diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
index 470dcc6415..abb9b5b4d0 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ def _listen_for_course_publish(sender, course_key, course_self_paced, **kwargs):
     Catches the signal that course pacing has changed and enable/disable
     the self-generated certificates according to course-pacing.
     """
-    enable_self_generated_certs.delay(unicode(course_key), course_self_paced)
+    toggle_self_generated_certs.delay(unicode(course_key), course_self_paced)
 
 
 @task()
-def enable_self_generated_certs(course_key, course_self_paced):
+def toggle_self_generated_certs(course_key, course_self_paced):
     """
     Enable or disable self-generated certificates for a course according to pacing.
     """
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/models/course_details.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/models/course_details.py
index 1bbc39ac3d..590a619cf8 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/models/course_details.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/models/course_details.py
@@ -191,7 +191,6 @@ class CourseDetails(object):
         descriptor = module_store.get_course(course_key)
 
         dirty = False
-        is_pacing_changed = False
 
         # In the descriptor's setter, the date is converted to JSON
         # using Date's to_json method. Calling to_json on something that
@@ -275,7 +274,8 @@ class CourseDetails(object):
                 and jsondict['self_paced'] != descriptor.self_paced):
             descriptor.self_paced = jsondict['self_paced']
             dirty = True
-            is_pacing_changed = True
+            # sends out the signal that course pacing has changed
+            COURSE_PACING_CHANGE.send(sender=None, course_key=course_key, course_self_paced=descriptor.self_paced)
 
         if dirty:
             module_store.update_item(descriptor, user.id)
@@ -290,10 +290,6 @@ class CourseDetails(object):
 
         cls.update_about_video(descriptor, jsondict['intro_video'], user.id)
 
-        if is_pacing_changed:
-            # sends out the signal that course pacing has changed
-            COURSE_PACING_CHANGE.send(sender=None, course_key=course_key, course_self_paced=descriptor.self_paced)
-
         # Could just return jsondict w/o doing any db reads, but I put
         # the reads in as a means to confirm it persisted correctly
         return CourseDetails.fetch(course_key)