diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
index 092a0be8c6..b998d7eb11 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@ from collections import defaultdict
 from fs.errors import ResourceNotFoundError
 import logging
 import inspect
+import re
 
 from path import path
 from django.http import Http404
-
+from django.conf import settings
 from .module_render import get_module
 from xmodule.course_module import CourseDescriptor
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location, XML_MODULESTORE_TYPE
@@ -294,3 +295,18 @@ def sort_by_announcement(courses):
     courses = sorted(courses, key=key)
 
     return courses
+
+def get_cms_course_link_by_id(course_id):
+    """
+    Returns a proto-relative link to course_index for editing the course in cms, assuming that the course is actually
+    cms-backed. If course_id is improperly formatted, just return the root of the cms
+    """
+    format_str = r'^(?P<org>[^/]+)/(?P<course>[^/]+)/(?P<name>[^/]+)$'
+    host = "//{}/".format(settings.CMS_BASE) # protocol-relative
+    m = re.match(format_str, course_id)
+    if m:
+        return "{host}{org}/{course}/course/{name}".format(host=host,
+                                                            org=m.group('org'),
+                                                            course=m.group('course'),
+                                                            name=m.group('name'))
+    return host
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
index 60594602a4..6bba730100 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_courses.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.http import Http404
-from courseware.courses import get_course_by_id
+from courseware.courses import get_course_by_id, get_cms_course_link_by_id
 
 class CoursesTest(TestCase):
     def test_get_course_by_id_invalid_chars(self):
@@ -14,3 +14,11 @@ class CoursesTest(TestCase):
             get_course_by_id('MITx/foobar/statistics=introduction')
             get_course_by_id('MITx/foobar/business and management')
             get_course_by_id('MITx/foobar/NiñøJoséMaríáßç')
+
+    def test_get_cms_course_link_by_id(self):
+        """
+        Tests that get_cms_course_link_by_id returns the right thing
+        """
+        self.assertEqual("//localhost:8001/", get_cms_course_link_by_id("blah_bad_course_id"))
+        self.assertEqual("//localhost:8001/", get_cms_course_link_by_id("too/too/many/slashes"))
+        self.assertEqual("//localhost:8001/org/num/course/name", get_cms_course_link_by_id('org/num/name'))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/legacy.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/legacy.py
index b9295557d7..3dfa0e85f9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/legacy.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/legacy.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from xmodule.html_module import HtmlDescriptor
 from courseware import grades
 from courseware.access import (has_access, get_access_group_name,
                                course_beta_test_group_name)
-from courseware.courses import get_course_with_access
+from courseware.courses import get_course_with_access, get_cms_course_link_by_id
 from courseware.models import StudentModule
 from django_comment_common.models import (Role,
                                           FORUM_ROLE_ADMINISTRATOR,
@@ -799,16 +799,23 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
     else:
         email_editor = None
 
+    # determine if this is a studio-backed course so we can 1) provide a link to edit this course in studio
+    # 2) enable course email
+    studio_url = None
+    is_studio_course = modulestore().get_modulestore_type(course_id) == MONGO_MODULESTORE_TYPE
+    if is_studio_course:
+        studio_url = get_cms_course_link_by_id(course_id)
+
     # Flag for whether or not we display the email tab (depending upon
     # what backing store this course using (Mongo vs. XML))
-    if settings.MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_EMAIL'] and \
-       modulestore().get_modulestore_type(course_id) == MONGO_MODULESTORE_TYPE:
+    if settings.MITX_FEATURES['ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_EMAIL'] and is_studio_course:
         show_email_tab = True
 
     # display course stats only if there is no other table to display:
     course_stats = None
     if not datatable:
         course_stats = get_course_stats_table()
+
     #----------------------------------------
     # context for rendering
 
@@ -821,6 +828,7 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
                'course_stats': course_stats,
                'msg': msg,
                'modeflag': {idash_mode: 'selectedmode'},
+               'studio_url': studio_url,
 
                'to_option': email_to_option,      # email
                'subject': email_subject,          # email
@@ -843,7 +851,6 @@ def instructor_dashboard(request, course_id):
 
     return render_to_response('courseware/instructor_dashboard.html', context)
 
-
 def _do_remote_gradebook(user, course, action, args=None, files=None):
     '''
     Perform remote gradebook action.  Returns msg, datatable.
diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index a22fbc5bb6..35275036e5 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ SITE_NAME = ENV_TOKENS['SITE_NAME']
 SESSION_ENGINE = ENV_TOKENS.get('SESSION_ENGINE', SESSION_ENGINE)
 SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN = ENV_TOKENS.get('SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN')
 
+CMS_BASE = ENV_TOKENS.get('CMS_BASE', 'studio.edx.org')
+
 # allow for environments to specify what cookie name our login subsystem should use
 # this is to fix a bug regarding simultaneous logins between edx.org and edge.edx.org which can
 # happen with some browsers (e.g. Firefox)
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 9d886f8dc1..5bd9cdc5d5 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ DEBUG = False
 TEMPLATE_DEBUG = False
 USE_TZ = True
 
+# CMS base
+CMS_BASE = 'localhost:8001'
+
 # Site info
 SITE_ID = 1
 SITE_NAME = "edx.org"
diff --git a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
index fae76cca93..35b37dc291 100644
--- a/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
+++ b/lms/templates/courseware/instructor_dashboard.html
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ function goto( mode)
 <div class="instructor-dashboard-wrapper">
 
   %if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_BETA_DASHBOARD'):
-    <div class="beta-button-wrapper"><a href="${ beta_dashboard_url }"> Try New Beta Dashboard </a></div>
+    <div class="beta-button-wrapper"><a href="${ beta_dashboard_url }">${_("Try New Beta Dashboard")}</a></div>
   %endif
 
   <section class="instructor-dashboard-content">
@@ -125,11 +125,16 @@ function goto( mode)
           <a href="#" onclick="goto('Data');" class="${modeflag.get('Data')}">${_("DataDump")}</a> |
           <a href="#" onclick="goto('Manage Groups');" class="${modeflag.get('Manage Groups')}">${_("Manage Groups")}</a>
           %if show_email_tab:
-             | <a href="#" onclick="goto('Email')" class="${modeflag.get('Email')}">Email</a>
+             | <a href="#" onclick="goto('Email')" class="${modeflag.get('Email')}">${_("Email")}</a>
           %endif
           %if settings.MITX_FEATURES.get('ENABLE_INSTRUCTOR_ANALYTICS'):
              | <a href="#" onclick="goto('Analytics');" class="${modeflag.get('Analytics')}">${_("Analytics")}</a>
           %endif
+          %if studio_url:
+          ## not checking access because if user can see this, they are at least course staff (with studio edit access)
+             | <a href="${studio_url}" target="_blank">${_('Edit Course')}</a>
+          %endif
+
 	  ]
     </h2>