diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
index 67c7d15910..a35573032a 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 import self_assessment_module
 import open_ended_module
 from combined_open_ended_rubric import CombinedOpenEndedRubric
+from .stringify import stringify_children
 
 from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 
@@ -142,11 +143,11 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         self._max_score = int(self.metadata.get('max_score', MAX_SCORE))
 
         rubric_renderer = CombinedOpenEndedRubric(True)
-        success, rubric_feedback = rubric_renderer.render_rubric(True, definition['rubric'])
+        success, rubric_feedback = rubric_renderer.render_rubric(stringify_children(definition['rubric']))
         if not success:
             error_message="Could not parse rubric : {0}".format(definition['rubric'])
             log.exception(error_message)
-            raise Exception(error_message)
+            raise Exception
         #Static data is passed to the child modules to render
         self.static_data = {
             'max_score': self._max_score,
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
index 2146942296..37ce18e4f1 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedRubric:
     def render_rubric(self, rubric_xml):
         success = False
         try:
-            rubric_xml = rubric_xml.encode('ascii', 'ignore')
             rubric_categories = self.extract_categories(rubric_xml)
             html = render_to_string('open_ended_rubric.html', 
                     {'categories'  : rubric_categories,
@@ -53,7 +52,8 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedRubric:
                          {text: "Option 3 Name", points: 2]}]
 
         '''
-        element = etree.fromstring(element)
+        if isinstance(element, basestring):
+            element = etree.fromstring(element)
         categories = []
         for category in element:
             if category.tag != 'category':