diff --git a/cms/static/js/views/xblock.js b/cms/static/js/views/xblock.js
index 9a8643f58b..13f5992204 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/views/xblock.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/views/xblock.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ define(["jquery", "underscore", "common/js/components/utils/view_utils", "js/vie
                 fragmentsRendered.always(function() {
                     xblockElement = self.$('.xblock').first();
                     try {
-                        xblock = XBlock.initializeBlock(xblockElement);
+                        xblock = XBlock.initializeBlock(xblockElement.get(0));
                         self.xblock = xblock;
                         self.xblockReady(xblock);
                         if (successCallback) {
diff --git a/cms/static/js/xblock/authoring.js b/cms/static/js/xblock/authoring.js
index d9abe7d6a6..40d6bd5da7 100644
--- a/cms/static/js/xblock/authoring.js
+++ b/cms/static/js/xblock/authoring.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     'use strict';
 
     function VisibilityEditorView(runtime, element) {
+        var $element = $(element);
         this.getGroupAccess = function() {
             var groupAccess = {},
                 checkboxValues,
@@ -15,12 +16,12 @@
                 // defined by VerificationPartitionScheme on the backend!
                 ALLOW_GROUP_ID = 1;
 
-            if (element.find('.visibility-level-all').prop('checked')) {
+            if ($element.find('.visibility-level-all').prop('checked')) {
                 return {};
             }
 
             // Cohort partitions (user is allowed to select more than one)
-            element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input:checked').each(function(index, input) {
+            $element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input:checked').each(function(index, input) {
                 checkboxValues = $(input).val().split("-");
                 partitionId = parseInt(checkboxValues[0], 10);
                 groupId = parseInt(checkboxValues[1], 10);
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@
             });
 
             // Verification partitions (user can select exactly one)
-            if (element.find('#verification-access-checkbox').prop('checked')) {
+            if ($element.find('#verification-access-checkbox').prop('checked')) {
                 partitionId = parseInt($('#verification-access-dropdown').val(), 10);
                 groupAccess[partitionId] = [ALLOW_GROUP_ID];
             }
@@ -42,19 +43,19 @@
         };
 
         // When selecting "all students and staff", uncheck the specific groups
-        element.find('.field-visibility-level input').change(function(event) {
+        $element.find('.field-visibility-level input').change(function(event) {
             if ($(event.target).hasClass('visibility-level-all')) {
-                element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input, .field-visibility-verification input')
+                $element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input, .field-visibility-verification input')
                     .prop('checked', false);
             }
         });
 
         // When selecting a specific group, deselect "all students and staff" and
         // select "specific content groups" instead.`
-        element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input, .field-visibility-verification input')
+        $element.find('.field-visibility-content-group input, .field-visibility-verification input')
             .change(function() {
-                element.find('.visibility-level-all').prop('checked', false);
-                element.find('.visibility-level-specific').prop('checked', true);
+                $element.find('.visibility-level-all').prop('checked', false);
+                $element.find('.visibility-level-specific').prop('checked', true);
             });
     }
 
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
index 4ba4f2bb54..a259734304 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/html/edit.coffee
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class @HTMLEditingDescriptor
     CUSTOM_FONTS + STANDARD_FONTS
 
   constructor: (element) ->
-    @element = element
+    @element = $(element)
     @base_asset_url = @element.find("#editor-tab").data('base-asset-url')
     @editor_choice = @element.find("#editor-tab").data('editor')
     if @base_asset_url == undefined
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/problem/edit.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/problem/edit.coffee
index 5c2638974b..0f0f2c1e4e 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/problem/edit.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/problem/edit.coffee
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class @MarkdownEditingDescriptor extends XModule.Descriptor
   @explanationTemplate: "[explanation]\n#{gettext 'Short explanation'}\n[explanation]\n"
 
   constructor: (element) ->
-    @element = element
+    @element = $(element)
 
     if $(".markdown-box", @element).length != 0
       @markdown_editor = CodeMirror.fromTextArea($(".markdown-box", element)[0], {
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/tabs/tabs-aggregator.coffee b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/tabs/tabs-aggregator.coffee
index e64d0ca840..0afed762fa 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/tabs/tabs-aggregator.coffee
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/js/src/tabs/tabs-aggregator.coffee
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ class @TabsEditingDescriptor
   @isInactiveClass : "is-inactive"
 
   constructor: (element) ->
-    @element = element;
+    @element = $(element)
     ###
     Not tested on syncing of multiple editors of same type in tabs
     (Like many CodeMirrors).
diff --git a/common/static/js/xblock/core.js b/common/static/js/xblock/core.js
index 1c6632c71d..b9f19ce434 100644
--- a/common/static/js/xblock/core.js
+++ b/common/static/js/xblock/core.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
         } else {
             block = {};
         }
-        block.element = element;
+        block.element = $element;
         block.name = $element.data('name');
         block.type = $element.data('block-type');
         $element.trigger('xblock-initialized');