diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/tests.py b/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/tests.py
index cde201bde0..7150624f93 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/tests.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/tests.py
@@ -116,7 +116,19 @@ class TestHandouts(MobileAPITestCase, MobileAuthTestMixin, MobileCourseAccessTes
         with self.store.branch_setting(ModuleStoreEnum.Branch.draft_preferred, self.course.id):
             self.store.delete_item(handouts_usage_key, self.user.id)
 
-        self.api_response(expected_response_code=404)
+        response = self.api_response(expected_response_code=200)
+        self.assertIsNone(response.data['handouts_html'])
+
+    def test_empty_handouts(self):
+        self.login_and_enroll()
+
+        # set handouts to empty tags
+        handouts_usage_key = self.course.id.make_usage_key('course_info', 'handouts')
+        underlying_handouts = self.store.get_item(handouts_usage_key)
+        underlying_handouts.data = "<ol></ol>"
+        self.store.update_item(underlying_handouts, self.user.id)
+        response = self.api_response(expected_response_code=200)
+        self.assertIsNone(response.data['handouts_html'])
 
     def test_handouts_static_rewrites(self):
         self.login_and_enroll()
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/views.py
index 4142fde11f..380ef10af1 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/mobile_api/course_info/views.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class CourseUpdatesList(generics.ListAPIView):
 
     **Example Request**
 
-        GET /api/mobile/v0.5/course_info/{organization}/{course_number}/{course_run}/updates
+        GET /api/mobile/v0.5/course_info/{course_id}/updates
 
     **Response Values**
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class CourseHandoutsList(generics.ListAPIView):
 
     **Example Request**
 
-        GET /api/mobile/v0.5/course_info/{organization}/{course_number}/{course_run}/handouts
+        GET /api/mobile/v0.5/course_info/{course_id}/handouts
 
     **Response Values**
 
@@ -79,13 +79,17 @@ class CourseHandoutsList(generics.ListAPIView):
     def list(self, request, course, *args, **kwargs):
         course_handouts_module = get_course_info_section_module(request, request.user, course, 'handouts')
         if course_handouts_module:
-            handouts_html = course_handouts_module.data
-            handouts_html = replace_static_urls(
-                handouts_html,
-                course_id=course.id,
-                static_asset_path=course.static_asset_path)
-            handouts_html = make_static_urls_absolute(self.request, handouts_html)
+            if course_handouts_module.data == "<ol></ol>":
+                handouts_html = None
+            else:
+                handouts_html = course_handouts_module.data
+                handouts_html = replace_static_urls(
+                    handouts_html,
+                    course_id=course.id,
+                    static_asset_path=course.static_asset_path
+                )
+                handouts_html = make_static_urls_absolute(self.request, handouts_html)
             return Response({'handouts_html': handouts_html})
         else:
             # course_handouts_module could be None if there are no handouts
-            raise Http404(u"No handouts for {}".format(unicode(course.id)))
+            return Response({'handouts_html': None})