diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/grades/tests/test_tasks.py b/lms/djangoapps/grades/tests/test_tasks.py
index 21e46e9eb1..763b6d20a4 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/grades/tests/test_tasks.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/grades/tests/test_tasks.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 import ddt
 import pytz
 import six
+import django
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.utils import IntegrityError
 from mock import MagicMock, patch
@@ -107,6 +108,28 @@ class HasCourseWithProblemsMixin(object):
         # pylint: enable=attribute-defined-outside-init,no-member
 
 
+# TODO: Remove Django 1.11 upgrade shim
+# SHIM: Django 1.11 results in a few more SAVEPOINTs due to:
+# https://github.com/django/django/commit/d44afd88#diff-5b0dda5eb9a242c15879dc9cd2121379L485
+# Get rid of this logic post-upgrade.
+def _recalc_expected_query_counts():
+    if django.VERSION >= (1, 11):
+        return 27
+    else:
+        return 23
+
+
+# TODO: Remove Django 1.11 upgrade shim
+# SHIM: Django 1.11 results in a few more SAVEPOINTs due to:
+# https://github.com/django/django/commit/d44afd88#diff-5b0dda5eb9a242c15879dc9cd2121379L485
+# Get rid of this logic post-upgrade.
+def _recalc_persistent_expected_query_counts():
+    if django.VERSION >= (1, 11):
+        return 28
+    else:
+        return 24
+
+
 @patch.dict(settings.FEATURES, {'PERSISTENT_GRADES_ENABLED_FOR_ALL_TESTS': False})
 @ddt.ddt
 class RecalculateSubsectionGradeTest(HasCourseWithProblemsMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase):
@@ -164,10 +187,10 @@ class RecalculateSubsectionGradeTest(HasCourseWithProblemsMixin, ModuleStoreTest
             self.assertEquals(mock_block_structure_create.call_count, 1)
 
     @ddt.data(
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, 23, True),
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, 23, False),
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, 23, True),
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, 23, False),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, _recalc_expected_query_counts(), True),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, _recalc_expected_query_counts(), False),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, _recalc_expected_query_counts(), True),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, _recalc_expected_query_counts(), False),
     )
     @ddt.unpack
     def test_query_counts(self, default_store, num_mongo_calls, num_sql_calls, create_multiple_subsections):
@@ -179,8 +202,8 @@ class RecalculateSubsectionGradeTest(HasCourseWithProblemsMixin, ModuleStoreTest
                     self._apply_recalculate_subsection_grade()
 
     @ddt.data(
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, 23),
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, 23),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, _recalc_expected_query_counts()),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, _recalc_expected_query_counts()),
     )
     @ddt.unpack
     def test_query_counts_dont_change_with_more_content(self, default_store, num_mongo_calls, num_sql_calls):
@@ -240,8 +263,8 @@ class RecalculateSubsectionGradeTest(HasCourseWithProblemsMixin, ModuleStoreTest
             self.assertEqual(len(PersistentSubsectionGrade.bulk_read_grades(self.user.id, self.course.id)), 0)
 
     @ddt.data(
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, 24),
-        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, 24),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 1, _recalc_persistent_expected_query_counts()),
+        (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 3, _recalc_persistent_expected_query_counts()),
     )
     @ddt.unpack
     def test_persistent_grades_enabled_on_course(self, default_store, num_mongo_queries, num_sql_queries):