diff --git a/lms/lib/comment_client/thread.py b/lms/lib/comment_client/thread.py
index 768cc3aa1b..cd1f37939b 100644
--- a/lms/lib/comment_client/thread.py
+++ b/lms/lib/comment_client/thread.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Thread(models.Model):
     type = 'thread'
 
     @classmethod
-    def search(cls, query_params, *args, **kwargs):
+    def search(cls, query_params):
 
         default_params = {'page': 1,
                           'per_page': 20,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Thread(models.Model):
             url = cls.url(action='get_all', params=extract(params, 'commentable_id'))
             if params.get('commentable_id'):
                 del params['commentable_id']
-        response = perform_request('get', url, params, *args, **kwargs)
+        response = perform_request('get', url, params)
         return response.get('collection', []), response.get('page', 1), response.get('num_pages', 1)
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/lms/lib/comment_client/utils.py b/lms/lib/comment_client/utils.py
index 5e1eb88ebf..67c3060339 100644
--- a/lms/lib/comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/lib/comment_client/utils.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def request_timer(request_id, method, url):
     )
 
 
-def perform_request(method, url, data_or_params=None, *args, **kwargs):
+def perform_request(method, url, data_or_params=None, raw=False):
     if data_or_params is None:
         data_or_params = {}
     headers = {
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def perform_request(method, url, data_or_params=None, *args, **kwargs):
     elif response.status_code == 500:
         raise CommentClient500Error(response.text)
     else:
-        if kwargs.get("raw", False):
+        if raw:
             return response.text
         else:
             return json.loads(response.text)