diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/display.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/display.coffee
index 45d0db8dac..4ad0bde631 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/display.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/display.coffee
@@ -74,13 +74,9 @@ class @CombinedOpenEnded
       @hint_area.attr('disabled', true)
       @submit_button.hide()
       if @task_number<@task_count
-        @next_problem_button.show()
+        @next_problem
       else
-        @next_problem_button.hide()
-        #if @allow_reset
         @reset_button.show()
-        #else
-        #  @reset_button.hide()
 
 
   find_assessment_elements: ->
@@ -161,8 +157,7 @@ class @CombinedOpenEnded
     else
       @errors_area.html('Problem state got out of sync.  Try reloading the page.')
 
-  next_problem: (event) =>
-    event.preventDefault()
+  next_problem: =>
     if @child_state == 'done'
       $.postWithPrefix "#{@ajax_url}/next_problem", {}, (response) =>
         if response.success
@@ -203,7 +198,7 @@ class @CombinedOpenEnded
       processData: false
       contentType: false
       success: (response) =>
-        @gentle_alert response.message
+        @gentle_alert response.msg
         @$('section.evaluation').slideToggle()
         @message_wrapper.html(response.message_html)
         @child_state = 'done'
@@ -216,4 +211,5 @@ class @CombinedOpenEnded
     if @el.find('.open-ended-alert').length
       @el.find('.open-ended-alert').remove()
     alert_elem = "<div class='open-ended-alert'>" + msg + "</div>"
+    @el.find('.open-ended-action').after(alert_elem)
     @el.find('.open-ended-alert').css(opacity: 0).animate(opacity: 1, 700)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended.html b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended.html
index 84bded0bec..6b30c3f418 100644
--- a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended.html
+++ b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended.html
@@ -8,6 +8,5 @@
 
     <input type="button" value="Reset" class="reset-button" name="reset"/>
     <input type="button" value="Next Step" class="next-step-button" name="reset"/>
-
 </section>
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
index e53c8136e3..6450f5a43e 100644
--- a/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
+++ b/lms/templates/combined_open_ended_status.html
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <section id="combined-open-ended-status" class="combined-open-ended-status">
     %for status in status_list:
-    <statusitem>
+    <div class="statusitem">
         Step ${status['task_number']} (${status['state']}) : ${status['score']} / ${status['max_score']}
         %if status['type']=="openended":
             ${status['post_assessment']}
         %endif
-    </statusitem>
+    </div>
     %endfor
 </section>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/templates/open_ended.html b/lms/templates/open_ended.html
index 423b2dc709..838c847841 100644
--- a/lms/templates/open_ended.html
+++ b/lms/templates/open_ended.html
@@ -51,5 +51,6 @@
     </div>
     % endif
   </div>
+  <div class="open-ended-action"></div>
   <div class="open-ended-alert"></div>
 </section>
diff --git a/lms/templates/self_assessment_prompt.html b/lms/templates/self_assessment_prompt.html
index 479e42a126..d8186954a7 100644
--- a/lms/templates/self_assessment_prompt.html
+++ b/lms/templates/self_assessment_prompt.html
@@ -16,4 +16,6 @@
     <div class="message-wrapper">${initial_message}</div>
     
     <input type="button" value="Submit" class="submit-button" name="show"/>
+    <div class="open-ended-action"></div>
+    <div class="open-ended-alert"></div>
 </section>