diff --git a/mod/data/lib.php b/mod/data/lib.php
index 8659fd9d675..b3a572d8103 100755
--- a/mod/data/lib.php
+++ b/mod/data/lib.php
@@ -1359,6 +1359,14 @@ function data_rating_permissions($options) {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the names of the table and columns necessary to check items for ratings
+ * @return array an array containing the item table, item id and user id columns
+ */
+function data_rating_item_check_info() {
+    return array('data_records','id','userid');
+}
+
 
 /**
  * function that takes in the current data, number of items per page,
diff --git a/mod/forum/lib.php b/mod/forum/lib.php
index 6045ffdf51c..d1575ebae2b 100644
--- a/mod/forum/lib.php
+++ b/mod/forum/lib.php
@@ -3410,6 +3410,14 @@ function forum_rating_permissions($contextid) {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the names of the table and columns necessary to check items for ratings
+ * @return array an array containing the item table, item id and user id columns
+ */
+function forum_rating_item_check_info() {
+    return array('forum_posts','id','userid');
+}
+
 
 /**
  * This function prints the overview of a discussion in the forum listing.
diff --git a/mod/glossary/lib.php b/mod/glossary/lib.php
index 4fc6fd71d33..fc519cadaaf 100644
--- a/mod/glossary/lib.php
+++ b/mod/glossary/lib.php
@@ -474,6 +474,14 @@ function glossary_rating_permissions($options) {
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Returns the names of the table and columns necessary to check items for ratings
+ * @return array an array containing the item table, item id and user id columns
+ */
+function glossary_rating_item_check_info() {
+    return array('glossary_entries','id','userid');
+}
+
 /**
  * Update activity grades
  *
diff --git a/rating/lib.php b/rating/lib.php
index b392d347a4c..111a2a5a6d9 100644
--- a/rating/lib.php
+++ b/rating/lib.php
@@ -557,6 +557,13 @@ class rating_manager {
         return $aggregatestr;
     }
 
+    /**
+    * Looks for a callback and retrieves permissions from the plugin whose items are being rated
+    * @param int $contextid The current context id
+    * @param string plugintype the type of plugin ie 'mod'
+    * @param string pluginname the name of the plugin ie 'forum'
+    * @return array rating related permissions
+    */
     public function get_plugin_permissions_array($contextid, $plugintype=null, $pluginname=null) {
         $pluginpermissionsarray = null;
         $defaultpluginpermissions = array('rate'=>true,'view'=>true,'viewany'=>true,'viewall'=>true);//all true == rely on system level permissions if no plugin callback is defined
@@ -567,4 +574,29 @@ class rating_manager {
         }
         return $pluginpermissionsarray;
     }
+
+    /**
+    * Checks if the item exists and is NOT owned by the current owner. Uses a callback to find out what table to look in.
+    * @param string plugintype the type of plugin ie 'mod'
+    * @param string pluginname the name of the plugin ie 'forum'
+    * @return boolean True if the callback doesn't exist. True if the item exists and doesn't belong to the current user. False otherwise.
+    */
+    public function check_item_and_owner($plugintype, $pluginname, $itemid) {
+        global $DB, $USER;
+
+        list($tablename,$itemidcol,$useridcol) = plugin_callback($plugintype, $pluginname, 'rating', 'item_check_info');
+
+        if (!empty($tablename)) {
+            $item = $DB->get_record($tablename, array($itemidcol=>$itemid), $useridcol);
+            if ($item) {
+                if ($item->userid!=$USER->id) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            
+            return false;//item doesn't exist or belongs to the current user
+        } else {
+            return true;//callback doesn't exist
+        }
+    }
 }//end rating_manager class definition
diff --git a/rating/rate.php b/rating/rate.php
index 84045408bbc..cf33c70ee6e 100644
--- a/rating/rate.php
+++ b/rating/rate.php
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ if ($context->contextlevel==CONTEXT_MODULE) {
     $rm = new rating_manager();
     $pluginpermissionsarray = $rm->get_plugin_permissions_array($context->id, $plugintype, $pluginname);
     $pluginrateallowed = $pluginpermissionsarray['rate'];
+
+    if ($pluginrateallowed) {
+        //check the item exists and isn't owned by the current user
+        $pluginrateallowed = $rm->check_item_and_owner($plugintype, $pluginname, $itemid);
+    }
 }
 
 if (!$pluginrateallowed || !has_capability('moodle/rating:rate',$context)) {
@@ -67,8 +72,6 @@ if (!$pluginrateallowed || !has_capability('moodle/rating:rate',$context)) {
     die();
 }
 
-$userid = $USER->id;
-
 $PAGE->set_url('/lib/rate.php', array(
         'contextid'=>$context->id
     ));
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ $ratingoptions = new stdclass;
 $ratingoptions->context = $context;
 $ratingoptions->itemid  = $itemid;
 $ratingoptions->scaleid = $scaleid;
-$ratingoptions->userid  = $userid;
+$ratingoptions->userid  = $USER->id;
 $rating = new rating($ratingoptions);
 
 $rating->update_rating($userrating);
diff --git a/rating/rate_ajax.php b/rating/rate_ajax.php
index 1221ef20a59..61602b4568c 100644
--- a/rating/rate_ajax.php
+++ b/rating/rate_ajax.php
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ if ($context->contextlevel==CONTEXT_MODULE) {
     $rm = new rating_manager();
     $pluginpermissionsarray = $rm->get_plugin_permissions_array($context->id, $plugintype, $pluginname);
     $pluginrateallowed = $pluginpermissionsarray['rate'];
+
+    if ($pluginrateallowed) {
+        //check the item exists and isn't owned by the current user
+        $pluginrateallowed = $rm->check_item_and_owner($plugintype, $pluginname, $itemid);
+    }
 }
 
 if (!$pluginrateallowed || !has_capability('moodle/rating:rate',$context)) {
@@ -136,8 +141,8 @@ if($rating->scaleid < 0 ) { //if its a scale (not numeric)
 //See if the user has permission to see the rating aggregate
 //we could do this check as "if $userid==$rateduserid" but going to the database to determine item owner id seems more secure
 //if we accept the item owner user id from the http request a user could alter the URL and erroneously get access to the rating aggregate
-if (($userid==$items[0]->rating->itemuserid && has_capability('moodle/rating:view',$context) && $pluginpermissionsarray['view'])
- || ($userid!=$items[0]->rating->itemuserid && has_capability('moodle/rating:viewany',$context) && $pluginpermissionsarray['viewany'])) {
+if (($USER->id==$items[0]->rating->itemuserid && has_capability('moodle/rating:view',$context) && $pluginpermissionsarray['view'])
+ || ($USER->id!=$items[0]->rating->itemuserid && has_capability('moodle/rating:viewany',$context) && $pluginpermissionsarray['viewany'])) {
     $result->aggregate = $aggregatetoreturn;
     $result->count = $items[0]->rating->count;
     $result->itemid = $rating->itemid;