diff --git a/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/pages/main_new.jsp b/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/pages/main_new.jsp
index 67598f88d..e804bb42f 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/pages/main_new.jsp
+++ b/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/pages/main_new.jsp
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@
                             <a ng-click="accordionMenu(item.id)" href=""><i class="fa {{item.class}}"></i><span>{{item.name}}</span></a><!-- expanded = !expanded-->
                             <ul class="slideDown lessonsAndStages {{item.displayClass}}" id="{{item.id}}" isOpen=0>
                                 <li ng-repeat="lesson in item.children" class="{{lesson.selectedClass}}">
-                                    <a ng-click="renderLesson(lesson.id,lesson.link)" id="{{lesson.id}}" class="{{lesson.selectedClass}}" title="link to {{lesson.name}}" href="">{{lesson.name}}</a><span class="{{lesson.completeClass}}"></span>
+                                    <a ng-click="renderLesson(lesson.id,lesson.link,{showSource:lesson.showSource,showHints:lesson.showHints})" id="{{lesson.id}}" class="{{lesson.selectedClass}}" title="link to {{lesson.name}}" href="">{{lesson.name}}</a><span class="{{lesson.completeClass}}"></span>
                                     <span ng-repeat="stage in lesson.children">
-                                        <a ng-click="renderLesson(lesson.id,stage.link)" class="selectedClass" id="{{stage.id}}"  title="link to {{stage.name}}" href="">{{stage.name}}</a><span class="{{stage.completeClass}}"></span>
+                                        <a ng-click="renderLesson(stage.id,stage.link,{showSource:stage.showSource,showHints:stage.showHints})" class="selectedClass" id="{{stage.id}}"  title="link to {{stage.name}}" href="">{{stage.name}}</a><span class="{{stage.completeClass}}"></span>
                                     </span>
                                 </li>
                             </ul>
@@ -135,11 +135,11 @@
                             <div class="col-md-12" align="left">
                                 <div class="panel">
                                     <div class="panel-body">
-                                        <button type="button" id="showSourceBtn" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" ng-click="showLessonSource()">Java [Source]</button>
+                                        <button type="button" id="showSourceBtn" ng-show="showSource" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" ng-click="showLessonSource()">Java [Source]</button>
                                         <button type="button" id="showSolutionBtn" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" ng-click="showLessonSolution()">Solution</button>
                                         <button type="button" id="showPlanBtn" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs" ng-click="showLessonPlan()">Lesson Plan</button>
-                                        <button type="button" id="showHintsBtn" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs"  ng-click="viewHints()">Hints</button>
-                                        <button type="button" id="restartLessonBtn" class="btn btn-xs"  ng-click="restartLesson()">Restart Lesson</button>
+                                        <button type="button" id="showHintsBtn" ng-show="showHints" class="btn btn-primary btn-xs"  ng-click="viewHints()">Hints</button>
+                                        <button type="button" id="restartLessonBtn"  class="btn btn-xs"  ng-click="restartLesson()">Restart Lesson</button>
                                     </div>
                                 </div>
                                 <div class="lessonHelp" id="lesson_hint_row">
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
                                             <span class="glyphicon-class glyphicon glyphicon-circle-arrow-left" id="showPrevHintBtn" ng-click="viewPrevHint()"></span>
                                             <span class="glyphicon-class glyphicon glyphicon-circle-arrow-right" id="showNextHintBtn" ng-click="viewNextHint()"></span>
                                             <br/>
-                                            <span bind-html-unsafe="curHint"></span>
+                                            <span ng-show="showHints" bind-html-unsafe="curHint"></span>
                                             <!--<span id="curHintContainer"></span>-->
                                         </div>                                    
                                     </div>
diff --git a/src/main/webapp/js/goatConstants.js b/src/main/webapp/js/goatConstants.js
index ae38ed3ee..793344f46 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/js/goatConstants.js
+++ b/src/main/webapp/js/goatConstants.js
@@ -24,9 +24,11 @@ var goatConstants = {
 	menuService: 'service/lessonmenu.mvc',
 	lessonTitleService: 'service/lessontitle.mvc',
 	restartLessonService: 'service/restartlesson.mvc',
-	// literals
+	
+	// literal messages
 	notFound: 'Could not find',
-	noHints: 'There are no hints defined.'
+	noHints: 'There are no hints defined.',
+	noSourcePulled: 'No source was retrieved for this lesson'
 	
