diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/client/myspaces_preview_panel.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/client/myspaces_preview_panel.ftl
index e5f913203c..328dfbb74a 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/templates/client/myspaces_preview_panel.ftl
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/client/myspaces_preview_panel.ftl
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@
                <td class="spaceAction docActionViewContent">View Content</td>
             </tr>
             <tr>
-               <td class="spaceAction docActionDelete" onclick='event.cancelBubble=true;MySpaces.deleteItem("${node.name}", "${node.nodeRef}");'>Delete</td>
+               <td class="spaceAction docActionDelete" <#if node.hasPermission("Delete")>onclick='event.cancelBubble=true;MySpaces.deleteItem("${node.name}", "${node.nodeRef}");'</#if>>Delete</td>
                <td class="spaceAction docActionMoreActions">More Actions...</td>
             </tr>
             <#else>
             <tr>
                <td class="spaceAction spaceActionEditDetails">Edit Details</td>
-               <td class="spaceAction spaceActionDelete" onclick='event.cancelBubble=true;MySpaces.deleteItem("${node.name}", "${node.nodeRef}");'>Delete</td>
+               <td class="spaceAction spaceActionDelete" <#if node.hasPermission("Delete")>onclick='event.cancelBubble=true;MySpaces.deleteItem("${node.name}", "${node.nodeRef}");'</#if>>Delete</td>
             </tr>
             <tr>
                <td class="spaceAction spaceActionMoreActions">More Actions...</td>
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/myspaces.get.html.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/myspaces.get.html.ftl
index 00344c5e62..7a8386e57a 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/myspaces.get.html.ftl
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/myspaces.get.html.ftl
@@ -54,14 +54,14 @@
    <div class="spaceToolbar">
       <#-- TODO: permission checks on the actions! -->
       <#-- Upload File action -->
-      <div class="spaceToolbarAction spaceToolbarActionUpload" title="Upload a new document" onclick="MySpaces.upload(this);">Upload</div>
+      <div class="spaceToolbarAction spaceToolbarActionUpload" title="Upload a new document" <#if home.hasPermission("CreateChildren")>onclick="MySpaces.upload(this);"</#if>>Upload</div>
       <div class="spaceUploadPanel">
          <#-- Url encode the path value, and encode any single quotes to generate valid string -->
          <input class="spaceFormItem" type="submit" value="OK" onclick='MySpaces.uploadOK(this, "${path?url?replace("'","_%_")}");'>
          <input class="spaceFormItem" type="button" value="Cancel" onclick="MySpaces.closePopupPanel();">
       </div>
       <#-- Create Space action -->
-      <div class="spaceToolbarAction spaceToolbarActionCreateSpace" title="Create a new Space" onclick="MySpaces.createSpace(this);">Create Space</div>
+      <div class="spaceToolbarAction spaceToolbarActionCreateSpace" title="Create a new Space" <#if home.hasPermission("CreateChildren")>onclick="MySpaces.createSpace(this);"</#if>>Create Space</div>
       <div class="spaceCreateSpacePanel">
          <table cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" border="0">
             <tr><td class="spaceFormLabel">Name:</td><td><input class="spaceFormItem" type="text" size="32" maxlength="1024" id="space-name"></td></tr>
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytasks.get.html.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytasks.get.html.ftl
index c7faf2829d..96ec4e2189 100644
--- a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytasks.get.html.ftl
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytasks.get.html.ftl
@@ -34,71 +34,11 @@
    <td width=4 class="paperEdgeRight"><td>
 </tr>
 <tr><td bgcolor="#F9F3B0">&nbsp;</td><td>
+   <div id="taskPanelOverlay"></div>
    <div id="taskPanel">
-      <#assign weekms=1000*60*60*24*7>
-      <#assign count=0>
-      <#list workflow.assignedTasks?sort_by('startDate') as t>
-         <#-- TODO: is it better to use a js script to pre-filter the list? -->
-         <#assign hasDue=t.properties["bpm:dueDate"]?exists>
-         <#if hasDue>
-            <#assign due=t.properties["bpm:dueDate"]>
-         </#if>
-         <#if (filter=0) ||
