diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index 67741e6eb..64f26cca0 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 7.10.1
+ - fixed #11851: Story Topic: top story variables should be available all the time
 
 7.10.0
  - fixed #11812: Checking www_ajaxSave's response in the cart js, urlencoding post parameters
diff --git a/docs/templates.txt b/docs/templates.txt
index 999d89272..4c138a884 100644
--- a/docs/templates.txt
+++ b/docs/templates.txt
@@ -15,3 +15,15 @@ templates, you will need to apply these changes manually to your copies.
     }
     Gallery.DDSorting.url = '<tmpl_var url escape="js">';
 
+  *  Story Topic Template
+     Since topStory template variables are available all the time, manually add the topStory into the list of
+     stories when the topic is no viewed standalone.  Also note the new template variables for the the delete
+     and edit icons for the top story.
+
+     <ul>
+     <tmpl_unless standAlone>
+     <li><tmpl_var topStoryDeleteIcon><tmpl_var topStoryEditIcon> <a href="<tmpl_var topStoryUrl>"><tmpl_var topStoryTitle></a></li>
+     </tmpl_unless>
+     <tmpl_loop story_loop>
+
+
diff --git a/docs/upgrades/packages-7.10.1/root_import_storymanager_storytopic.wgpkg b/docs/upgrades/packages-7.10.1/root_import_storymanager_storytopic.wgpkg
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bfd1d466e
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/upgrades/packages-7.10.1/root_import_storymanager_storytopic.wgpkg differ
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
index f61ba6487..cdb6eec82 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
@@ -220,15 +220,17 @@ sub viewTemplateVariables {
         push @{$var->{story_loop}}, $storyVars;
     }
 
-    if ($self->{_standAlone} and @$storyIds) {
+    if (@{ $storyIds }) {
         my $topStoryData = $storyIds->[0];
-        shift @{ $var->{story_loop} };
+        my $topStoryVars = shift @{ $var->{story_loop} };
         ##Note, this could have saved from the loop above, but this looks more clean and encapsulated to me.
         my $topStory   = WebGUI::Asset->new($session, $topStoryData->{assetId}, $topStoryData->{className}, $topStoryData->{revisionDate});
         $var->{topStoryTitle}          = $topStory->getTitle;
         $var->{topStorySubtitle}       = $topStory->get('subtitle');
         $var->{topStoryUrl}            = $session->url->append($self->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$topStoryData->{assetId}),
         $var->{topStoryCreationDate}   = $topStory->get('creationDate');
+        $var->{topStoryEditIcon}       = $topStoryVars->{editIcon};
+        $var->{topStoryDeleteIcon}     = $topStoryVars->{deleteIcon};
         ##TODO: Photo variables
         my $photoData = $topStory->getPhotoData;
         PHOTO: foreach my $photo (@{ $photoData }) {
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
index 510c6d4a1..6bd21e027 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Help/Asset_StoryTopic.pm
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ our $HELP = {
                 { name => 'editIcon' },
               ],
             },
+            { name => 'topStoryDeleteIcon',
+              description => 'deleteIcon', },
+            { name => 'topStoryEditIcon'
+              description => 'editIcon', },
             { name => 'topStoryTitle'        },
             { name => 'topStorySubtitle'     },
             { name => 'topStoryUrl'          },
diff --git a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
index 564e326f4..89bba2d3d 100644
--- a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
+++ b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
@@ -107,11 +107,6 @@ cmp_deeply(
 cmp_deeply(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
-        {
-            title        => 'bogs',
-            url          => $session->url->append($topic->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyHandler->{'bogs'}->getId),
-            creationDate => $now,
-        },
         {
             title        => 'red',
             url          => $session->url->append($topic->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyHandler->{'red'}->getId),
@@ -127,11 +122,11 @@ cmp_deeply(
 );
 
 ok(
-    ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryTitle}
- && ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryUrl}
- && ! exists $templateVars->{topStoryCreationDate}
- && ! exists $templateVars->{topStorySubtitle},
-    'topStory variables not present unless in standalone mode'
+    exists $templateVars->{topStoryTitle}
+ && exists $templateVars->{topStoryUrl}
+ && exists $templateVars->{topStoryCreationDate}
+ && exists $templateVars->{topStorySubtitle},
+    'topStory variables present in standalone mode'
 );
 ok(! $templateVars->{standAlone}, 'viewTemplateVars: not in standalone mode');
 
@@ -230,8 +225,9 @@ $topic->update({
 
 $topic->{_standAlone} = 0;
 
-$templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables;
+$templateVars    = $topic->viewTemplateVariables;
 my @topicInmates = map { $_->{title} } @{ $templateVars->{story_loop} };
+unshift @topicInmates, $templateVars->{topStoryTitle};
 cmp_deeply(
     \@topicInmates,
     [@inmates, 'Yesterday is history'], #extra for pastStory
@@ -246,11 +242,6 @@ $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables;
 cmp_deeply(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
-        {
-            title        => 'bogs',
-            url          => $storyHandler->{'bogs'}->getUrl,
-            creationDate => $now,
-        },
         {
             title        => 'red',
             url          => $storyHandler->{'red'}->getUrl,
@@ -331,7 +322,14 @@ $topic->update( { storySortOrder => 'Alphabetically' } );
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables();
 
 cmp_deeply(
-    $templateVars->{story_loop},
+    [
+        {
+            title        => $templateVars->{topStoryTitle},
+            url          => $templateVars->{topStoryUrl},
+            creationDate => $templateVars->{topStoryCreationDate},
+        },
+        @{ $templateVars->{story_loop} },
+    ],
     [
         {
             title        => "aaaay was history but isn't any more",