diff --git a/include/ajax.tickets.php b/include/ajax.tickets.php
index b402d6efce3e5914ba2c3cec2471b2d534312cbc..be878efbe888278c0831e9badb87f197090084b1 100644
--- a/include/ajax.tickets.php
+++ b/include/ajax.tickets.php
@@ -181,12 +181,10 @@ class TicketsAjaxAPI extends AjaxController {
     function acquireLock($tid) {
         global $cfg,$thisstaff;
 
-        if(!$tid or !is_numeric($tid) or !$thisstaff or !$cfg) 
+        if(!$tid or !is_numeric($tid) or !$thisstaff or !$cfg or !$cfg->getLockTime()) 
             return 0;
-       
-        $ticket = Ticket::lookup($tid);
         
-        if(!$ticket || !$ticket->checkStaffAccess($thisstaff))
+        if(!($ticket = Ticket::lookup($tid)) || !$ticket->checkStaffAccess($thisstaff))
             return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>0, 'retry'=>false, 'msg'=>'Lock denied!'));
         
         //is the ticket already locked?
@@ -198,17 +196,13 @@ class TicketsAjaxAPI extends AjaxController {
             
             //Ticket already locked by staff...try renewing it.
             $lock->renew(); //New clock baby!
-            
-            return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>$lock->getId(), 'time'=>$lock->getTime()));
+        } elseif(!($lock=$ticket->acquireLock($thisstaff->getId(),$cfg->getLockTime()))) {
+            //unable to obtain the lock..for some really weired reason!
+            //Client should watch for possible loop on retries. Max attempts?
+            return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>0, 'retry'=>true));
         }
-        
-        //Ticket is not locked or the lock is expired...try locking it...
-        if($lock=$ticket->acquireLock($thisstaff->getId(),$cfg->getLockTime())) //Set the lock.
-            return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>$lock->getId(), 'time'=>$lock->getTime()));
-        
-        //unable to obtain the lock..for some really weired reason!
-        //Client should watch for possible loop on retries. Max attempts?
-        return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>0, 'retry'=>true));
+
+        return $this->json_encode(array('id'=>$lock->getId(), 'time'=>$lock->getTime()));
     }
 
     function renewLock($tid, $id) {
diff --git a/include/class.lock.php b/include/class.lock.php
index caa1be71a99ba8b35a2406658aa974e11512cdea..6baa146891a1367e4cfa47742c9711e49a5451b5 100644
--- a/include/class.lock.php
+++ b/include/class.lock.php
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class TicketLock {
     function renew($lockTime=0) {
 
         if(!$lockTime || !is_numeric($lockTime)) //XXX: test to  make it works.
-            $lockTime = '(TIME_TO_SEC(TIMEDIFF(created,expire))/60)';
+            $lockTime = '(TIME_TO_SEC(TIMEDIFF(expire,created))/60)';
             
 
         $sql='UPDATE '.TICKET_LOCK_TABLE
diff --git a/include/staff/ticket-view.inc.php b/include/staff/ticket-view.inc.php
index c602b7ecb7d4f867c6bf494b0be9446af1a5584c..c2cb0bd1067684f7a012aa4f1a44cc73dc8ee904 100644
--- a/include/staff/ticket-view.inc.php
+++ b/include/staff/ticket-view.inc.php
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ if(!$cfg->showNotesInline()) { ?>
         <?php csrf_token(); ?>
         <input type="hidden" name="id" value="<?php echo $ticket->getId(); ?>">
         <input type="hidden" name="msgId" value="<?php echo $msgId; ?>">
+        <input type="hidden" name="locktime" value="<?php echo $cfg->getLockTime(); ?>">
         <input type="hidden" name="a" value="reply">
         <span class="error"></span>
         <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3">
diff --git a/scp/js/ticket.js b/scp/js/ticket.js
index a3d3f8e206292958aec77f9044c874a3633c9dc1..65ee84aad0882649f8aec44daf447b45d38e64d9 100644
--- a/scp/js/ticket.js
+++ b/scp/js/ticket.js
@@ -93,13 +93,18 @@ var autoLock = {
 
     Init: function(config) {
 
-        //make sure we are on ticket view page!
-        void(autoLock.form=document.forms['reply']);
-        if(!autoLock.form || !autoLock.form.id.value) {
-                return;
+        //make sure we are on ticket view page & locking is enabled!
+        var fObj=$('form#reply');
+        if(!fObj 
+                || !$(':input[name=id]',fObj).length 
+                || !$(':input[name=locktime]',fObj).length
+                || $(':input[name=locktime]',fObj).val()==0) {
+            return;
         }
 
-        void(autoLock.tid=parseInt(autoLock.form.id.value));
+        void(autoLock.tid=parseInt($(':input[name=id]',fObj).val()));
+        void(autoLock.lockTime=parseInt($(':input[name=locktime]',fObj).val()));
+
         autoLock.lockId=0;
         autoLock.timerId=0;
         autoLock.lasteventTime=0;
@@ -108,9 +113,6 @@ var autoLock = {
         autoLock.renewTime=0;
         autoLock.renewFreq=0; //renewal frequency in seconds...based on returned lock time.
         autoLock.time=0;
-        if(config && config.ticket_lock_time)
-            autoLock.timeTime=config.ticket_lock_time
-
         autoLock.lockAttempts=0; //Consecutive lock attempt errors
         autoLock.maxattempts=2; //Maximum failed lock attempts before giving up.
         autoLock.warn=true;