diff --git a/blocks/moodleblock.class.php b/blocks/moodleblock.class.php
index 9c62c55f6c9..d43a1e42449 100644
--- a/blocks/moodleblock.class.php
+++ b/blocks/moodleblock.class.php
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ class block_base {
 
     var $cron          = NULL;
 
+    /**
+     * Indicates blocked is pinned - can not be moved, always present, does not have own context
+     */
+    var $pinned        = false;
 
 /// Class Functions
 
@@ -266,7 +270,11 @@ class block_base {
      */
     function is_empty() {
 
-        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        } else {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+        }
         
         if ( !has_capability('moodle/block:view', $context) ) {
             return true;
@@ -366,8 +374,11 @@ class block_base {
     function _add_edit_controls($options) {
         global $CFG, $USER, $PAGE;
         
-        // this is the context relevant to this particular block instance
-        $blockcontext = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        } else {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+        }
         
         // context for site or course, i.e. participant list etc
         // check to see if user can edit site or course blocks.
@@ -375,7 +386,7 @@ class block_base {
 
         switch ($this->instance->pagetype) {
             case 'course-view':
-                if (!has_capability('moodle/site:manageblocks', $blockcontext)) {
+                if (!has_capability('moodle/site:manageblocks', $context)) {
                     return null;
                 }
             break;
@@ -427,7 +438,7 @@ class block_base {
         $script = $page->url_get_full(array('instanceid' => $this->instance->id, 'sesskey' => $USER->sesskey));
 
         if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
-            $movebuttons .= '<a class="icon roles" title="'. $this->str->assignroles .'" href="'.$CFG->wwwroot.'/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/assign.php?contextid='.$blockcontext->id.'">' .
+            $movebuttons .= '<a class="icon roles" title="'. $this->str->assignroles .'" href="'.$CFG->wwwroot.'/'.$CFG->admin.'/roles/assign.php?contextid='.$context->id.'">' .
                             '<img src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/i/roles.gif" alt="'.$this->str->assignroles.'" /></a>';
         }
      
@@ -756,7 +767,11 @@ class block_list extends block_base {
 
     function is_empty() {
 
-        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        } else {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+        }
         
         if ( !has_capability('moodle/block:view', $context) ) {
             return true;
diff --git a/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php b/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
index 5e843d2a613..d15abc35f56 100644
--- a/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
+++ b/blocks/rss_client/block_rss_client.php
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@
             }
         }
 
-        $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+        } else {
+            $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+        }
 
         if (has_capability('block/rss_client:createsharedfeeds', $context)
                     || has_capability('block/rss_client:createprivatefeeds', $context)) {
diff --git a/blocks/rss_client/config_instance.html b/blocks/rss_client/config_instance.html
index b52fe3439f7..3066ed61ce1 100644
--- a/blocks/rss_client/config_instance.html
+++ b/blocks/rss_client/config_instance.html
@@ -93,7 +93,11 @@ print_box_start();
                     print $checkbox . $feedtitle .'<br />'."\n";
                 }
             } else {
-                $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+                if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+                    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+                } else {
+                    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+                }
                 print_string('nofeeds', 'block_rss_client');
 
                 if (has_capability('block/rss_client:createprivatefeeds', $context)
@@ -169,7 +173,11 @@ print_box_start();
 } else {
   global $act, $url, $rssid, $preferredtitle, $shared;
   print '</div></form></div>';   // Closes off page form
-  $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+  if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+  } else {
+    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+  }
 
   print_box_start();
   rss_display_feeds($id, $USER->id, '', $context);
diff --git a/blocks/rss_client/config_instance_tabs.php b/blocks/rss_client/config_instance_tabs.php
index 3ba5cc15408..c3a7e3274c5 100644
--- a/blocks/rss_client/config_instance_tabs.php
+++ b/blocks/rss_client/config_instance_tabs.php
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ global $USER;
 $tabs = $row = array();
 
 
-$context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+if (empty($this->instance->pinned)) {
+    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_BLOCK, $this->instance->id);
+} else {
+    $context = get_context_instance(CONTEXT_SYSTEM); // pinned blocks do not have own context
+}
 
 if (has_capability('moodle/site:manageblocks', $context)) {
     $script = $page->url_get_full(array('instanceid' => $this->instance->id, 'sesskey' => $USER->sesskey, 'blockaction' => 'config', 'currentaction' => 'configblock', 'id' => $id, 'section' => 'rss'));