diff --git a/controller/Forums.py b/controller/Forums.py
index 34b85ad..221cc55 100644
--- a/controller/Forums.py
+++ b/controller/Forums.py
@@ -98,4 +98,6 @@ class Forums( object ):
     return result
 
   # threads() is just an alias for Notebooks.default()
-  threads = Notebooks.default
+  def threads( self, *args, **kwargs ):
+    return self.__notebooks.default( *args, **kwargs )
+  threads.exposed = True
diff --git a/controller/Users.py b/controller/Users.py
index ebc4557..fa53077 100644
--- a/controller/Users.py
+++ b/controller/Users.py
@@ -748,13 +748,14 @@ class Users( object ):
       return None
 
     # if a particular note_id is given, and the notebook is READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES, then check
-    # that the user is associated with that note
+    # that the user is associated with that note (if the note exists). this prevents a user
+    # from modifying someone else's note in a READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES notebook
     if note_id and notebook.read_write == Notebook.READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES:
       note = self.__database.load( Note, note_id )
-      if not note:
-        return None
-
-      if user_id != note.user_id or notebook_id != note.notebook_id:
+      if note and (
+        ( note.user_id and user_id != note.user_id ) or
+        ( note.notebook_id and notebook_id != note.notebook_id )
+      ):
         return None
         
     return notebook
diff --git a/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py b/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
index 2aa59bc..c9b5388 100644
--- a/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
+++ b/controller/test/Test_notebooks.py
@@ -2412,6 +2412,48 @@ class Test_notebooks( Test_controller ):
   def test_save_new_startup_note( self ):
     self.test_save_new_note( startup = True )
 
+  def test_save_new_note_with_notebook_read_write_for_own_notes( self ):
+    self.login()
+
+    self.database.execute( self.user.sql_update_access( 
+      self.notebook.object_id, read_write = Notebook.READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES, owner = True,
+    ) )
+
+    # save a completely new note
+    new_note = Note.create( "55", u"<h3>newest title</h3>foo" )
+    previous_revision = new_note.revision
+    result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/save_note/", dict(
+      notebook_id = self.notebook.object_id,
+      note_id = new_note.object_id,
+      contents = new_note.contents,
+      startup = False,
+      previous_revision = None,
+    ), session_id = self.session_id )
+
+    assert result[ "new_revision" ]
+    assert result[ "new_revision" ] != previous_revision
+    assert result[ "new_revision" ].user_id == self.user.object_id
+    assert result[ "new_revision" ].username == self.username
+    assert result[ "previous_revision" ] == None
+    user = self.database.load( User, self.user.object_id )
+    assert user.storage_bytes > 0
+    assert result[ "storage_bytes" ] == user.storage_bytes
+
+    # make sure the new title is now loadable
+    result = self.http_post( "/notebooks/load_note_by_title/", dict(
+      notebook_id = self.notebook.object_id,
+      note_title = new_note.title,
+    ), session_id = self.session_id )
+
+    note = result[ "note" ]
+
+    assert note.object_id == new_note.object_id
+    assert note.title == new_note.title
+    assert note.contents == new_note.contents
+    assert note.startup == True # startup is forced to True in READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES notebook
+    assert note.user_id == self.user.object_id
+    assert note.rank == 0 
+
   def test_save_new_note_with_disallowed_tags( self ):
     self.login()
 
diff --git a/controller/test/Test_users.py b/controller/test/Test_users.py
index bbe2c00..1aaf6fa 100644
--- a/controller/test/Test_users.py
+++ b/controller/test/Test_users.py
@@ -974,7 +974,24 @@ class Test_users( Test_controller ):
     notebook = cherrypy.root.users.load_notebook( self.user.object_id, self.notebooks[ 0 ].object_id,
                                                   note_id = u"unknownid" )
 
-    assert notebook is None
+    # an unknown note id indicates that a new note is being created, which is allowed in a
+    # READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES notebooks
+    assert notebook
+    assert notebook.object_id == self.notebooks[ 0 ].object_id
+
+  def test_load_notebook_with_stub_note( self ):
+    # don't fully create a note, but reserve an id for it
+    note_id = self.database.next_id( Note )
+
+    self.database.execute( self.user.sql_update_access(
+      self.notebooks[ 0 ].object_id, read_write = Notebook.READ_WRITE_FOR_OWN_NOTES, owner = False,
+    ) )
+
+    notebook = cherrypy.root.users.load_notebook( self.user.object_id, self.notebooks[ 0 ].object_id,
+                                                  note_id = note_id )
+
+    assert notebook
+    assert notebook.object_id == self.notebooks[ 0 ].object_id
 
   def test_load_notebook_with_note_id_in_another_notebook( self ):
     self.database.execute( self.user.sql_update_access(