diff --git a/packages/telescope-comments/lib/server/publications.js b/packages/telescope-comments/lib/server/publications.js
index 49016bc37..ea5cff7df 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-comments/lib/server/publications.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-comments/lib/server/publications.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ Meteor.publish('commentsList', function(terms) {
   
   this.unblock();
 
+  if (this.userId) { // add currentUserId to terms if a user is logged in
+    terms.currentUserId = this.userId; 
+  }
+  
   if(Users.can.viewById(this.userId)){
     var parameters = Comments.parameters.get(terms);
     var comments = Comments.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);
diff --git a/packages/telescope-posts/lib/client/templates/main_posts_list.js b/packages/telescope-posts/lib/client/templates/main_posts_list.js
index f6e2f8f18..fea05007d 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-posts/lib/client/templates/main_posts_list.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-posts/lib/client/templates/main_posts_list.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Template.main_posts_list.helpers({
 
     // if user is logged in, add their id to terms
     if (Meteor.userId()) {
-      terms.userId = Meteor.userId();
+      terms.currentUserId = Meteor.userId();
     }
 
     if (!terms.view) {
diff --git a/packages/telescope-posts/lib/server/publications.js b/packages/telescope-posts/lib/server/publications.js
index f65165869..4fb5fb6f9 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-posts/lib/server/publications.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-posts/lib/server/publications.js
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@ Posts._ensureIndex({"status": 1, "postedAt": 1});
 // Publish a list of posts
 
 Meteor.publish('postsList', function(terms) {
+
   this.unblock();
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
   
+  if (this.userId) { // add currentUserId to terms if a user is logged in
+    terms.currentUserId = this.userId; 
+  }
+
   if(Users.can.viewById(this.userId)){
     var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms),
         posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);
@@ -21,8 +25,11 @@ Meteor.publish('postsList', function(terms) {
 Meteor.publish('postsListUsers', function(terms) {
   
   this.unblock();
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
   
+  if (this.userId) {
+    terms.currentUserId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  }
+
   if(Users.can.viewById(this.userId)){
     var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms),
         posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options),
@@ -47,10 +54,15 @@ Meteor.publish('singlePost', function(postId) {
   check(postId, String);
   this.unblock();
 
-  if (Users.can.viewById(this.userId)){
+  var user = Meteor.users.findOne(this.userId);
+  var post = Posts.findOne(postId);
+
+  if (Users.can.viewPost(user, post)){
     return Posts.find(postId);
+  } else {
+    return [];
   }
-  return [];
+
 });
 
 // Publish author of the current post, authors of its comments, and upvoters of the post
diff --git a/packages/telescope-subscribe-to-posts/lib/server/publications.js b/packages/telescope-subscribe-to-posts/lib/server/publications.js
index 0bd7508d0..653a381ae 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-subscribe-to-posts/lib/server/publications.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-subscribe-to-posts/lib/server/publications.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 Meteor.publish('userSubscribedPosts', function(terms) {
 
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  if (this.userId) {
+    terms.currentUserId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  }
 
   var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms);
   var posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);
diff --git a/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/profile/user_posts.js b/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/profile/user_posts.js
index fe06fda05..9ecdbaa4b 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/profile/user_posts.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/profile/user_posts.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Template.user_posts.helpers({
   arguments: function () {
     var user = this;
-    return {
+    var args = {
       template: "posts_list_compact",
       options: {
         currentUser: user,
@@ -18,5 +18,6 @@ Template.user_posts.helpers({
         subscribeToUsers: false
       }
     };
+    return args;
   }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/user_controller/user_controller.js b/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/user_controller/user_controller.js
index 3fa339dc7..1900bfc36 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/user_controller/user_controller.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-users/lib/client/templates/user_controller/user_controller.js
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ Template.user_controller.helpers({
     var idOrSlug = FlowRouter.getParam("_idOrSlug");
     var findById = Meteor.users.findOne(idOrSlug);
     var findBySlug = Meteor.users.findOne({"telescope.slug": idOrSlug});
-
-    return {user: findById || findBySlug};
+    var user = findById || findBySlug;
+    return {user: user};
 
   }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/telescope-users/lib/server/publications.js b/packages/telescope-users/lib/server/publications.js
index 09c512194..2e734f9e4 100644
--- a/packages/telescope-users/lib/server/publications.js
+++ b/packages/telescope-users/lib/server/publications.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Meteor.publish('userPosts', function(terms) {
 
   this.unblock();
 
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  terms.currentUserId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
 
   var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms);
   var posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Meteor.publish('userUpvotedPosts', function(terms) {
 
   this.unblock();
 
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  terms.currentUserId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
 
   var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms);
   var posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Meteor.publish('userDownvotedPosts', function(terms) {
 
   this.unblock();
 
-  terms.userId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
+  terms.currentUserId = this.userId; // add userId to terms
 
   var parameters = Posts.parameters.get(terms);
   var posts = Posts.find(parameters.find, parameters.options);