diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index 95359d27..a747edf3 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -99,10 +99,11 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
     @position['y'] = params[:topic][:y]
     
     # set this for the case where the topic is being created on a map.
-    @mapping = Mapping.new()
+    @mapping = nil
     if params[:topic][:map]
       @map = Map.find(params[:topic][:map])
       
+      @mapping = Mapping.new()
       @mapping.category = "Topic"
       @mapping.user = @user
       @mapping.map = @map
diff --git a/app/views/synapses/create.js.erb b/app/views/synapses/create.js.erb
index 49490622..3a2f1260 100644
--- a/app/views/synapses/create.js.erb
+++ b/app/views/synapses/create.js.erb
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
  * @file
  * Javascript called when you create a new synapse.
  */
-$('#synapse_desc').autocomplete('disable');
 $('#new_synapse').fadeOut('fast');
 $('#synapse_desc').attr('value','');
+$('#synapse_desc').autocomplete('disable');
 $('#synapse_topic1id').attr('value','0');
 $('#synapse_topic2id').attr('value','0');
 
diff --git a/app/views/topics/create.js.erb b/app/views/topics/create.js.erb
index 3f0714e2..556cb592 100644
--- a/app/views/topics/create.js.erb
+++ b/app/views/topics/create.js.erb
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ if (!$.isEmptyObject(Mconsole.graph.nodes)) {
   else if (gType == "arranged" || gType == "chaotic") {
     temp.setData('xloc',0);
     temp.setData('yloc',0);
-    temp.setData('mappingid', '<%= @mapping.id %>');
+    <% if not @mapping.nil? %>
+      temp.setData('mappingid', <%= @mapping.id %>);
+    <% elsif @mapping.nil? %>
+      temp.setData('mappingid', null);
+    <% end %>
     temp.setPos(new $jit.Complex(x, y), 'current');
     temp.setPos(new $jit.Complex(x, y), 'start');
     temp.setPos(new $jit.Complex(x, y), 'end');
@@ -81,8 +85,12 @@ if (!$.isEmptyObject(Mconsole.graph.nodes)) {
   temp.setData('dim', 25, 'end');
   temp.setData('onCanvas', false);
   temp.setData('inCommons', false);
-  if ((gType == "arranged" || gType == "chaotic") && mapid != null) {
-    temp.setData('mappingid', <%= @mapping.id %>);
+  if (gType == "arranged" || gType == "chaotic") {
+    <% if not @mapping.nil? %>
+      temp.setData('mappingid', <%= @mapping.id %>);
+    <% elsif @mapping.nil? %>
+      temp.setData('mappingid', null);
+    <% end %>
   }
   temp.setPos(new $jit.Complex(x, y), 'current');
   temp.setPos(new $jit.Complex(x, y), 'start');
@@ -95,4 +103,4 @@ if (!$.isEmptyObject(Mconsole.graph.nodes)) {
             selectNodeOnClickHandler(temp);
         }
       });
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file