diff --git a/common/djangoapps/edxmako/paths.py b/common/djangoapps/edxmako/paths.py
index a29a68e8b3..518f8a530b 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/edxmako/paths.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/edxmako/paths.py
@@ -15,11 +15,14 @@ class DynamicTemplateLookup(TemplateLookup):
     A specialization of the standard mako `TemplateLookup` class which allows
     for adding directories progressively.
     """
-    def add_directory(self, directory):
+    def add_directory(self, directory, prepend=False):
         """
         Add a new directory to the template lookup path.
         """
-        self.directories.append(os.path.normpath(directory))
+        if prepend:
+            self.directories.insert(0, os.path.normpath(directory))
+        else:
+            self.directories.append(os.path.normpath(directory))
 
 
 def clear_lookups(namespace):
@@ -29,7 +32,7 @@ def clear_lookups(namespace):
     if namespace in LOOKUP:
         del LOOKUP[namespace]
 
-def add_lookup(namespace, directory, package=None):
+def add_lookup(namespace, directory, package=None, prepend=False):
     """
     Adds a new mako template lookup directory to the given namespace.
 
@@ -48,7 +51,7 @@ def add_lookup(namespace, directory, package=None):
         )
     if package:
         directory = pkg_resources.resource_filename(package, directory)
-    templates.add_directory(directory)
+    templates.add_directory(directory, prepend=prepend)
 
 
 def lookup_template(namespace, name):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/open_ended_grading/open_ended_notifications.py b/lms/djangoapps/open_ended_grading/open_ended_notifications.py
index 426b93dd3c..9560f70a42 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/open_ended_grading/open_ended_notifications.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/open_ended_grading/open_ended_notifications.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import json
 import logging
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 
 from xmodule.open_ended_grading_classes import peer_grading_service
 from xmodule.open_ended_grading_classes.controller_query_service import ControllerQueryService
@@ -24,16 +23,10 @@ NOTIFICATION_CACHE_TIME = 300
 KEY_PREFIX = "open_ended_"
 
 NOTIFICATION_TYPES = (
-    # Translators: "Peer Grading" is a panel where peer can grade student-provided answers.
-    ('student_needs_to_peer_grade', 'peer_grading', _('Peer Grading')),
-    # Translators: "Staff Grading" is a panel where instructor can grade student-provided answers.
-    ('staff_needs_to_grade', 'staff_grading', _('Staff Grading')),
-    # Translators: "Problems you have submitted" refers to the problems that the currently-logged-in
-    # student has provided an answer for.
-    ('new_student_grading_to_view', 'open_ended_problems', _('Problems you have submitted')),
-    # Translators: "Flagged Submissions" refers to student-provided answers to a problem which are
-    # marked by instructor or peer graders as 'flagged' potentially inappropriate.
-    ('flagged_submissions_exist', 'open_ended_flagged_problems', _('Flagged Submissions'))
+    ('student_needs_to_peer_grade', 'peer_grading', 'Peer Grading'),
+    ('staff_needs_to_grade', 'staff_grading', 'Staff Grading'),
+    ('new_student_grading_to_view', 'open_ended_problems', 'Problems you have submitted'),
+    ('flagged_submissions_exist', 'open_ended_flagged_problems', 'Flagged Submissions')
 )
 
 
diff --git a/lms/startup.py b/lms/startup.py
index 462fb3f8fd..ea4d27b167 100644
--- a/lms/startup.py
+++ b/lms/startup.py
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ def enable_theme():
 
     # Include the theme's templates in the template search paths
     settings.TEMPLATE_DIRS.insert(0, theme_root / 'templates')
-    settings.MAKO_TEMPLATES['main'].insert(0, theme_root / 'templates')
-    edxmako.startup.run()
+    edxmako.paths.add_lookup('main', theme_root / 'templates', prepend=True)
 
     # Namespace the theme's static files to 'themes/<theme_name>' to
     # avoid collisions with default edX static files
@@ -98,8 +97,7 @@ def enable_microsites():
     # if we have any valid microsites defined, let's wire in the Mako and STATIC_FILES search paths
     if microsite_config_dict:
         settings.TEMPLATE_DIRS.append(microsites_root)
-        settings.MAKO_TEMPLATES['main'].append(microsites_root)
-        edxmako.startup.run()
+        edxmako.paths.add_lookup('main', microsites_root)
 
         settings.STATICFILES_DIRS.insert(0, microsites_root)
 
diff --git a/requirements/edx/github.txt b/requirements/edx/github.txt
index 7c38bec23a..0044952ca1 100644
--- a/requirements/edx/github.txt
+++ b/requirements/edx/github.txt
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 -e git+https://github.com/edx/bok-choy.git@25a47b3bf87c503fc4996e52addac83b42ec6f38#egg=bok_choy
 -e git+https://github.com/edx-solutions/django-splash.git@9965a53c269666a30bb4e2b3f6037c138aef2a55#egg=django-splash
 -e git+https://github.com/edx/acid-block.git@459aff7b63db8f2c5decd1755706c1a64fb4ebb1#egg=acid-xblock
--e git+https://github.com/edx/edx-ora2.git@26fc1126c5ba322a04b1094c5e6481e2fd36dab3#egg=edx-ora2
+-e git+https://github.com/edx/edx-ora2.git@dfc5e4cb603708a627fbe407c20f80ff723205b8#egg=edx-ora2
 
 # Prototype XBlocks for limited roll-outs and user testing. These are not for general use. 
 -e git+https://github.com/pmitros/ConceptXBlock.git@2376fde9ebdd83684b78dde77ef96361c3bd1aa0#egg=concept-xblock