diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index 896f5c473f..f7ae6b5164 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -915,7 +915,6 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
     # other apps that are.  Django 1.8 wants to have imported models supported
     # by installed apps.
     'lms.djangoapps.verify_student',
-    'lms.djangoapps.grades.apps.GradesConfig',
 
     # Microsite configuration application
     'microsite_configuration',
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/grades/tasks.py b/lms/djangoapps/grades/tasks.py
index 22c067fb47..5cd8d476af 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/grades/tasks.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/grades/tasks.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ This module contains tasks for asynchronous execution of grade updates.
 """
 
 from celery import task
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 
 from lms.djangoapps.course_blocks.api import get_course_blocks
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ from .transformer import GradesTransformer
 from .new.subsection_grade import SubsectionGradeFactory
 
 
-@task()
+@task(routing_key=settings.RECALCULATE_GRADES_ROUTING_KEY)
 def recalculate_subsection_grade(user_id, course_id, usage_id):
     """
     Updates a saved subsection grade.
diff --git a/lms/envs/aws.py b/lms/envs/aws.py
index c2c03d425e..d817c21a9c 100644
--- a/lms/envs/aws.py
+++ b/lms/envs/aws.py
@@ -259,7 +259,10 @@ BULK_EMAIL_DEFAULT_RETRY_DELAY = ENV_TOKENS.get('BULK_EMAIL_DEFAULT_RETRY_DELAY'
 BULK_EMAIL_MAX_RETRIES = ENV_TOKENS.get('BULK_EMAIL_MAX_RETRIES', BULK_EMAIL_MAX_RETRIES)
 BULK_EMAIL_INFINITE_RETRY_CAP = ENV_TOKENS.get('BULK_EMAIL_INFINITE_RETRY_CAP', BULK_EMAIL_INFINITE_RETRY_CAP)
 BULK_EMAIL_LOG_SENT_EMAILS = ENV_TOKENS.get('BULK_EMAIL_LOG_SENT_EMAILS', BULK_EMAIL_LOG_SENT_EMAILS)
-BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS = ENV_TOKENS.get('BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS', BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS)
+BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS = ENV_TOKENS.get(
+    'BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS',
+    BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS
+)
 # We want Bulk Email running on the high-priority queue, so we define the
 # routing key that points to it. At the moment, the name is the same.
 # We have to reset the value here, since we have changed the value of the queue name.
@@ -269,6 +272,9 @@ BULK_EMAIL_ROUTING_KEY = HIGH_PRIORITY_QUEUE
 # we have to reset the value here.
 BULK_EMAIL_ROUTING_KEY_SMALL_JOBS = LOW_PRIORITY_QUEUE
 
+# Queue to use for updating persistent grades
+RECALCULATE_GRADES_ROUTING_KEY = ENV_TOKENS.get('RECALCULATE_GRADES_ROUTING_KEY', RECALCULATE_GRADES_ROUTING_KEY)
+
 # following setting is for backward compatibility
 if ENV_TOKENS.get('COMPREHENSIVE_THEME_DIR', None):
     COMPREHENSIVE_THEME_DIR = ENV_TOKENS.get('COMPREHENSIVE_THEME_DIR')
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index c356863f74..4adfd7e9b2 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -1852,6 +1852,11 @@ BULK_EMAIL_LOG_SENT_EMAILS = False
 # parallel, and what the SES rate is.
 BULK_EMAIL_RETRY_DELAY_BETWEEN_SENDS = 0.02
 
+############################# Persistent Grades ####################################
+
+# Queue to use for updating persistent grades
+RECALCULATE_GRADES_ROUTING_KEY = LOW_PRIORITY_QUEUE
+
 ############################# Email Opt In ####################################
 
 # Minimum age for organization-wide email opt in