-              (filter=3 && !hasDue) ||
-              (filter=1 && hasDue && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date, 0, "==") == 1)) ||
-              (filter=2 && hasDue && (dateCompare(due?date, date?date) == 1 && dateCompare(date?date, due?date, weekms) == 1)) ||
-              (filter=4 && hasDue && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date) == 1))>
-         <#assign count=count+1>
-         <div class="taskRow" id="${t.id}">
-            <div class="taskTitle">
-               <div class="taskIndicator">
-               <#if hasDue>
-                  <#-- items due today? -->
-                  <#if (filter=0 || filter=1) && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date, 0, "==") == 1)>
-                     <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/task_today.gif"></div><div class="taskItem taskItemToday">
-                  <#-- items overdue? -->
-                  <#elseif (filter=0 || filter=4) && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date) == 1)>
-                     <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/task_overdue.gif"></div><div class="taskItem taskItemOverdue">
-                  <#else>
-                     </div><div class="taskItem">
-                  </#if>
-               <#else>
-                  </div><div class="taskItem">
-               </#if>
-                  ${t.description?html} (${t.type?html})
-                  <#if hasDue>
-                     (Due: ${due?date})
-                  </#if>
-                  <span class="taskInfo" onclick="event.cancelBubble=true; TaskInfoMgr.toggle('${t.id}',this);">
-                     <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/popup.gif" class="popupImage" width="16" height="16" />
-                  </span>
-               </div>
-            </div>
-            <div class="taskDetail">
-               <div style="float:left">
-                  <table cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' style="margin-left:32px;margin-top:16px">
-                     <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Status:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:status"]}</td>
-                     <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Priority:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:priority"]}</td>
-                     <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Start Date:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.startDate?date}</td></tr>
-      	            <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Type:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.type?html}</td></tr>
-                     <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Complete:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:percentComplete"]}%</td>
-      	         </table>
-   	         </div>
-   	         <div class="taskResourceHeader">${t.name?html}:</div>
-   	         <div class="taskResources"></div>
-   	         <div>
-      	         <table class="taskActions" style="padding-left:16px">
-      	            <tr>
-      	               <#list t.transitions as wt>
-      	               <td><a class="taskAction" href="#" onclick="MyTasks.transitionTask('/command/task/end/${t.id}/${wt.id}', '${scripturl("?f=${filter}")}', 'Workflow action \'${wt.label?html}\' completed.');">${wt.label?html}</a></td>
-      	               </#list>
-      	            </tr>
-      	         </table>
-      	      </div>
-            </div>
-         </div>
-         </#if>
-      </#list>
+      <#-- populated via an AJAX call to 'mytaskspanel' webscript -->
+      <#-- resolved filter required as argument -->
+      <script>MyTasks.Filter="${filter}";</script>
    </div>
 </td>
 <td width=4 class="paperEdgeRight"><td>
@@ -107,7 +47,8 @@
 <td bgcolor="#F9F3B0">&nbsp;</td>
 <td>
    <div id="taskFooter">
-      Showing ${count} <#if filter=4>overdue</#if> task(s)<#if filter=1> due today</#if><#if filter=2> due next week</#if><#if filter=3> with no due date set</#if>.
+      <#-- the count value is retrieved and set dynamically from the AJAX webscript output above -->
+      Showing <span id="taskCount">0</span> <#if filter=4>overdue</#if> task(s)<#if filter=1> due today</#if><#if filter=2> due next week</#if><#if filter=3> with no due date set</#if>.
