diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/vertical_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/vertical_module.py
index 486d1b1c42..610d180c11 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/vertical_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/vertical_module.py
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ from pkg_resources import resource_string
 class_priority = ['video', 'problem']
 
 
-class VerticalModule(XModule):
-    ''' Layout module for laying out submodules vertically.'''
-
+class VerticalFields(object):
     has_children = True
 
+
+class VerticalModule(VerticalFields, XModule):
+    ''' Layout module for laying out submodules vertically.'''
+
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         XModule.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.contents = None
@@ -44,11 +46,9 @@ class VerticalModule(XModule):
         return new_class
 
 
-class VerticalDescriptor(SequenceDescriptor):
+class VerticalDescriptor(VerticalFields, SequenceDescriptor):
     module_class = VerticalModule
 
-    has_children = True
-    
     js = {'coffee': [resource_string(__name__, 'js/src/vertical/edit.coffee')]}
     js_module_name = "VerticalDescriptor"
 
diff --git a/local-requirements.txt b/local-requirements.txt
index bea69ec53a..de2d274719 100644
--- a/local-requirements.txt
+++ b/local-requirements.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@
 # XBlock:
 # Might change frequently, so put it in local-requirements.txt,
 # but conceptually is an external package, so it is in a separate repo.
--e git+ssh://git@github.com/MITx/xmodule-debugger@5026e686#egg=XBlock
+-e git+ssh://git@github.com/MITx/xmodule-debugger@9a4f883a#egg=XBlock