diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
index 4a8b1fe269..bd820fd489 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/utils.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class UnitState(object):
     public = 'public'
 
 
-def compute_unit_state(unit, subsection=None):
+def compute_unit_state(unit):
     """
     Returns whether this unit is 'draft', 'public', or 'private'.
 
diff --git a/cms/templates/widgets/units.html b/cms/templates/widgets/units.html
index c7dbf88341..5ac05e79eb 100644
--- a/cms/templates/widgets/units.html
+++ b/cms/templates/widgets/units.html
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ This def will enumerate through a passed in subsection and list all of the units
   % for unit in subsection_units:
   <li class="leaf unit" data-id="${unit.location}">
     <%
-      unit_state = compute_unit_state(unit, subsection=subsection)
+      unit_state = compute_unit_state(unit)
       if unit.location == selected:
         selected_class = 'editing'
       else: