diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
index dd6e126e6f..976966d525 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/utils.coffee
@@ -1,16 +1,3 @@
-$ ->
-  if !window.$$contents
-    window.$$contents = {}
-  $.fn.extend
-    loading: (takeFocus) ->
-      @$_loading = $("<div class='loading-animation' tabindex='0'><span class='sr'>" + gettext("Loading content") + "</span></div>")
-      $(this).after(@$_loading)
-      if takeFocus
-        DiscussionUtil.makeFocusTrap(@$_loading)
-        @$_loading.focus()
-    loaded: ->
-      @$_loading.remove()
-
 class @DiscussionUtil
 
   @wmdEditors: {}
@@ -111,6 +98,16 @@ class @DiscussionUtil
           event.preventDefault()
     )
 
+  @showLoadingIndicator: (element, takeFocus) ->
+    @$_loading = $("<div class='loading-animation' tabindex='0'><span class='sr'>" + gettext("Loading content") + "</span></div>")
+    element.after(@$_loading)
+    if takeFocus
+      @makeFocusTrap(@$_loading)
+      @$_loading.focus()
+
+  @hideLoadingIndicator: () ->
+    @$_loading.remove()
+
   @discussionAlert: (header, body) ->
     if $("#discussion-alert").length == 0
       alertDiv = $("<div class='modal' role='alertdialog' id='discussion-alert' aria-describedby='discussion-alert-message'/>").css("display", "none")
@@ -141,28 +138,28 @@ class @DiscussionUtil
       return deferred.promise()
 
     params["url"] = URI(params["url"]).addSearch ajax: 1
-    params["beforeSend"] = ->
+    params["beforeSend"] = =>
       if $elem
         $elem.attr("disabled", "disabled")
       if params["$loading"]
         if params["loadingCallback"]?
           params["loadingCallback"].apply(params["$loading"])
         else
-          params["$loading"].loading(params["takeFocus"])
+          @showLoadingIndicator($(params["$loading"]), params["takeFocus"])
     if !params["error"]
       params["error"] = =>
         @discussionAlert(
           gettext("Sorry"),
           gettext("We had some trouble processing your request. Please ensure you have copied any unsaved work and then reload the page.")
         )
-    request = $.ajax(params).always ->
+    request = $.ajax(params).always =>
       if $elem
         $elem.removeAttr("disabled")
       if params["$loading"]
         if params["loadedCallback"]?
           params["loadedCallback"].apply(params["$loading"])
         else
-          params["$loading"].loaded()
+          @hideLoadingIndicator()
     return request
 
   @updateWithUndo: (model, updates, safeAjaxParams, errorMsg) ->
diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_edit_view.js b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_edit_view.js
index bd82bad796..21e71e79f6 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_edit_view.js
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/discussion_thread_edit_view.js
@@ -73,11 +73,9 @@
                     url: DiscussionUtil.urlFor('update_thread', this.model.id),
                     type: 'POST',
                     dataType: 'json',
-                    async: false, // @TODO when the rest of the stuff below is made to work properly..
                     data: postData,
                     error: DiscussionUtil.formErrorHandler(this.$('.post-errors')),
                     success: function() {
-                        // @TODO: Move this out of the callback, this makes it feel sluggish
                         this.$('.edit-post-title').val('').attr('prev-text', '');
                         this.$('.edit-post-body textarea').val('').attr('prev-text', '');
                         this.$('.wmd-preview p').html('');
diff --git a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/thread_response_view.coffee b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/thread_response_view.coffee
index 9d91d1361c..248deb3583 100644
--- a/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/thread_response_view.coffee
+++ b/common/static/coffee/src/discussion/views/thread_response_view.coffee
@@ -211,12 +211,10 @@ if Backbone?
           url: url
           type: "POST"
           dataType: 'json'
-          async: false # TODO when the rest of the stuff below is made to work properly..
           data:
               body: newBody
           error: DiscussionUtil.formErrorHandler(@$(".edit-post-form-errors"))
           success: (response, textStatus) =>
-              # TODO: Move this out of the callback, this makes it feel sluggish
               @editView.$(".edit-post-body textarea").val("").attr("prev-text", "")
               @editView.$(".wmd-preview p").html("")
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/teams/static/teams/js/spec/views/team_profile_spec.js b/lms/djangoapps/teams/static/teams/js/spec/views/team_profile_spec.js
index 7483e64a6f..9f343463d5 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/teams/static/teams/js/spec/views/team_profile_spec.js
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/teams/static/teams/js/spec/views/team_profile_spec.js
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ define([
             ];
 
         beforeEach(function () {
-            setFixtures('<div id="page-prompt"></div><div class="teams-content"><div class="msg-content"><div class="copy"></div></div></div>');
+            setFixtures('<div id="page-prompt"></div>' +
+                '<div class="teams-content"><div class="msg-content"><div class="copy"></div></div></div>' +
+                '<div class="profile-view"></div>');
             DiscussionSpecHelper.setUnderscoreFixtures();
         });
 
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ define([
         createTeamProfileView = function(requests, options) {
             teamModel = new TeamModel(createTeamModelData(options), { parse: true });
             profileView = new TeamProfileView({
+                el: $('.profile-view'),
                 teamEvents: TeamSpecHelpers.teamEvents,
                 courseID: TeamSpecHelpers.testCourseID,
                 context: TeamSpecHelpers.testContext,