diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
index b79c7355ec..d9ff2a1c56 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
@@ -1308,7 +1308,7 @@ def create_xblock_info(xblock, data=None, metadata=None, include_ancestor_info=F
 
                 xblock_info.update({
                     'is_proctored_exam': xblock.is_proctored_exam,
-                    'was_ever_special_exam': _was_xblock_ever_special_exam(
+                    'was_ever_proctored_exam': _was_xblock_ever_proctored_exam(
                         course, xblock
                     ),
                     'online_proctoring_rules': rules_url,
@@ -1364,13 +1364,14 @@ def create_xblock_info(xblock, data=None, metadata=None, include_ancestor_info=F
     return xblock_info
 
 
-def _was_xblock_ever_special_exam(course, xblock):
+def _was_xblock_ever_proctored_exam(course, xblock):
     """
-    Determine whether this XBlock is or was ever configured as a special exam.
+    Determine whether this XBlock is or was ever configured as a proctored exam.
 
-    If this block is *not* currently a special exam, the best way for us to tell
-    whether it was was *ever* configured as a special exam is by checking whether
-    edx-proctoring has an exam record associated with the block's ID.
+    If this block is *not* currently a proctored exam, the best way for us to tell
+    whether it was was *ever* configured as a proctored exam is by checking whether
+    edx-proctoring has an exam record associated with the block's ID,
+    and the exam record is proctored.
     If an exception is not raised, then we know that such a record exists,
     indicating that this *was* once a special exam.
 
@@ -1380,14 +1381,13 @@ def _was_xblock_ever_special_exam(course, xblock):
 
     Returns: bool
     """
-    if xblock.is_time_limited:
+    if xblock.is_proctored_enabled:
         return True
     try:
-        get_exam_by_content_id(course.id, xblock.location)
+        exam = get_exam_by_content_id(course.id, xblock.location)
+        return 'is_proctored' in exam and exam['is_proctored']
     except ProctoredExamNotFoundException:
         return False
-    else:
-        return True
 
 
 def add_container_page_publishing_info(xblock, xblock_info):
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/tests/test_item.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/tests/test_item.py
index 8ce3da5e46..31e55b2256 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/tests/test_item.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/tests/test_item.py
@@ -2843,6 +2843,7 @@ class TestXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
 
 
 @patch.dict('django.conf.settings.FEATURES', {'ENABLE_SPECIAL_EXAMS': True})
+@ddt.ddt
 class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
     """
     Unit tests for XBlock outline handling, specific to special exam XBlocks.
@@ -2854,7 +2855,7 @@ class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
         item_module, 'does_backend_support_onboarding', return_value=True
     )
     patch_get_exam_by_content_id_success = patch.object(
-        item_module, 'get_exam_by_content_id'
+        item_module, 'get_exam_by_content_id', return_value={'is_proctored': True}
     )
     patch_get_exam_by_content_id_not_found = patch.object(
         item_module, 'get_exam_by_content_id', side_effect=ProctoredExamNotFoundException
@@ -2908,7 +2909,7 @@ class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
         )
         # exam proctoring should be enabled and time limited.
         assert xblock_info['is_proctored_exam'] is True
-        assert xblock_info['was_ever_special_exam'] is True
+        assert xblock_info['was_ever_proctored_exam'] is True
         assert xblock_info['is_time_limited'] is True
         assert xblock_info['default_time_limit_minutes'] == 100
         assert xblock_info['proctoring_exam_configuration_link'] == 'test_url'
@@ -2920,8 +2921,15 @@ class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
     @patch_get_exam_configuration_dashboard_url
     @patch_does_backend_support_onboarding
     @patch_get_exam_by_content_id_success
-    def test_xblock_was_ever_special_exam(
+    @ddt.data(
+        (True, True),
+        (False, False),
+    )
+    @ddt.unpack
+    def test_xblock_was_ever_proctored_exam(
             self,
+            is_proctored,
+            expected_value,
             mock_get_exam_by_content_id,
             _mock_does_backend_support_onboarding_patch,
             _mock_get_exam_configuration_dashboard_url,
@@ -2935,13 +2943,14 @@ class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
             is_time_limited=False,
             is_onboarding_exam=False,
         )
+        mock_get_exam_by_content_id.return_value = {'is_proctored': is_proctored}
         sequential = modulestore().get_item(sequential.location)
         xblock_info = create_xblock_info(
             sequential,
             include_child_info=True,
             include_children_predicate=ALWAYS,
         )
-        assert xblock_info['was_ever_special_exam'] is True
+        assert xblock_info['was_ever_proctored_exam'] is expected_value
         assert mock_get_exam_by_content_id.call_count == 1
 
