diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index b1a409a37..3464ef087 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 7.10.7
+ - rfe #12016: add more functionality to story_loop
  - Added a Preview button the the Template asset's edit page
  - fixed #12009: Export JS errors in IE7
  - added #11968: use the language override in the registration form (Jukka Raimovaara / Mentalhouse Oy)
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
index cdb6eec82..d79fd0a2e 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.pm
@@ -193,32 +193,43 @@ sub viewTemplateVariables {
         rowsPerPage    => $numberOfStories,
     });
     my $storyIds = $p->getPageData();
-    $var->{story_loop} = [];
 
     my $icon          = $session->icon;
     my $userUiLevel   = $session->user->profileField("uiLevel");
     my $uiLevels      = $session->config->get('assetToolbarUiLevel');
     my $i18n          = WebGUI::International->new($session);
+    my $url           = $session->url;
 
     ##Only build objects for the assets that we need
-    STORY: foreach my $storyId (@{ $storyIds }) {
-        my $story = WebGUI::Asset->new($session, $storyId->{assetId}, $storyId->{className}, $storyId->{revisionDate});
-        next STORY unless $story;
-        my $storyVars = {
-            url           => ( $exporting
-                               ? $story->getUrl
-                               : $session->url->append($self->getUrl, 'func=viewStory;assetId='.$storyId->{assetId}) ),
-            title         => $story->getTitle,
-            creationDate  => $story->get('creationDate'),
-        };
-        if ($story->canEdit && $userUiLevel >= $uiLevels->{delete} && !$exporting) {
-            $storyVars->{deleteIcon} = $icon->delete('func=delete', $story->get('url'), $i18n->get(43));
+    $var->{story_loop} = [
+        map {
+            my $v = $_->viewTemplateVariables;
+            if ($exporting) {
+                $v->{url} = $_->getUrl;
+            }
+            else {
+                my $params = "func=viewStory;assetId=$v->{assetId}";
+                my $rawUrl = $v->{url};
+                $v->{url}  = $url->append($self->getUrl, $params);
+                if ($v->{canEdit}) {
+                    if ($userUiLevel >= $uiLevels->{delete}) {
+                        $v->{deleteIcon} = $icon->delete('func=delete', $rawUrl, $i18n->get(43));
+                    }
+                    if ($userUiLevel >= $uiLevels->{edit}) {
+                        $v->{editIcon} = $icon->edit('func=edit', $rawUrl);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            $v;
         }
-        if ($story->canEdit && $userUiLevel >= $uiLevels->{edit}   && !$exporting) {
-            $storyVars->{editIcon}   = $icon->edit('func=edit', $story->get('url'));
+        grep { $_ }
+        map  {
+            WebGUI::Asset->new(
+                $session, @{ $_ }{ qw( assetId className revisionDate ) }
+            )
         }
-        push @{$var->{story_loop}}, $storyVars;
-    }
+        @{ $storyIds }
+    ];
 
     if (@{ $storyIds }) {
         my $topStoryData = $storyIds->[0];
diff --git a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
index 89bba2d3d..9e5f0b6ff 100644
--- a/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
+++ b/t/Asset/Wobject/StoryTopic.t
@@ -92,6 +92,39 @@ addToCleanup($versionTag);
 #
 ################################################################
 
+# When it's okay that the variables we get will have extra keys and
+# values beyond what we're checking for, we'll use this function.
+sub cmp_variable_loop {
+    my ($got, $expected, $name) = @_;
+    local $Test::Builder::Level = $Test::Builder::Level + 1;
+    my $sg = @$got;
+    my $se = @$expected;
+    unless (@$got == @$expected) {
+        fail($name);
+        diag(<<EOM);
+Arrayrefs are not the same length.
+   got : $sg
+expect : $se
+EOM
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    my $failed;
+    for my $i (0..$#$got) {
+        my $g = $got->[$i];
+        my $e = $expected->[$i];
+        my ($ok, $stack) = Test::Deep::cmp_details($g, superhashof($e));
+        unless ($ok) {
+            unless ($failed) {
+                fail($name);
+                $failed = 1;
+            }
+            diag(Test::Deep::deep_diag($stack));
+        }
+    }
+    return $failed ? 0 : pass($name);
+}
+
 my $templateVars;
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables();
 
@@ -104,7 +137,7 @@ cmp_deeply(
     }),
     'viewTemplateVars: RSS and Atom feed template variables'
 );
-cmp_deeply(
+cmp_variable_loop(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
         {
@@ -132,7 +165,7 @@ ok(! $templateVars->{standAlone}, 'viewTemplateVars: not in standalone mode');
 
 $topic->{_standAlone} = 1;
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables();
-cmp_deeply(
+cmp_variable_loop(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
         {
@@ -239,7 +272,7 @@ $topic->update({
     storiesShort => 3,
 });
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables;
-cmp_deeply(
+cmp_variable_loop(
     $templateVars->{story_loop},
     [
         {
@@ -321,7 +354,7 @@ $topic->update( { storySortOrder => 'Alphabetically' } );
 
 $templateVars = $topic->viewTemplateVariables();
 
-cmp_deeply(
+cmp_variable_loop(
     [
         {
             title        => $templateVars->{topStoryTitle},