    </div>
 </td>
 <td class="paperEdgeRight"><td>
@@ -119,9 +60,6 @@
 </tr>
 </table>
 
-<#-- display status message if provided -->
-<#if args.m?exists><script>window.addEvent('load', MyTasks.displayMessage("${args.m}"));</script></#if>
-
 <STYLE type="text/css">
 a.taskfilterLink:link, a.taskfilterLink:visited
 {
@@ -163,6 +101,20 @@ a.taskfilterLinkSelected:link, a.taskfilterLinkSelected:visited
    overflow: auto;
    border-top: 1px solid #EBE398;
    border-left: 1px solid #F6DEA0;
+   visibility: hidden;
+}
+
+#taskPanelOverlay
+{
+   background-image: url(${url.context}/images/icons/ajax_anim.gif);
+   background-position: center;
+   background-repeat: no-repeat;
+   position: absolute;
+   border-top: 1px solid #EBE398;
+   border-left: 1px solid #F6DEA0;
+   height: 300px;
+   width: 716px;
+   overflow: hidden;
 }
 
 .taskRow
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.desc.xml b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.desc.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..efcc2a2a3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.desc.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<webscript>
+  <shortname>My Tasks Panel</shortname>
+  <description>Generate the Generate the inner panel for the My Tasks portlet page</description>
+  <url format="html" template="/mytaskspanel?f={filter?}"/>
+  <authentication>user</authentication>
+  <transaction>required</transaction>
+</webscript>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.html.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.html.ftl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1af27a992
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/portlets/mytaskspanel.get.html.ftl
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+<#assign weekms=1000*60*60*24*7>
+<#assign count=0>
+<#list workflow.assignedTasks?sort_by('startDate') as t>
+   <#-- TODO: is it better to use a js script to pre-filter the list? -->
+   <#assign hasDue=t.properties["bpm:dueDate"]?exists>
+   <#if hasDue>
+      <#assign due=t.properties["bpm:dueDate"]>
+   </#if>
+   <#-- filters: 0=all, 1=today, 2=next week, 3=no due date, 4=overdue -->
+   <#if (args.f="0") ||
+        (args.f="3" && !hasDue) ||
+        (args.f="1" && hasDue && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date, 0, "==") == 1)) ||
+        (args.f="2" && hasDue && (dateCompare(due?date, date?date) == 1 && dateCompare(date?date, due?date, weekms) == 1)) ||
+        (args.f="4" && hasDue && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date) == 1))>
+   <#assign count=count+1>
+   <div class="taskRow" id="${t.id}">
+      <div class="taskTitle">
+         <div class="taskIndicator">
+         <#if hasDue>
+            <#-- items due today? -->
+            <#if (args.f="0" || args.f="1") && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date, 0, "==") == 1)>
+               <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/task_today.gif"></div><div class="taskItem taskItemToday">
+            <#-- items overdue? -->
+            <#elseif (args.f="0" || args.f="4") && (dateCompare(date?date, due?date) == 1)>
+               <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/task_overdue.gif"></div><div class="taskItem taskItemOverdue">
+            <#else>
+               </div><div class="taskItem">
+            </#if>
+         <#else>
+            </div><div class="taskItem">
+         </#if>
+            ${t.description?html} (${t.type?html})
+            <#if hasDue>
+               (Due: ${due?date})
+            </#if>
+            <span class="taskInfo" onclick="event.cancelBubble=true; TaskInfoMgr.toggle('${t.id}',this);">
+               <img src="${url.context}/images/icons/popup.gif" class="popupImage" width="16" height="16" />
+            </span>
+         </div>
+      </div>
+      <div class="taskDetail">
+         <div style="float:left">
+            <table cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' style="margin-left:32px;margin-top:16px">
+               <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Status:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:status"]}</td>
+               <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Priority:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:priority"]}</td>
+               <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Start Date:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.startDate?date}</td></tr>
+	            <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Type:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.type?html}</td></tr>
+               <tr><td class="taskMetaprop">Complete:</td><td class="taskMetadata">${t.properties["bpm:percentComplete"]}%</td>
+	         </table>
+         </div>
+         <div class="taskResourceHeader">${t.name?html}:</div>
+         <div class="taskResources"></div>
+         <div>
+	         <table class="taskActions" style="padding-left:16px">
+	            <tr>
+	               <#list t.transitions as wt>