     @patch_get_exam_configuration_dashboard_url
@@ -2968,7 +2977,7 @@ class TestSpecialExamXBlockInfo(ItemTest):
             include_child_info=True,
             include_children_predicate=ALWAYS,
         )
-        assert xblock_info['was_ever_special_exam'] is False
+        assert xblock_info['was_ever_proctored_exam'] is False
         assert mock_get_exam_by_content_id.call_count == 1
 
 
diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/modals/course_outline_modals.js b/cms/static/js/views/modals/course_outline_modals.js
index 9503338d04..79e18e4517 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/modals/course_outline_modals.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/modals/course_outline_modals.js
@@ -325,8 +325,8 @@ define(['jquery', 'backbone', 'underscore', 'gettext', 'js/views/baseview',
                 isTimedExam: isTimeLimited && !(
                     isProctoredExam || isPracticeExam || isOnboardingExam
                 ),
-                specialExamLockedIn: (
-                    xblockInfo.get('released_to_students') && xblockInfo.get('was_ever_special_exam')
+                proctoredExamLockedIn: (
+                    xblockInfo.get('released_to_students') && xblockInfo.get('was_ever_proctored_exam')
                 )
             }, this.getContext()));
 
diff --git a/cms/templates/js/timed-examination-preference-editor.underscore b/cms/templates/js/timed-examination-preference-editor.underscore
index 9507011dbc..5cf037debf 100644
--- a/cms/templates/js/timed-examination-preference-editor.underscore
+++ b/cms/templates/js/timed-examination-preference-editor.underscore
@@ -2,19 +2,19 @@
     <h3 class="modal-section-title"><%- gettext('Set as a Special Exam') %></h3>
     <div class="modal-section-content has-actions">
         <div class="list-fields list-input exam-types" role="group" aria-label="<%- gettext('Exam Types') %>">
-            <% if (specialExamLockedIn && !isSpecialExam) { %>
+            <% if (proctoredExamLockedIn && !isProctoredExam) { %>
                 <div class="summary-message summary-message-warning">
                     <span class="icon fa fa-exclamation-triangle" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                     <p class="copy">
-                        <%- gettext("This subsection was released to learners as a special exam, but was reverted back to a basic exam. You may not configure it as a special exam now. Contact edX Support for assistance.") %>
+                        <%- gettext("This subsection was released to learners as a proctored exam, but was reverted back to a basic or timed exam. You may not configure it as a proctored exam now. Contact edX Support for assistance.") %>
                     </p>
                 </div>
             <% } %>
-            <% if (specialExamLockedIn && isSpecialExam) { %>
+            <% if (proctoredExamLockedIn && isProctoredExam) { %>
                 <div class="summary-message summary-message-warning">
                     <span class="icon fa fa-exclamation-triangle" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                     <p class="copy">
-                        <%- gettext("This special exam has been released to learners. You may not convert it to another type of special exam. You may revert this subsection back to being a basic exam by selecting 'None', but you will NOT be able to configure it as a special exam in the future.") %>
+                        <%- gettext("This proctored exam has been released to learners. You may not convert it to another type of special exam. You may revert this subsection back to being a basic exam by selecting 'None', or a timed exam, but you will NOT be able to configure it as a proctored exam in the future.") %>
                     </p>
                 </div>
             <% } %>
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
             <label class="label">
                 <input type="radio" name="exam_type" class="input input-radio timed_exam"
                     aria-describedby="timed-exam-description" 
-                    <%- specialExamLockedIn && !isTimedExam ? 'disabled' : '' %>
                 />
                 <%- gettext('Timed') %>
             </label>
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@
                 <label class="label">
                     <input type="radio" name="exam_type" class="input input-radio proctored_exam"
                         aria-describedby="proctored-exam-description"
-                        <%- specialExamLockedIn && (!isProctoredExam || isOnboardingExam) ? 'disabled' : '' %>
+                        <%- proctoredExamLockedIn && (!isProctoredExam || isOnboardingExam) ? 'disabled' : '' %>
                     />
                     <%- gettext('Proctored') %>
                 </label>
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@
                     <label class="label">
                         <input type="radio" name="exam_type" class="input input-radio onboarding_exam"
                             aria-describedby="onboarding-exam-description"
-                            <%- specialExamLockedIn && !isOnboardingExam ? 'disabled' : '' %>
+                            <%- proctoredExamLockedIn && !isOnboardingExam ? 'disabled' : '' %>
                         />
                         <%- gettext('Onboarding') %>
                     </label>
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@
                     <label class="label">
                         <input type="radio" name="exam_type" class="input input-radio practice_exam"
                             aria-describedby="practice-exam-description"
-                            <%- specialExamLockedIn && !isPracticeExam ? 'disabled' : '' %>
+                            <%- proctoredExamLockedIn && !isPracticeExam ? 'disabled' : '' %>
                         />
                         <%- gettext('Practice Proctored') %>
                     </label>