diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 5b643f3920..6217de63e2 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ def render_single_thread(request, discussion_id, course_id, thread_id):
     context = {
         'discussion_id': discussion_id,
         'thread': thread,
-        'user_info': cc.User.from_django_user(request.user).to_dict(),
+        'user_info': json.dumps(cc.User.from_django_user(request.user).to_dict()),
         'annotated_content_info': json.dumps(annotated_content_info),
         'course_id': course_id,
         'request': request,
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
index 82cb15ad24..6ef21b6de7 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <%namespace name="renderer" file="_thread.html"/>
+<%! from django.template.defaultfilters import escapejs %>
 
 <section class="discussion forum-discussion" _id="${discussion_id}">
 
@@ -29,10 +30,10 @@
 %>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
-  var $$user_info = JSON.parse('${user_info | escape_quotes}');
-  var $$course_id = "${course_id}";
+  var $$user_info = JSON.parse("${user_info | escapejs}");
+  var $$course_id = "${course_id | escapejs}";
   if (typeof $$annotated_content_info === undefined || $$annotated_content_info === null) {
     var $$annotated_content_info = {};
   }
-  $$annotated_content_info = $.extend($$annotated_content_info, JSON.parse("${annotated_content_info | escape_quotes}"));
+  $$annotated_content_info = $.extend($$annotated_content_info, JSON.parse("${annotated_content_info | escapejs}"));
 </script>
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
index 8dd2b5e87f..3c92fd37b6 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_single_thread.html
@@ -1,20 +1,16 @@
 <%namespace name="renderer" file="_thread.html"/>
+<%! from django.template.defaultfilters import escapejs %>
 
-<section class="discussion">
+<section class="discussion" _id="${discussion_id}">
   <a class="discussion-title" href="javascript:void(0)">Discussion</a>
   ${renderer.render_thread(course_id, thread, show_comments=True)}
 </section>
 
-<%!
-  def escape_quotes(text):
-    return text.replace('\"', '\\\"').replace("\'", "\\\'")
-%>
-
 <script type="text/javascript">
-  var $$user_info = JSON.parse('${user_info | escape_quotes}');
-  var $$course_id = "${course_id}";
+  var $$user_info = JSON.parse("${user_info | escapejs}");
+  var $$course_id = "${course_id | escapejs}";
   if (typeof $$annotated_content_info === undefined || $$annotated_content_info === null) {
     var $$annotated_content_info = {};
   }
-  $$annotated_content_info = $.extend($$annotated_content_info, JSON.parse("${annotated_content_info | escape_quotes}"));
+  $$annotated_content_info = $.extend($$annotated_content_info, JSON.parse("${annotated_content_info | escapejs}"));
 </script>