diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone_course.py
similarity index 54%
rename from cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone.py
rename to cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone_course.py
index f20625d7f2..5fffe29543 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/clone_course.py
@@ -12,7 +12,14 @@ from auth.authz import _copy_course_group
 #
 # To run from command line: rake cms:clone SOURCE_LOC=MITx/111/Foo1 DEST_LOC=MITx/135/Foo3
 #
+from request_cache.middleware import RequestCache
+from django.core.cache import get_cache
 
+#
+# To run from command line: rake cms:delete_course LOC=MITx/111/Foo1
+#
+
+CACHE = get_cache('mongo_metadata_inheritance')
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
     """Clone a MongoDB-backed course to another location"""
@@ -21,19 +28,27 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
         "Execute the command"
         if len(args) != 2:
-            raise CommandError("clone requires two arguments: <source-location> <dest-location>")
+            raise CommandError("clone requires two arguments: <source-course_id> <dest-course_id>")
 
-        source_location_str = args[0]
-        dest_location_str = args[1]
+        source_course_id = args[0]
+        dest_course_id = args[1]
 
         mstore = modulestore('direct')
         cstore = contentstore()
 
-        print("Cloning course {0} to {1}".format(source_location_str, dest_location_str))
+        mstore.metadata_inheritance_cache_subsystem = CACHE
+        mstore.request_cache = RequestCache.get_request_cache()
+        org, course_num, run = dest_course_id.split("/")
+        mstore.ignore_write_events_on_courses.append('{0}/{1}'.format(org, course_num))
 
-        source_location = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(source_location_str)
-        dest_location = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(dest_location_str)
+        print("Cloning course {0} to {1}".format(source_course_id, dest_course_id))
+
+        source_location = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(source_course_id)
+        dest_location = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(dest_course_id)
 
         if clone_course(mstore, cstore, source_location, dest_location):
+            # be sure to recompute metadata inheritance after all those updates
+            mstore.refresh_cached_metadata_inheritance_tree(dest_location)
+
             print("copying User permissions...")
             _copy_course_group(source_location, dest_location)
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/delete_course.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/delete_course.py
index 5aafe9f8a6..4d8c4eda55 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/delete_course.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/management/commands/delete_course.py
@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@ from xmodule.course_module import CourseDescriptor
 from .prompt import query_yes_no
 
 from auth.authz import _delete_course_group
+from request_cache.middleware import RequestCache
+from django.core.cache import get_cache
 
 #
 # To run from command line: rake cms:delete_course LOC=MITx/111/Foo1
 #
 
-
+CACHE = get_cache('mongo_metadata_inheritance')
 class Command(BaseCommand):
     help = '''Delete a MongoDB backed course'''
 
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         if len(args) != 1 and len(args) != 2:
             raise CommandError("delete_course requires one or more arguments: <location> |commit|")
 
-        loc_str = args[0]
+        course_id = args[0]
 
         commit = False
         if len(args) == 2:
@@ -34,9 +36,14 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         ms = modulestore('direct')
         cs = contentstore()
 
-        if query_yes_no("Deleting course {0}. Confirm?".format(loc_str), default="no"):
+        ms.metadata_inheritance_cache_subsystem = CACHE
+        ms.request_cache = RequestCache.get_request_cache()
+        org, course_num, run = course_id.split("/")
+        ms.ignore_write_events_on_courses.append('{0}/{1}'.format(org, course_num))
+
+        if query_yes_no("Deleting course {0}. Confirm?".format(course_id), default="no"):
             if query_yes_no("Are you sure. This action cannot be undone!", default="no"):
-                loc = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(loc_str)
+                loc = CourseDescriptor.id_to_location(course_id)
                 if delete_course(ms, cs, loc, commit):
                     print 'removing User permissions from course....'
                     # in the django layer, we need to remove all the user permissions groups associated with this course