Index: messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/MessageForumsForumManagerImpl.java
===================================================================
--- messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/MessageForumsForumManagerImpl.java	(revision 626)
+++ messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/MessageForumsForumManagerImpl.java	(revision 640)
@@ -1420,6 +1420,10 @@
 
 	        LOG.debug("getNumModTopicCurrentUserHasModPermForWithPermissionLevel executing with membershipItems: " + membershipList);
 
+	        // hibernate will not like an empty list so return 0
+	        if (membershipList.isEmpty())
+				return 0;
+
 	        HibernateCallback hcb = new HibernateCallback() {
 	            public Object doInHibernate(Session session) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
 	                Query q = session.getNamedQuery(QUERY_GET_NUM_MOD_TOPICS_WITH_MOD_PERM_BY_PERM_LEVEL);
@@ -1438,12 +1442,33 @@
 	            LOG.error("getNumModTopicCurrentUserHasModPermForWithPermissionLevelName failed with membershipList: " + membershipList);
 	            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Null Argument");
 	        }
-
+			
 	        LOG.debug("getNumModTopicCurrentUserHasModPermForWithPermissionLevelName executing with membershipItems: " + membershipList);
 
+	        // hibernate will not like an empty list so return 0
+	        if (membershipList.isEmpty())
+				return 0;
+
 	        HibernateCallback hcb = new HibernateCallback() {
 	            public Object doInHibernate(Session session) throws HibernateException, SQLException {
-	                Query q = session.getNamedQuery(QUERY_GET_NUM_MOD_TOPICS_WITH_MOD_PERM_BY_PERM_LEVEL_NAME);
+	            	Query q = null;
+	            	if ("mysql".equals(serverConfigurationService.getString("vendor@org.sakaiproject.db.api.SqlService"))) {
+	                    q = session.createSQLQuery("select straight_join count(*) as NBR " +
+		                		"from MFR_AREA_T area " +
+		                		"inner join MFR_OPEN_FORUM_T openforum on openforum.surrogateKey=area.ID inner " +
+		                		"join MFR_TOPIC_T topic on topic.of_surrogateKey=openforum.ID " +
+		                		"inner join MFR_MEMBERSHIP_ITEM_T membership on topic.ID=membership.t_surrogateKey, " +
+		                		"MFR_PERMISSION_LEVEL_T permission " +
+		                		"where area.CONTEXT_ID = :contextId " +
+		                		"and topic.MODERATED = true " +
+		                		"and (membership.NAME in ( :membershipList ) " +
+		                		"and permission.MODERATE_POSTINGS = true " +
+		                		"and permission.TYPE_UUID <> :customTypeUuid " +
+		                		"and permission.NAME=membership.PERMISSION_LEVEL_NAME)")
+		                		.addScalar("NBR", Hibernate.INTEGER);
+	            	} else {
+	            		q = session.getNamedQuery(QUERY_GET_NUM_MOD_TOPICS_WITH_MOD_PERM_BY_PERM_LEVEL_NAME);
+	            	}
 	                q.setParameterList("membershipList", membershipList);
 	                q.setParameter("contextId", getContextId(), Hibernate.STRING);
 	                q.setParameter("customTypeUuid", typeManager.getCustomLevelType(), Hibernate.STRING);
Index: messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/ui/UIPermissionsManagerImpl.java
===================================================================
--- messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/ui/UIPermissionsManagerImpl.java	(revision 626)
+++ messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/ui/UIPermissionsManagerImpl.java	(revision 640)
@@ -909,7 +909,8 @@
 	  List userMemberships = new ArrayList();
 	  // first, add the user's role
 	  final String currRole = getCurrentUserRole(siteId);
-	  userMemberships.add(currRole);
+	  if (currRole != null && !currRole.isEmpty())
+		  userMemberships.add(currRole);
 	  // now, add any groups the user is a member of
 	  try {
 		  Collection groups;