diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/peergrading/peer_grading_problem.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/peergrading/peer_grading_problem.coffee
index 19a48f9356..8802fcc20d 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/peergrading/peer_grading_problem.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/peergrading/peer_grading_problem.coffee
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
     @interstitial_page = $('.interstitial-page')
     @interstitial_page.hide()
 
+    @calibration_interstitial_page = $('.calibration-interstitial-page')
+    @calibration_interstitial_page.hide()
+
     @error_container = $('.error-container')
 
     @submission_key_input = $("input[name='submission-key']")
@@ -203,6 +206,7 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
     @action_button = $('.action-button')
     @calibration_feedback_button = $('.calibration-feedback-button')
     @interstitial_page_button = $('.interstitial-page-button')
+    @calibration_interstitial_page_button = $('.calibration-interstitial-page-button')
     @flag_student_checkbox = $('.flag-checkbox')
     @collapse_question()
 
@@ -213,12 +217,21 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
     @calibration_feedback_button.click =>
       @calibration_feedback_panel.hide()
       @grading_wrapper.show()
+      @gentle_alert "Calibration essay saved.  Fetching next essay."
       @is_calibrated_check()
 
     @interstitial_page_button.click =>
       @interstitial_page.hide()
       @is_calibrated_check()
 
+    @calibration_interstitial_page_button.click =>
+      @calibration_interstitial_page.hide()
+      @is_calibrated_check()
+
+    @calibration_feedback_button.hide()
+    @calibration_feedback_panel.hide()
+    @error_container.hide()
+
     @is_calibrated_check()
 
 
@@ -236,6 +249,9 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
   fetch_submission_essay: () =>
     @backend.post('get_next_submission', {location: @location}, @render_submission)
 
+  gentle_alert: (msg) =>
+    @grading_message.fadeIn()
+    @grading_message.html("<p>" + msg + "</p>")
 
   construct_data: () ->
     data =
@@ -276,6 +292,9 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
        else if response.calibrated and @calibration == true
          @calibration = false
          @render_interstitial_page()
+       else if not response.calibrated and @calibration==null
+         @calibration=true
+         @render_calibration_interstitial_page()
        else
          @calibration = true
          @fetch_calibration_essay()
@@ -411,18 +430,24 @@ class @PeerGradingProblem
     actual_score = parseInt(response.actual_score)
 
     if score == actual_score
-      calibration_wrapper.append("<p>Congratulations! Your score matches the actual score!</p>")
+      calibration_wrapper.append("<p>Your score matches the actual score!</p>")
     else
-      calibration_wrapper.append("<p>Please try to understand the grading criteria better to be more accurate next time.</p>")
+      calibration_wrapper.append("<p>You may want to review the rubric again.</p>")
 
     # disable score selection and submission from the grading interface
     $("input[name='score-selection']").attr('disabled', true)
     @submit_button.hide()
+    @calibration_feedback_button.show()
 
   render_interstitial_page: () =>
     @content_panel.hide()
     @interstitial_page.show()
 
+  render_calibration_interstitial_page: () =>
+    @content_panel.hide()
+    @action_button.hide()
+    @calibration_interstitial_page.show()
+
   render_error: (error_message) =>
       @error_container.show()
       @calibration_feedback_panel.hide()
diff --git a/lms/templates/peer_grading/peer_grading_problem.html b/lms/templates/peer_grading/peer_grading_problem.html
index 5e3b231a4a..9468b594a2 100644
--- a/lms/templates/peer_grading/peer_grading_problem.html
+++ b/lms/templates/peer_grading/peer_grading_problem.html
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@
 
     </section>
     </section>
-
     <!-- Calibration feedback: Shown after a calibration is sent -->
     <section class="calibration-feedback">
     <h2>How did I do?</h2>
@@ -68,11 +67,20 @@
 
     <!-- Interstitial Page: Shown between calibration and grading steps -->
     <section class="interstitial-page">
-        <h1>Congratulations!</h1>
-        <p> You have now completed the calibration step. You are now ready to start grading.</p>
+        <h1>Ready to grade!</h1>
+        <p> You have finished learning to grade, which means that you are now ready to start grading.</p>
         <input type="button" class="interstitial-page-button" value="Start Grading!" name="interstitial-page-button" />
     </section>
 
+    <!-- Calibration Interstitial Page: Shown before calibration -->
+    <section class="calibration-interstitial-page">
+        <h1>Learning to grade</h1>
+        <p> You have not yet finished learning to grade this problem.</p>
+        <p> You will now be shown a series of instructor-scored essays, and will be asked to score them yourself.</p>
+        <p> Once you can score the essays similarly to an instructor, you will be ready to grade your peers.</p>
+        <input type="button" class="calibration-interstitial-page-button" value="Start learning to grade" name="calibration-interstitial-page-button" />
+    </section>
+
     <input type="button" value="Go Back" class="action-button" name="back" />
     </div>
 </section>