diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
index 0c0d750882..9fc0ba29ca 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/xml.py
@@ -234,10 +234,16 @@ class XMLModuleStore(ModuleStoreBase):
 
             system = ImportSystem(self, org, course, course_dir, tracker)
 
-            course_descriptor = system.process_xml(etree.tostring(course_data))
             policy_path = self.data_dir / course_dir / 'policy.json'
-
             policy = self.load_policy(policy_path, tracker)
+            # Special case -- need to change the url_name of the course before
+            # it gets loaded, so its location and other fields are right
+            if 'course_url_name' in policy:
+                new_url_name = policy['course_url_name']
+                log.info("changing course url_name to {}".format(new_url_name))
+                course_data.set('url_name', new_url_name)
+
+            course_descriptor = system.process_xml(etree.tostring(course_data))
             XModuleDescriptor.apply_policy(course_descriptor, policy)
 
             # NOTE: The descriptors end up loading somewhat bottom up, which
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
index af3f04e366..d68dd61e3d 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/x_module.py
@@ -303,6 +303,10 @@ def policy_key(location):
     Get the key for a location in a policy file.  (Since the policy file is
     specific to a course, it doesn't need the full location url).
     """
+    # Special case--we need to be able to override the url_name on a course,
+    # so special case where we look for the course descriptor
+    if location.category == 'course':
+        return 'course'
     return '{cat}/{name}'.format(cat=location.category, name=location.name)