diff --git a/include/class.filter.php b/include/class.filter.php
index 7178aece5eba1d0540020b9898f2602bdcdd55df..3889c770eac0c4d44f5676d7ce360cd6bb9e0708 100644
--- a/include/class.filter.php
+++ b/include/class.filter.php
@@ -473,18 +473,22 @@ class Filter {
     function save($id,$vars,&$errors) {
       if ($this) {
         foreach ($this->getActions() as $A) {
-          if ($A->type == 'dept')
-              $dept = Dept::lookup($A->parseConfiguration($vars)['dept_id']);
-
-          if ($A->type == 'topic')
-              $topic = Topic::lookup($A->parseConfiguration($vars)['topic_id']);
+          if ($A->type == 'dept') {
+            $dept = Dept::lookup($A->parseConfiguration($vars)['dept_id']);
+            $dept_action = $A->getId();
+          }
+
+          if ($A->type == 'topic') {
+            $topic = Topic::lookup($A->parseConfiguration($vars)['topic_id']);
+            $topic_action = $A->getId();
+          }
         }
       }
 
-      if($dept && !$dept->isActive())
+      if($dept && !$dept->isActive() && !in_array('D' . $dept_action,$vars['actions']))
         $errors['err'] = sprintf(__('%s selected for %s must be active'), __('Department'), __('Filter Action'));
 
-      if($topic && !$topic->isActive())
+      if($topic && !$topic->isActive() && !in_array('D' . $topic_action,$vars['actions']))
         $errors['err'] = sprintf(__('%s selected for %s must be active'), __('Help Topic'), __('Filter Action'));
 
         if(!$vars['execorder'])
diff --git a/include/staff/filter.inc.php b/include/staff/filter.inc.php
index ba0c06ce58ccdd35b8dadcdc9001362477da7b83..100e1273cb9def31eef2bc386705526e5fddb117 100644
--- a/include/staff/filter.inc.php
+++ b/include/staff/filter.inc.php
@@ -242,7 +242,6 @@ $info=Format::htmlchars(($errors && $_POST)?$_POST:$info);
                     $existing[] = $A->type;
                     if($A->type == 'dept') {
                       $errors['topic_id'] = '';
-                      // $info=Format::htmlchars(($errors && $_POST)?$_POST:$info);
                       $dept_config = $A->parseConfiguration($_POST);
                       $dept = Dept::lookup($dept_config['dept_id']);
                       if($dept && !$dept->isActive())