 };
 
diff --git a/src/main/webapp/js/goatControllers.js b/src/main/webapp/js/goatControllers.js
index 88f4535ac..8f9d28d47 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/js/goatControllers.js
+++ b/src/main/webapp/js/goatControllers.js
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ var goatMenu = function($scope, $http, $modal, $log, $templateCache) {
 	);
     };
 
-    $scope.renderLesson = function(id,url) {
-        //console.log(url + ' was passed in');
-        // use jquery to render lesson content to div
+    $scope.renderLesson = function(id,url,showControls) {//TODO convert to single object parameter
         $scope.hintIndex = 0;
         var curScope = $scope;
 	$('.lessonHelp').hide();
@@ -89,7 +87,7 @@ var goatMenu = function($scope, $http, $modal, $log, $templateCache) {
 		goat.utils.ajaxifyAttackHref();
 		$('#leftside-navigation').height($('#main-content').height()+15)//TODO: get ride of fixed value (15)here
 		//notifies goatLesson Controller of the less change
-		$scope.$emit('lessonUpdate',{params:curScope.parameters});
+		$scope.$emit('lessonUpdate',{params:curScope.parameters,'showControls':showControls});
 	    }
 	)
 	$scope.renderMenu();	
@@ -123,6 +121,8 @@ var goatLesson = function($scope,$http,$log) {
 	
 	$scope.$on('lessonUpdate',function(params){
 	    $scope.parameters = arguments[1].params;
+	    $scope.showHints = (arguments[1].showControls && arguments[1].showControls.showHints);
+	    $scope.showSource = (arguments[1].showControls && arguments[1].showControls.showSource);
 	    curScope = $scope; //TODO .. update below, this curScope is probably not needed
 	    goat.data.loadCookies($http).then(
 		function(resp) {
@@ -131,22 +131,32 @@ var goatLesson = function($scope,$http,$log) {
 	    );
 	    //hints
 	    curScope.hintIndex = 0;
-	    goat.data.loadHints($http).then(
-		function(resp) {
-		    curScope.hints = resp.data;
-		    if (curScope.hints.length > 0 && curScope.hints[0].hint.indexOf(goatConstants.noHints) === -1) {
-			goat.utils.displayButton('showHintsBtn', true);
-		    } else {
-			goat.utils.displayButton('showHintsBtn', false);
+	    if ($scope.showHints) {
+		goat.data.loadHints($http).then(
+		    function(resp) {
+			curScope.hints = resp.data;
+			if (curScope.hints.length > 0 && curScope.hints[0].hint.indexOf(goatConstants.noHints) === -1) {
+			    goat.utils.displayButton('showHintsBtn', true);
+			} else {
+			    goat.utils.displayButton('showHintsBtn', false);
+			}
 		    }
-		}
-	    );
+		);
+	    } else {
+		$scope.hints = null;
+		goat.utils.displayButton('showHintsBtn', false);
+	    }
 	    //source
-	    goat.data.loadSource($http).then(
+	    if ($scope.showSource) {
+		goat.data.loadSource($http).then(
 		    function(resp) {
 			curScope.source = resp.data;
 		    }
-	    );
+		);
+	    } else {
+		$scope.source = goatConstants.noSourcePulled;
+	    }
+	    
 	    //plan
 	    goat.data.loadPlan($http).then(
 		    function(resp) {
@@ -239,7 +249,7 @@ var goatLesson = function($scope,$http,$log) {
     $scope.restartLesson = function () {
 	goat.data.loadRestart($http).then(
 	    function(resp) {
-		angular.element($('#leftside-navigation')).scope().renderLesson(null,resp.data);
+		angular.element($('#leftside-navigation')).scope().renderLesson(null,resp.data,{showSource:$scope.showSource,showHints:$scope.showHints});
 	    }
 	)
     }