Index: messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/entity/TopicEntityProviderImpl.java
===================================================================
--- messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/entity/TopicEntityProviderImpl.java	(revision 315424)
+++ messageforums-component-impl/src/java/org/sakaiproject/component/app/messageforums/entity/TopicEntityProviderImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.sakaiproject.api.app.messageforums.ui.PrivateMessageManager;
 import org.sakaiproject.api.app.messageforums.ui.UIPermissionsManager;
 import org.sakaiproject.component.app.messageforums.dao.hibernate.PrivateTopicImpl;
+import org.sakaiproject.component.cover.ComponentManager;
 import org.sakaiproject.component.cover.ServerConfigurationService;
 import org.sakaiproject.entity.api.Reference;
 import org.sakaiproject.entity.cover.EntityManager;
@@ -48,6 +49,9 @@
 import org.sakaiproject.entitybroker.entityprovider.extension.RequestStorage;
 import org.sakaiproject.entitybroker.entityprovider.search.Restriction;
 import org.sakaiproject.entitybroker.entityprovider.search.Search;
+import org.sakaiproject.service.gradebook.shared.Assignment;
+import org.sakaiproject.service.gradebook.shared.GradebookNotFoundException;
+import org.sakaiproject.service.gradebook.shared.GradebookService;
 import org.sakaiproject.user.cover.UserDirectoryService;
 import org.sakaiproject.util.ResourceLoader;
 
@@ -353,6 +357,22 @@
 				}else{
 					forums = forumManager.getDiscussionForumsWithTopics(siteId);
 				}
+				
+				// retrieve all of the gradebook items here so we aren't checking repeatedly
+				Map<String, Long> gbItemNameToId = new HashMap<String, Long>();
+				try {
+				    GradebookService gradebookService = (GradebookService)ComponentManager.get("org.sakaiproject.service.gradebook.GradebookService");
+				    List<Assignment> gbItems = gradebookService.getAssignments(siteId);
+				    if (gbItems != null) {
+				        for (Assignment gbItem : gbItems) {
+				            gbItemNameToId.put(gbItem.getName(), gbItem.getId());
+				        }
+				    }
+				} catch (GradebookNotFoundException gnfe) {
+				    LOG.debug("No gradebook exists for site " + siteId + ". No gb item ids will be included.", gnfe);
+				} catch (Exception e) {
+				    LOG.debug("Exception attempting to retrieve gradebook information for site " + siteId + ". ", e);
+				}
 
 				for (DiscussionForum forum : forums) {
 					if(forum.getDraft().equals(Boolean.FALSE)){
@@ -363,9 +383,15 @@
 					            forumOpenDate = forum.getOpenDate() != null ? forum.getOpenDate().getTime()/1000 : null; 
 					            forumCloseDate = forum.getCloseDate() != null ? forum.getCloseDate().getTime()/1000 : null;
 					        }
+					        
+					        Long forumGbItemId = null;
+					        if (forum.getDefaultAssignName() != null && !forum.getDefaultAssignName().isEmpty() &&
+					                gbItemNameToId.containsKey(forum.getDefaultAssignName())) {
+					            forumGbItemId = gbItemNameToId.get(forum.getDefaultAssignName());
+					        }
 					             
 					        DecoratedForumInfo dForum = new DecoratedForumInfo(forum.getId(), forum.getTitle(), forumAttachments, forum.getShortDescription(), forum.getExtendedDescription(), forum.getLocked(), 
-                                    forum.getPostFirst(), forum.getAvailabilityRestricted(), forumOpenDate, forumCloseDate, forum.getDefaultAssignName());
+                                    forum.getPostFirst(), forum.getAvailabilityRestricted(), forumOpenDate, forumCloseDate, forum.getDefaultAssignName(), forumGbItemId);
 						List<DiscussionTopic> topics = forum.getTopics();
 						int viewableTopics = 0;
 
