diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/ConferenceContext.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/ConferenceContext.java
index 30a7feb..d9a3390 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/ConferenceContext.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/ConferenceContext.java
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ public interface ConferenceContext
 
   public abstract void setHideList(boolean flag) throws DataException, AccessError;
 
+  public abstract boolean canSetHideList();
+
   public abstract String getDefaultPseud();
 
   public abstract void setDefaultPseud(String val) throws DataException;
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceUserContextImpl.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceUserContextImpl.java
index 6b240df..ce93d02 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceUserContextImpl.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceUserContextImpl.java
@@ -747,6 +747,12 @@ class ConferenceUserContextImpl implements ConferenceContext, ConferenceBackend
 
   } // end setHideList
 
+  public boolean canSetHideList()
+  {
+    return comm.userCanCreateSubobjects();
+
+  } // end canSetHideList
+
   public String getDefaultPseud()
   {
     return pseud;
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/EditConferenceDialog.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/EditConferenceDialog.java
index bc5a76e..d7add83 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/EditConferenceDialog.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/EditConferenceDialog.java
@@ -85,6 +85,17 @@ public class EditConferenceDialog extends ContentDialog
 
   } // end constructor
 
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Internal operations
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private final void doDisable(CommunityContext comm, ConferenceContext conf)
+  {
+    setFieldEnabled("hide",conf.canSetHideList());
+
+  } // end doDisable
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * External operations
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -92,15 +103,21 @@ public class EditConferenceDialog extends ContentDialog
 
   public void setupDialog(CommunityContext comm, ConferenceContext conf) throws DataException, AccessError
   {
+    doDisable(comm,conf);
     setHiddenField("sig",String.valueOf(comm.getCommunityID()));
     setHiddenField("conf",String.valueOf(conf.getConfID()));
     setTitle("Edit Conference: " + conf.getName());
     setFieldValue("name",conf.getName());
     setFieldValue("descr",conf.getDescription());
-    if (conf.getHideList())
-      setFieldValue("hide",YES);
-    else
-      setFieldValue("hide","");
+    if (conf.canSetHideList())
+    { // this is only valid at community level
+      if (conf.getHideList())
+	setFieldValue("hide",YES);
+      else
+	setFieldValue("hide","");
+
+    } // end if
+
     setFieldValue("read_lvl",String.valueOf(conf.getReadLevel()));
     setFieldValue("post_lvl",String.valueOf(conf.getPostLevel()));
     setFieldValue("create_lvl",String.valueOf(conf.getCreateLevel()));
@@ -142,7 +159,8 @@ public class EditConferenceDialog extends ContentDialog
     // sweep through the conference and set the appropriate changes
     conf.setName(getFieldValue("name"));
     conf.setDescription(getFieldValue("descr"));
-    conf.setHideList(YES.equals(getFieldValue("hide")));
+    if (conf.canSetHideList())
+      conf.setHideList(YES.equals(getFieldValue("hide")));
     conf.setSecurityLevels(read_lvl,post_lvl,create_lvl,hide_lvl,nuke_lvl,change_lvl,delete_lvl);
 
     // reset the properties
@@ -153,6 +171,7 @@ public class EditConferenceDialog extends ContentDialog
 
   public void resetOnError(CommunityContext comm, ConferenceContext conf, String message)
   {
+    doDisable(comm,conf);
     setHiddenField("sig",String.valueOf(comm.getCommunityID()));
     setHiddenField("conf",String.valueOf(conf.getConfID()));
     setTitle("Edit Conference: " + conf.getName());