' id='" + commentDetails._id + "'>Reply</a> · " +
+                                                                "<a class='btn btn-no-shadow btn-primary btn-xs btn-primary-ghost' id='" + commentDetails._id + " disabled='" + disabledReply + "'>Reply</a> · " +
                                                                 "commented " + moment(commentDetails.commentOn).fromNow() + " by " +
                                                                 "<a href='/" + commentDetails.author.username + "'>@" + commentDetails.author.username + "</a>" +
                                                             '</div>' +
@@ -55,6 +57,9 @@
                             sentinel--;
                             if (!sentinel) {
                                 $('.comment-a-comment').on('click', 'a', function () {
+                                    if (!user) {
+                                        return;
+                                    }
                                     $(this).unbind('click');
                                     $('.comment-to-comment-formgroup').empty();
                                     $('#initial-comment-submit').addClass('hidden-element');
diff --git a/views/stories/show.jade b/views/stories/show.jade
index 833ef94bcb..52e049b5f9 100644
--- a/views/stories/show.jade
+++ b/views/stories/show.jade
@@ -42,22 +42,23 @@
                             span &thinsp;by&thinsp;
                                 a(href="/" + author.username) @#{author.username}
 
-
-    .col-xs-12#reply-area
-    .hidden-element#initial-comment-submit
-        form.form-horizontal.control-label-story-submission
-            .col-xs-12
-                .input-group
-                    input#comment-box.big-text-field.field-responsive.form-control(type='text', placeholder='Enter your reply', autofocus)
-                    span.input-group-btn
-                        button#comment-button.btn.btn-big.btn-primary.btn-responsive(type='button') Send
-                span.spacer.pull-left#textarea_feedback
+    if (user !== null)
+        .col-xs-12#reply-area
+        .hidden-element#initial-comment-submit
+            form.form-horizontal.control-label-story-submission
+                .col-xs-12
+                    .input-group
+                        input#comment-box.big-text-field.field-responsive.form-control(type='text', placeholder='Enter your reply', autofocus)
+                        span.input-group-btn
+                            button#comment-button.btn.btn-big.btn-primary.btn-responsive(type='button') Send
+                    span.spacer.pull-left#textarea_feedback
 
     script.
         if (image) {
             $('#image-display').removeClass('hidden-element')
         }
         $('#reply-to-main-post').on('click', function() {
+            if (!user) return;
             $('#initial-comment-submit').removeClass('hidden-element');
             $(this).unbind('click');
             $('.comment-to-comment-formgroup').empty();