diff --git a/app/models/forum_post.rb b/app/models/forum_post.rb
index b5c1d2a60..41b2731ef 100644
--- a/app/models/forum_post.rb
+++ b/app/models/forum_post.rb
@@ -139,8 +139,7 @@ class ForumPost < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   def votable?
-    # shortcut to eliminate posts that are probably not tag change requests
-    body =~ /->/ && (bulk_update_request.present? || tag_alias.present? || tag_implication.present?) && created_at >= TagRelationship::EXPIRY.days.ago
+    body.to_s.match?(/->/)
   end
 
   def voted?(user, score)
diff --git a/app/views/forum_post_votes/_list.html.erb b/app/views/forum_post_votes/_list.html.erb
index e8475be13..1da894209 100644
--- a/app/views/forum_post_votes/_list.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/forum_post_votes/_list.html.erb
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@
   <%= render "forum_post_votes/vote", vote: vote, forum_post: forum_post %>
 <% end %>
 
-<% if forum_post.tag_change_request.is_pending? && !votes.by(CurrentUser.user.id).exists? %>
+<% if forum_post.tag_change_request && forum_post.tag_change_request.is_pending? && !votes.by(CurrentUser.user.id).exists? %>
   <%= render "forum_post_votes/add_vote", vote: votes.by(CurrentUser.user.id).first, forum_post: forum_post %>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/forum_post_votes/_vote.html.erb b/app/views/forum_post_votes/_vote.html.erb
index 30f6cb8ce..f5b9d9d23 100644
--- a/app/views/forum_post_votes/_vote.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/forum_post_votes/_vote.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 %>
 
 <li class="vote-score-<%= vote.vote_type %>">
-  <% if forum_post.tag_change_request.is_pending? && vote.creator_id == CurrentUser.id %>
+  <% if forum_post.tag_change_request && forum_post.tag_change_request.is_pending? && vote.creator_id == CurrentUser.id %>
     <%= link_to content_tag(:i, nil, class: "far #{vote.fa_class}"), forum_post_votes_path(forum_post_id: forum_post.id, format: "js"), remote: true, method: :delete %>
     <%= link_to_user vote.creator %>
   <% else %>
diff --git a/test/functional/forum_posts_controller_test.rb b/test/functional/forum_posts_controller_test.rb
index 24fb20421..92de5e52f 100644
--- a/test/functional/forum_posts_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/functional/forum_posts_controller_test.rb
@@ -15,10 +15,9 @@ class ForumPostsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
     context "with votes" do
       setup do
         as_user do
-          as(@user) do
-            @tag_alias = create(:tag_alias, forum_post: @forum_post, status: "pending")
-            @vote = create(:forum_post_vote, forum_post: @forum_post, score: 1)
-          end
+          @tag_alias = create(:tag_alias, forum_post: @forum_post, status: "pending")
+          @vote = create(:forum_post_vote, forum_post: @forum_post, score: 1)
+          @forum_post.reload
         end
       end
 
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ class ForumPostsControllerTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
         end
 
         should "hide the vote links" do
-          assert_select "a[title='Vote up']"
+          assert_select "a[title='Vote up']", false
         end
 
         should "still render existing votes" do