diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/edit.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/edit.coffee
index 00831c4415..aae19eac82 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/edit.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/combinedopenended/edit.coffee
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class @OpenEndedMarkdownEditingDescriptor extends XModule.Descriptor
     @element.off('click', '.cheatsheet-toggle', @toggleCheatsheet)
     if @current_editor == @markdown_editor
       {
-      data: MarkdownEditingDescriptor.markdownToXml(@markdown_editor.getValue())
+      data: OpenEndedMarkdownEditingDescriptor.markdownToXml(@markdown_editor.getValue())
       metadata:
         markdown: @markdown_editor.getValue()
       }
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ class @OpenEndedMarkdownEditingDescriptor extends XModule.Descriptor
               groupString += "\n</option>\n";
             }
           }
+          if(i==options.length-1){
+            groupString += "\n</category>\n";
+          }
         }
         groupString += '</rubric>\n</rubric>\n';
         return groupString;
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
index 1404f52300..e289ba72f1 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_grading_classes/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
@@ -847,8 +847,8 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedV1Descriptor():
             if len(xml_object.xpath(child)) == 0:
                 #This is a staff_facing_error
                 raise ValueError(
-                    "Combined Open Ended definition must include at least one '{0}' tag. Contact the learning sciences group for assistance.".format(
-                        child))
+                    "Combined Open Ended definition must include at least one '{0}' tag. Contact the learning sciences group for assistance. {1}".format(
+                        child, xml_object))
 
         def parse_task(k):
             """Assumes that xml_object has child k"""
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/templates/combinedopenended/default.yaml b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/templates/combinedopenended/default.yaml
index 5bf8552997..d74517a3c3 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/templates/combinedopenended/default.yaml
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/templates/combinedopenended/default.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,34 @@ metadata:
     markdown: ""
 data: |
   <combinedopenended>
+  	<rubric>
+  		<rubric>
+  		    <category>
+              <description>Category 1</description>
+              <option>
+                  The response does not incorporate what is needed for a one response.
+              </option>
+              <option>
+                  The response is correct for category 1.
+              </option>
+  		    </category>
+  		</rubric>
+  	</rubric>
+  	<prompt>
+  		<p>Why is the sky blue?</p>
+  	</prompt>
+  	<task>
+  		<selfassessment/>
+  	</task>
+  	<task>
+  		<openended min_score_to_attempt="1" max_score_to_attempt="2">
+  		        <openendedparam>
+  		      		<initial_display>Enter essay here.</initial_display>
+  		      		<answer_display>This is the answer.</answer_display>
+  		      		<grader_payload>{"grader_settings" : "peer_grading.conf", "problem_id" : "700x/Demo"}</grader_payload>
+  		    	</openendedparam>
+  		</openended>
+  	</task>
   </combinedopenended>
 
 children: []