@@ -398,9 +424,16 @@
 									    topicOpenDate = topic.getOpenDate() != null ? topic.getOpenDate().getTime()/1000 : null; 
 									    topicCloseDate = topic.getCloseDate() != null ? topic.getCloseDate().getTime()/1000 : null;
 									}
+									
+									Long topicGbItemId = null;
+									if (topic.getDefaultAssignName() != null && !topic.getDefaultAssignName().isEmpty() &&
+											gbItemNameToId.containsKey(topic.getDefaultAssignName())) {
+										topicGbItemId = gbItemNameToId.get(topic.getDefaultAssignName());
+									}
+									
 									dForum.addTopic(new DecoratedTopicInfo(topic.getId(), topic.getTitle(), unreadMessages, 
 											totalMessages, "", attachments, topic.getShortDescription(), topic.getExtendedDescription(), topic.getLocked(), topic.getPostFirst(), topic.getAvailabilityRestricted(), 
-                                            topicOpenDate, topicCloseDate, topic.getDefaultAssignName()));
+                                            topicOpenDate, topicCloseDate, topic.getDefaultAssignName(), topicGbItemId));
 									viewableTopics++;
 								}						  
 							}
Index: messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedForumInfo.java
===================================================================
--- messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedForumInfo.java	(revision 315424)
+++ messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedForumInfo.java	(working copy)
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 	private Long openDate; // An epoch date in seconds. NOT milliseconds.
 	private Long closeDate; // An epoch date in seconds. NOT milliseconds.
 	private String gradebookItemName;
+	private Long gradebookItemId;
 
 	public DecoratedForumInfo(Long forumId, String forumTitle,
 			List<DecoratedAttachment> attachments, String shortDescription,
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@
 			List<DecoratedAttachment> attachments, String shortDescription,
 			String description, Boolean isLocked, Boolean isPostFirst,
 			Boolean isAvailabilityRestricted, Long openDate, Long closeDate,
-			String gradebookItemName) {
+			String gradebookItemName, Long gradebookItemId) {
 		this(forumId, forumTitle, attachments, shortDescription, description);
 		this.isLocked = isLocked;
 		this.isPostFirst = isPostFirst;
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
 		this.openDate = openDate;
 		this.closeDate = closeDate;
 		this.gradebookItemName = gradebookItemName;
+		this.gradebookItemId = gradebookItemId;
 	}
 
 	public Long getForumId() {
@@ -117,7 +119,15 @@
 	public void setGradebookItemName(String gradebookItemName) {
 		this.gradebookItemName = gradebookItemName;
 	}
+	
+	public Long getGradebookItemId() {
+	    return gradebookItemId;
+	}
 
+	public void setGradebookItemId(Long gradebookItemId) {
+	    this.gradebookItemId = gradebookItemId;
+	}
+
 	public String getShortDescription() {
 		return shortDescription;
 	}
Index: messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedTopicInfo.java
===================================================================
--- messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedTopicInfo.java	(revision 315424)
+++ messageforums-api/src/java/org/sakaiproject/api/app/messageforums/entity/DecoratedTopicInfo.java	(working copy)
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 	private Long openDate; // An epoch date in seconds. NOT milliseconds.
 	private Long closeDate; // An epoch date in seconds. NOT milliseconds.
 	private String gradebookItemName;
+	private Long gradebookItemId;
 
 	public DecoratedTopicInfo(Long topicId, String topicTitle,
 			int unreadMessagesCount, int messagesCount, String typeUuid,
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@
 			List<DecoratedAttachment> attachments, String shortDescription,
 			String description, Boolean isLocked, Boolean isPostFirst,
 			Boolean isAvailabilityRestricted, Long openDate, Long closeDate,
-			String gradebookItemName) {
+			String gradebookItemName, Long gradebookItemId) {
 
 		this(topicId, topicTitle, unreadMessagesCount, messagesCount, typeUuid,
 				attachments, shortDescription, description);
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 		this.openDate = openDate;
 		this.closeDate = closeDate;
 		this.gradebookItemName = gradebookItemName;
+		this.gradebookItemId = gradebookItemId;
 	}
 
 	public String getTypeUuid() {
@@ -139,6 +141,14 @@
 		this.gradebookItemName = gradebookItemName;
 	}
 
+	public Long getGradebookItemId() {
+	    return gradebookItemId;
+	}
+
+	public void setGradebookItemId(Long gradebookItemId) {
+	    this.gradebookItemId = gradebookItemId;
+	}
+
 	public List<DecoratedAttachment> getAttachments() {
 		return attachments;
 	}