diff --git a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/AssignmentDetailsPresenter.kt b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/AssignmentDetailsPresenter.kt
index 921cf27a7f..d4033d7fa6 100644
--- a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/AssignmentDetailsPresenter.kt
+++ b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/AssignmentDetailsPresenter.kt
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@ package com.instructure.student.mobius.assignmentDetails
 
 import android.content.Context
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
-import com.instructure.canvasapi2.models.Assignment
-import com.instructure.canvasapi2.models.DiscussionTopicHeader
-import com.instructure.canvasapi2.models.Quiz
+import com.instructure.canvasapi2.models.*
 import com.instructure.canvasapi2.utils.DateHelper
 import com.instructure.canvasapi2.utils.NumberHelper
 import com.instructure.canvasapi2.utils.isRtl
@@ -37,6 +35,8 @@ import com.instructure.student.mobius.assignmentDetails.ui.gradeCell.GradeCellVi
 import com.instructure.student.mobius.common.ui.Presenter
 import java.text.DateFormat
 import java.util.*
+import kotlin.contracts.ExperimentalContracts
+import kotlin.contracts.contract
 
 object AssignmentDetailsPresenter : Presenter<AssignmentDetailsModel, AssignmentDetailsViewState> {
     override fun present(model: AssignmentDetailsModel, context: Context): AssignmentDetailsViewState {
@@ -290,13 +290,17 @@ object AssignmentDetailsPresenter : Presenter<AssignmentDetailsModel, Assignment
     }
 
     private fun getDiscussionHeaderViewState(context: Context, discussionTopicHeader: DiscussionTopicHeader): DiscussionHeaderViewState {
-        val authorAvatarUrl = discussionTopicHeader.author?.avatarImageUrl
-        // Can't have a discussion topic header with a null author or date
-        val authorName = discussionTopicHeader.author!!.displayName!!
-        val authoredDate = DateHelper.getMonthDayAtTime(context, discussionTopicHeader.postedDate, context.getString(R.string.at))!!
-        val attachmentIconVisibility = discussionTopicHeader.attachments.isNotEmpty()
+        return if (discussionTopicHeader.author.isDiscussionAuthorNull()) {
+            DiscussionHeaderViewState.NoAuthor
+        } else {
+            val authorAvatarUrl = discussionTopicHeader.author?.avatarImageUrl
+            // Can't have a discussion topic header with a null author or date
+            val authorName = discussionTopicHeader.author?.displayName ?: context.getString(R.string.discussions_unknown_author)
+            val authoredDate = DateHelper.getMonthDayAtTime(context, discussionTopicHeader.postedDate, context.getString(R.string.at)) ?: context.getString(R.string.discussions_unknown_date)
+            val attachmentIconVisibility = discussionTopicHeader.attachments.isNotEmpty()
 
-        return DiscussionHeaderViewState(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+            DiscussionHeaderViewState.Loaded(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+        }
     }
 
     private fun getDiscussionText(discussionTopicHeader: DiscussionTopicHeader): String {
diff --git a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsView.kt b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsView.kt
index 2d7766541c..d3b183a82a 100644
--- a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsView.kt
+++ b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsView.kt
@@ -175,11 +175,15 @@ class AssignmentDetailsView(
     }
 
     private fun renderDiscussionTopicHeader(discussionHeaderViewState: DiscussionHeaderViewState) {
-        ProfileUtils.loadAvatarForUser(authorAvatar, discussionHeaderViewState.authorName, discussionHeaderViewState.authorAvatarUrl)
-        authorAvatar.setupAvatarA11y(discussionHeaderViewState.authorName)
-        authorName.text = discussionHeaderViewState.authorName
-        authoredDate.text = discussionHeaderViewState.authoredDate
-        attachmentIcon.setVisible(discussionHeaderViewState.attachmentIconVisibility)
+        if(discussionHeaderViewState is DiscussionHeaderViewState.Loaded) {
+            ProfileUtils.loadAvatarForUser(authorAvatar, discussionHeaderViewState.authorName, discussionHeaderViewState.authorAvatarUrl)
+            authorAvatar.setupAvatarA11y(discussionHeaderViewState.authorName)
+            authorName.text = discussionHeaderViewState.authorName
+            authoredDate.text = discussionHeaderViewState.authoredDate
+            attachmentIcon.setVisible(discussionHeaderViewState.attachmentIconVisibility)
+        } else {
+            discussionTopicHeaderContainer.setVisible(false)
+        }
     }
 
     override fun onDispose() {
diff --git a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsViewState.kt b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsViewState.kt
index c88652033b..21231e9d85 100644
--- a/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsViewState.kt
+++ b/apps/student/src/main/java/com/instructure/student/mobius/assignmentDetails/ui/AssignmentDetailsViewState.kt
@@ -82,9 +82,15 @@ data class QuizDescriptionViewState(
     val allowedAttempts: String
 )
 
