diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
index fd4467372b..3238c89047 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
@@ -870,8 +870,7 @@ class ModuleSystem(object):
                  node_path="",
                  anonymous_student_id='',
                  course_id=None,
-                 peer_grading_interface=None,
-                 staff_grading_interface=None,
+                 open_ended_grading_interface=None,
                  s3_interface=None):
         '''
         Create a closure around the system environment.
@@ -923,8 +922,7 @@ class ModuleSystem(object):
         self.anonymous_student_id = anonymous_student_id
         self.course_id = course_id
         self.user_is_staff = user is not None and user.is_staff
-        self.peer_grading_interface = peer_grading_interface
-        self.staff_grading_interface = staff_grading_interface
+        self.open_ended_grading_interface = open_ended_grading_interface
         self.s3_interface = s3_interface
 
     def get(self, attr):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
index ded84a971e..b491903422 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
@@ -226,6 +226,26 @@ def _get_module(user, request, descriptor, student_module_cache, course_id,
               'waittime': settings.XQUEUE_WAITTIME_BETWEEN_REQUESTS
              }
 
+    def get_or_default(key, default):
+        getattr(settings, key, default)
+
+    #This is a hacky way to pass settings to the combined open ended xmodule
+    #It needs an S3 interface to upload images to S3
+    #It needs the open ended grading interface in order to get peer grading to be done
+    #TODO: refactor these settings into module-specific settings when possible.
+    #this first checks to see if the descriptor is the correct one, and only sends settings if it is
+    is_descriptor_combined_open_ended = descriptor.__class__.__name__ == 'CombinedOpenEndedDescriptor'
+    open_ended_grading_interface = None
+    s3_interface = None
+    if is_descriptor_combined_open_ended:
+        open_ended_grading_interface = settings.OPEN_ENDED_GRADING_INTERFACE
+        s3_interface = {
+            'access_key' : get_or_default('AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID',''),
+            'secret_access_key' : get_or_default('AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY',''),
+            'storage_bucket_name' : get_or_default('AWS_STORAGE_BUCKET_NAME','')
+        }
+
+
     def inner_get_module(descriptor):
         """
         Delegate to get_module.  It does an access check, so may return None
@@ -255,6 +275,8 @@ def _get_module(user, request, descriptor, student_module_cache, course_id,
                           node_path=settings.NODE_PATH,
                           anonymous_student_id=unique_id_for_user(user),
                           course_id=course_id,
+                          open_ended_grading_interface=open_ended_grading_interface,
+                          s3_interface=s3_interface,
                           )
     # pass position specified in URL to module through ModuleSystem
     system.set('position', position)