diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/tests/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/tests/test_views.py
index b9b369917e..c5fe60717f 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/tests/test_views.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ class CcxRestApiTest(CcxTestCase, APITestCase):
         self.course.enable_ccx = True
         self.mstore.update_item(self.course, self.coach.id)
         # making the master course chapters easily available
-        self.master_course_chapters = courses.get_course_chapters(self.master_course_key)
+        self.master_course_chapters = courses.get_course_chapter_ids(self.master_course_key)
 
     def get_auth_token(self, app_grant, app_client):
         """
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/views.py
index 9177282f89..a80c1f1cde 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/ccx/api/v0/views.py
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ def valid_course_modules(course_module_list, master_course_key):
     Returns:
         bool: whether or not all the course module strings belong to the master course
     """
-    course_chapters = courses.get_course_chapters(master_course_key)
+    course_chapters = courses.get_course_chapter_ids(master_course_key)
     return set(course_module_list).intersection(set(course_chapters)) == set(course_module_list)
 
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
index 95ec1d6484..e1e9f9e3a9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ def get_current_child(xmodule, min_depth=None, requested_child=None):
     return child
 
 
-def get_course_chapters(course_key):
+def get_course_chapter_ids(course_key):
     """
     Extracts the chapter block keys from a course structure.
 
@@ -605,7 +605,8 @@ def get_course_chapters(course_key):
         list (string): The list of string representations of the chapter block keys in the course.
     """
     try:
-        chapters = modulestore().get_items(course_key, qualifiers={'category': 'chapter'})
+        chapter_keys = modulestore().get_course(course_key).children
     except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
+        log.exception('Failed to retrieve course from modulestore.')
         return []
-    return [unicode(chapter.location) for chapter in chapters]
+    return [unicode(chapter_key) for chapter_key in chapter_keys if chapter_key.block_type == 'chapter']
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
index bc0b23e33a..41512357c9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from courseware.courses import (
     get_cms_course_link,
     get_course_about_section,
     get_course_by_id,
-    get_course_chapters,
+    get_course_chapter_ids,
     get_course_info_section,
     get_course_overview_with_access,
     get_course_with_access,
@@ -431,25 +431,28 @@ class CourseInstantiationTests(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 @attr(shard=1)
 class TestGetCourseChapters(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """
-    Tests for the `get_course_chapters` function.
+    Tests for the `get_course_chapter_ids` function.
     """
 
     def test_get_non_existant_course(self):
         """
         Test non-existant course returns empty list.
         """
-        self.assertEqual(get_course_chapters(None), [])
+        self.assertEqual(get_course_chapter_ids(None), [])
         # build a fake key
         fake_course_key = CourseKey.from_string('course-v1:FakeOrg+CN1+CR-FALLNEVER1')
-        self.assertEqual(get_course_chapters(fake_course_key), [])
+        self.assertEqual(get_course_chapter_ids(fake_course_key), [])
 
     def test_get_chapters(self):
         """
-        Test get_course_chapters returns expected result.
+        Test get_course_chapter_ids returns expected result.
         """
         course = CourseFactory()
         ItemFactory(parent=course, category='chapter')
+        ItemFactory(parent=course, category='chapter')
+        course_chapter_ids = get_course_chapter_ids(course.location.course_key)
+        self.assertEqual(len(course_chapter_ids), 2)
         self.assertEqual(
-            get_course_chapters(course.location.course_key),
+            course_chapter_ids,
             [unicode(child) for child in course.children]
         )