+	               <td><a class="taskAction" href="#" onclick="event.cancelBubble=true; MyTasks.transitionTask('/command/task/end/${t.id}<#if wt.id?exists>/${wt.id}</#if>', 'Workflow action \'${wt.label?html}\' completed.');">${wt.label?html}</a></td>
+	               </#list>
+	            </tr>
+	         </table>
+	      </div>
+      </div>
+   </div>
+   </#if>
+</#list>
+<#-- hidden div with the count value for the page -->
+<div id="taskCountValue" style="display:none">${count}</div>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/web/scripts/ajax/myspaces.js b/source/web/scripts/ajax/myspaces.js
index d50743f6dc..f750a395e2 100644
--- a/source/web/scripts/ajax/myspaces.js
+++ b/source/web/scripts/ajax/myspaces.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ var MySpaces = {
          // is responsible for rendering just the contents of the main panel div
          YAHOO.util.Connect.asyncRequest(
             "GET",
-            getContextPath() + '/service/myspacespanel?p='+MySpaces.Path+'&f='+MySpaces.Filter+'&h='+MySpaces.Home,  //+'&_='+(Math.random())
+            getContextPath() + '/service/myspacespanel?p='+MySpaces.Path+'&f='+MySpaces.Filter+'&h='+MySpaces.Home,
             {
                success: function(response)
                {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ var MySpaces = {
                },
                failure: function(response)
                {
-                  $('spacePanel').setHTML("Sorry, list data currently unavailable.");
+                  $('spacePanel').setHTML("Sorry, data currently unavailable.");
                }
             }
          );
diff --git a/source/web/scripts/ajax/mytasks.js b/source/web/scripts/ajax/mytasks.js
index 9078289473..c00216fa17 100644
--- a/source/web/scripts/ajax/mytasks.js
+++ b/source/web/scripts/ajax/mytasks.js
@@ -1,14 +1,43 @@
 var MyTasks = {
    ANIM_LENGTH: 300,
    DETAIL_PANEL_HEIGHT: 132,
+   Filter: null,
    
    start: function()
    {
       if ($('taskPanel'))
       {
-         MyTasks.parseTaskPanels();
+         // fire off the ajax request to populate the task panel - the 'mytaskspanel' webscript
+         // is responsible for rendering just the contents of the main panel div
+         YAHOO.util.Connect.asyncRequest(
+            "GET",
+            getContextPath() + '/service/mytaskspanel?f='+MyTasks.Filter,
+            {
+               success: function(response)
+               {
+                  // push the response into the task panel div
+                  $('taskPanel').setHTML(response.responseText);
+                  // extract the count value from a hidden div and display it
+                  $('taskCount').setHTML($('taskCountValue').innerHTML);
+                  // wire up all the events and animations
+                  MyTasks.init();
+               },
+               failure: function(response)
+               {
+                  $('taskPanel').setHTML("Sorry, data currently unavailable.");
+               }
+            }
+         );
       }
    },
+   
+   init: function()
+   {
+      MyTasks.parseTaskPanels();
+      // hide the ajax wait panel and show the main task panel
+      $('taskPanelOverlay').setStyle('visibility', 'hidden');
+      $('taskPanel').setStyle('visibility', 'visible');
+   },
 
    parseTaskPanels: function()
    {
@@ -237,21 +266,20 @@ var MyTasks = {
       });
    },
    
-   transitionTask: function(tUrl, rUrl, successMessage)
+   transitionTask: function(commandUrl, successMessage)
    {
       YAHOO.util.Connect.asyncRequest(
          "GET",
-         getContextPath() + tUrl,
+         getContextPath() + commandUrl,
          { 
             success: function(response)
             {
-               window.location.href = rUrl + "&_rand=" + Math.floor(Math.random()*99999) +
-                                      "&" + "m=" + successMessage;
+               MyTasks.displayMessage(successMessage);
+               MyTasks.refreshList();
             },
             failure: function(e)
             {
                alert(e.status + " : ERROR failed to transition task.");
-               window.location.href = rUrl + "&_rand=" + Math.floor(Math.random()*99999);
             }
          }
       );
@@ -260,7 +288,26 @@ var MyTasks = {
    displayMessage: function(message)
    {
       var footer = $('taskFooter');
-      footer.innerHTML = message + ' ' + footer.innerHTML
+      if (footer.oldMessage == undefined)
+      {
+         footer.oldMessage = footer.innerHTML;
+      }
+      footer.innerHTML = message + ' ' + footer.oldMessage;
+   },
+   
+   /**
+    * Refresh the main data list contents within the taskPanel container
+    */
+   refreshList: function()
+   {
+      // empty the main panel div and restart by reloading the panel contents
+      var taskPanel = $('taskPanel');
+      taskPanel.setStyle('visibility', 'hidden');
+      // show the ajax wait panel
+      $('taskPanelOverlay').setStyle('visibility', 'visible');
+      taskPanel.empty();
+      taskPanel.removeEvents('mouseleave');
+      MyTasks.start();
    }
 };