diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
index 445d066416..2dd3eb587b 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@ from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 
 class CombinedOpenEndedRubric:
 
-    def render_rubric(self, rubric_xml):
-        rubric_categories = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.extract_rubric_categories(rubric_xml)
-        html = render_to_string('open_ended_rubric.html', {'rubric_categories'  : rubric_categories})
+    @staticmethod
+    def render_rubric(rubric_xml):
+        try:
+            rubric_categories = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.extract_rubric_categories(rubric_xml)
+            html = render_to_string('open_ended_rubric.html', {'rubric_categories'  : rubric_categories})
+        except:
+            html = rubric_xml
         return html
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
index 870f3ea169..940b61c557 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ from .xml_module import XmlDescriptor
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 import openendedchild
 
+from combined_open_ended_rubric import CombinedOpenEndedRubric
+
 log = logging.getLogger("mitx.courseware")
 
 class SelfAssessmentModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
@@ -120,8 +122,10 @@ class SelfAssessmentModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         if self.state == self.INITIAL:
             return ''
 
+        rubric_html  = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.render_rubric(self.rubric)
+
         # we'll render it
-        context = {'rubric': self.rubric,
+        context = {'rubric': rubric_html,
                    'max_score': self._max_score,
         }
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/self_assessment_rubric.html b/lms/templates/self_assessment_rubric.html
index 5bcb3bba93..2d32ffe8d3 100644
--- a/lms/templates/self_assessment_rubric.html
+++ b/lms/templates/self_assessment_rubric.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <div class="assessment">
     <div class="rubric">
     <h3>Self-assess your answer with this rubric:</h3>
-    ${rubric}
+    ${rubric | n }
     </div>
 
     % if not read_only: