diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
index ee1f42e585..e3e2949bad 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         modules = [i[2] for i in VERSION_TUPLES]
         settings_attributes = [i[3] for i in VERSION_TUPLES]
         student_attributes = [i[4] for i in VERSION_TUPLES]
+        version_error_string = "Could not find version {0}, using version {1} instead"
 
         try:
             version_index = versions.index(self.version)
@@ -151,7 +152,8 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         self.child_descriptor = descriptors[version_index](self.system)
         self.child_definition = descriptors[version_index].definition_from_xml(etree.fromstring(self.data), self.system)
         self.child_module = modules[version_index](self.system, location, self.child_definition, self.child_descriptor,
-            instance_state = instance_state, static_data= static_data, model_data=model_data, attributes=attributes)
+            instance_state = instance_state, static_data= static_data, attributes=attributes)
+        self.save_instance_data()
 
     def get_html(self):
         self.save_instance_data()
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
index 3280f4b7c9..2a106ba63b 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedV1Module():
     TEMPLATE_DIR = "combinedopenended"
 
     def __init__(self, system, location, definition, descriptor,
-                 instance_state=None, shared_state=None, metadata = None, static_data = None, model_data=None,**kwargs):
+                 instance_state=None, shared_state=None, metadata = None, static_data = None, **kwargs):
 
         """
         Definition file should have one or many task blocks, a rubric block, and a prompt block:
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedV1Module():
 
         """
 
-        self._model_data = model_data
         self.instance_state = instance_state
         self.display_name = instance_state.get('display_name', "Open Ended")
         self.rewrite_content_links = static_data.get('rewrite_content_links',"")
@@ -396,7 +395,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedV1Module():
 
         task_parsed_xml = task_descriptor.definition_from_xml(etree_xml, self.system)
         task = children['modules'][task_type](self.system, self.location, task_parsed_xml, task_descriptor,
-            self.static_data, instance_state=task_state, model_data = self._model_data)
+            self.static_data, instance_state=task_state)
         last_response = task.latest_answer()
         last_score = task.latest_score()
         last_post_assessment = task.latest_post_assessment(self.system)
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/openendedchild.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/openendedchild.py
index 9a9446b6cf..bb22239f09 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/openendedchild.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/openendedchild.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class OpenEndedChild(object):
             try:
                 instance_state = json.loads(instance_state)
             except:
-                pass
+                log.error("Could not load instance state for open ended.  Setting it to nothing.: {0}".format(instance_state))
         else:
             instance_state = {}