diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
index 833eb913e0..2965b2e5ca 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
@@ -210,13 +210,7 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
         '''Make sure the course objects loaded properly'''
         courses = self.draft_store.get_courses()
 
-        # note, the number of courses expected is really
-        # 6, but due to a lack of cache flushing between
-        # test case runs, we will get back 7.
-        # When we fix the caching issue, we should reduce this
-        # to 6 and remove the 'ChildTest' course_id
-        # from the list below
-        assert_equals(len(courses), 7)
+        assert_equals(len(courses), 6)
         course_ids = [course.id for course in courses]
 
         for course_key in [
@@ -229,9 +223,6 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(TestMongoModuleStoreBase):
                 ['edX', 'test_unicode', '2012_Fall'],
                 ['edX', 'toy', '2012_Fall'],
                 ['guestx', 'foo', 'bar'],
-                # This course below is due to a caching issue in the modulestore
-                # which is not cleared between test runs.
-                ['TestX', 'ChildTest', '1234_A1'],
             ]
         ]:
             assert_in(course_key, course_ids)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
index 5a0bdc7d07..e71864bd77 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/views.py
@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@ from .entrance_exams import (
 from courseware.user_state_client import DjangoXBlockUserStateClient
 from course_modes.models import CourseMode
 
-from open_ended_grading import open_ended_notifications
-from open_ended_grading.views import StaffGradingTab, PeerGradingTab, OpenEndedGradingTab
 from student.models import UserTestGroup, CourseEnrollment
 from student.views import is_course_blocked
 from util.cache import cache, cache_if_anonymous
@@ -1126,25 +1124,6 @@ def submission_history(request, course_id, student_username, location):
     return render_to_response('courseware/submission_history.html', context)
 
 
-def notification_image_for_tab(course_tab, user, course):
-    """
-    Returns the notification image path for the given course_tab if applicable, otherwise None.
-    """
-
-    tab_notification_handlers = {
-        StaffGradingTab.type: open_ended_notifications.staff_grading_notifications,
-        PeerGradingTab.type: open_ended_notifications.peer_grading_notifications,
-        OpenEndedGradingTab.type: open_ended_notifications.combined_notifications
-    }
-
-    if course_tab.name in tab_notification_handlers:
-        notifications = tab_notification_handlers[course_tab.name](course, user)
-        if notifications and notifications['pending_grading']:
-            return notifications['img_path']
-
-    return None
-
-
 def get_static_tab_contents(request, course, tab):
     """
     Returns the contents for the given static tab
diff --git a/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html b/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
index 0ed756d523..d4a46efc8d 100644
--- a/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
+++ b/lms/templates/courseware/course_navigation.html
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 <%!
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from courseware.tabs import get_course_tab_list
-from courseware.views import notification_image_for_tab
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.conf import settings
 from openedx.core.djangoapps.course_groups.partition_scheme import get_cohorted_user_partition
@@ -88,7 +87,6 @@ include_special_exams = settings.FEATURES.get('ENABLE_SPECIAL_EXAMS', False) and
       % for tab in get_course_tab_list(request, course):
         <%
             tab_is_active = (tab.tab_id == active_page) or (tab.tab_id == default_tab)
-            tab_image = notification_image_for_tab(tab, user, course)
         %>
           <li>
              <a href="${tab.link_func(course, reverse) | h}" class="${url_class(tab_is_active)}">