-data class DiscussionHeaderViewState(
-    val authorAvatarUrl: String? = null,
-    val authorName: String,
-    val authoredDate: String,
-    val attachmentIconVisibility: Boolean
-)
+sealed class DiscussionHeaderViewState {
+
+    data class Loaded(
+            val authorAvatarUrl: String? = null,
+            val authorName: String,
+            val authoredDate: String,
+            val attachmentIconVisibility: Boolean
+    ) : DiscussionHeaderViewState()
+
+    object NoAuthor : DiscussionHeaderViewState()
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/student/src/test/java/com/instructure/student/test/assignment/details/AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest.kt b/apps/student/src/test/java/com/instructure/student/test/assignment/details/AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest.kt
index f1b3907541..68e3c2eb01 100644
--- a/apps/student/src/test/java/com/instructure/student/test/assignment/details/AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest.kt
+++ b/apps/student/src/test/java/com/instructure/student/test/assignment/details/AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest.kt
@@ -641,7 +641,39 @@ class AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest : Assert() {
 
         val model = baseModel.copy(assignmentResult = DataResult.Success(assignment))
         val state = AssignmentDetailsPresenter.present(model, context) as AssignmentDetailsViewState.Loaded
-        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState.Loaded(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+
+        assertEquals(expectedState, state.discussionHeaderViewState)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `Description contains DiscussionHeaderState with unknown author and date, when assignment is discussion with no author name or date`() {
+        val authorAvatarUrl = "pretty-hodor.com"
+        val authorName = "Unknown Author"
+        val authoredDate = "Unknown Date"
+        val discussionMessage = "yo yo yo"
+        val attachmentIconVisibility = false
+        val discussionTopicHeader = baseDiscussion.copy(message = discussionMessage, author = DiscussionParticipant(avatarImageUrl = authorAvatarUrl), postedDate = null)
+        val assignment = baseAssignment.copy(submissionTypesRaw = listOf("discussion_topic"), discussionTopicHeader = discussionTopicHeader)
+
+        val model = baseModel.copy(assignmentResult = DataResult.Success(assignment))
+        val state = AssignmentDetailsPresenter.present(model, context) as AssignmentDetailsViewState.Loaded
+        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState.Loaded(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+
+        assertEquals(expectedState, state.discussionHeaderViewState)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `Description contains DiscussionHeaderState NoAuthor with when assignment is discussion with no author`() {
+        val discussionMessage = "yo yo yo"
+        val calendar = GregorianCalendar.getInstance()
+        calendar.set(2019, 6, 23, 9, 59)
+        val discussionTopicHeader = baseDiscussion.copy(message = discussionMessage, author = DiscussionParticipant(), postedDate = calendar.time)
+        val assignment = baseAssignment.copy(submissionTypesRaw = listOf("discussion_topic"), discussionTopicHeader = discussionTopicHeader)
+
+        val model = baseModel.copy(assignmentResult = DataResult.Success(assignment))
+        val state = AssignmentDetailsPresenter.present(model, context) as AssignmentDetailsViewState.Loaded
+        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState.NoAuthor
 
         assertEquals(expectedState, state.discussionHeaderViewState)
     }
@@ -662,7 +694,7 @@ class AssignmentDetailsPresenterTest : Assert() {
 
         val model = baseModel.copy(assignmentResult = DataResult.Success(assignment))
         val state = AssignmentDetailsPresenter.present(model, context) as AssignmentDetailsViewState.Loaded
-        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
+        val expectedState = DiscussionHeaderViewState.Loaded(authorAvatarUrl, authorName, authoredDate, attachmentIconVisibility)
 
         assertEquals(expectedState, state.discussionHeaderViewState)
     }
diff --git a/apps/teacher/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/apps/teacher/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index cf46dc6b73..3ae0e588e2 100644
--- a/apps/teacher/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/apps/teacher/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -635,7 +635,6 @@
     <string name="discussions_reply">Reply</string>
     <string name="discussions_edit">Edit</string>
     <string name="discussions_forbidden">Replies are only visible to those who have posted at least one reply.</string>
-    <string name="discussions_unknown_author">Unknown Author</string>
     <string name="discussions_delete">Delete Discussion</string>
     <string name="discussions_delete_title">Delete Discussion?</string>
     <string name="discussions_delete_message">This will delete the whole discussion and thread.</string>
diff --git a/libs/canvas-api-2/src/main/java/com/instructure/canvasapi2/models/DiscussionParticipant.kt b/libs/canvas-api-2/src/main/java/com/instructure/canvasapi2/models/DiscussionParticipant.kt
index 15d385153a..3a63900b2a 100644
--- a/libs/canvas-api-2/src/main/java/com/instructure/canvasapi2/models/DiscussionParticipant.kt
+++ b/libs/canvas-api-2/src/main/java/com/instructure/canvasapi2/models/DiscussionParticipant.kt
@@ -29,4 +29,9 @@ data class DiscussionParticipant(
         var avatarImageUrl: String? = null,
         @SerializedName("html_url")
         var htmlUrl: String? = null
-) : CanvasModel<DiscussionParticipant>()
\ No newline at end of file
+) : CanvasModel<DiscussionParticipant>()
+
+fun DiscussionParticipant?.isDiscussionAuthorNull(): Boolean {
+        return this == null ||
+                (id == 0L && displayName == null && avatarImageUrl == null && htmlUrl == null)
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libs/pandares/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/libs/pandares/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index e1e8113122..c8992f85d9 100644
--- a/libs/pandares/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/libs/pandares/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -1119,6 +1119,8 @@
     <string name="viewDiscussion">View Discussion</string>
     <string name="lockedModule">This assignment is locked by the module \"%1$s\".</string>
     <string name="chooseMediaFile">Choose Media File</string>
+    <string name="discussions_unknown_author">Unknown Author</string>
+    <string name="discussions_unknown_date">Unknown Date</string>
     <string name="a11y_gradeLetterMinusContentDescription">%s. minus</string>
     <string name="a11y_letterGrade">%s.</string>
     <string name="a11y_gradeCellContentDescription">%s %s</string>