diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
index d08eef7253..a5fa059a37 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         if self.state in [self.ASSESSING, self.DONE]:
             current_task_state=self.task_states[len(self.task_states)-1]
 
-        log.debug(self.task_states)
 
         self.current_task_xml=self.task_xml[self.current_task_number]
         current_task_type=self.get_tag_name(self.current_task_xml)
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
             elif current_task_state is None and self.current_task_number>0:
                 last_response, last_score=self.get_last_response(self.current_task_number-1)
                 current_task_state = ('{"state": "assessing", "version": 1, "max_score": ' + str(self._max_score) + ', ' +
-                                      '"attempts": 0, "created": True, "history": [{"answer": "' + str(last_response) + '"}]}')
+                                      '"attempts": 0, "created": "True", "history": [{"answer": "' + str(last_response) + '"}]}')
                 self.current_task=self_assessment_module.SelfAssessmentModule(self.system, self.location, self.current_task_parsed_xml, self.current_task_descriptor, instance_state=current_task_state)
                 self.task_states.append(self.current_task.get_instance_state())
                 self.state=self.ASSESSING
@@ -131,7 +130,8 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
             elif current_task_state is None and self.current_task_number>0:
                 last_response, last_score=self.get_last_response(self.current_task_number-1)
                 current_task_state = ('{"state": "assessing", "version": 1, "max_score": ' + str(self._max_score) + ', ' +
-                                      '"attempts": 0, "created": True, "history": [{"answer": "' + str(last_response) + '"}]}')
+                                      '"attempts": 0, "created": "True", "history": [{"answer": "' + str(last_response) + '"}]}')
+                log.debug(current_task_state)
                 self.current_task=open_ended_module.OpenEndedModule(self.system, self.location, self.current_task_parsed_xml, self.current_task_descriptor, instance_state=current_task_state)
                 self.task_states.append(self.current_task.get_instance_state())
                 self.state=self.ASSESSING
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
index 02ce31cea0..d3d04fe2ec 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
 
         # Load instance state
         if instance_state is not None:
+            log.debug(instance_state)
             instance_state = json.loads(instance_state)
         else:
             instance_state = {}
@@ -116,13 +117,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
 
         self.state = instance_state.get('state', 'initial')
 
-        self.created = instance_state.get('created', False)
-
-        if self.created and self.state == self.ASSESSING:
-            self.created=False
-            self.get_score(self.latest_answer(), system)
-
-        self.created=False
+        self.created = instance_state.get('created', "False")
 
         self.attempts = instance_state.get('attempts', 0)
         self.max_attempts = int(instance_state.get('attempts', MAX_ATTEMPTS))
@@ -152,6 +147,11 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
 
         self._parse(oeparam, prompt, rubric, system)
 
+        if self.created=="True" and self.state == self.ASSESSING:
+            self.created="False"
+            self.get_score(self.latest_answer(), system)
+            self.created="False"
+
     def _parse(self, oeparam, prompt, rubric, system):
         '''
         Parse OpenEndedResponse XML:
@@ -303,7 +303,6 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
         return True
 
     def _update_score(self, score_msg, queuekey, system):
-        log.debug(score_msg)
         score_msg = self._parse_score_msg(score_msg, system)
         if not score_msg['valid']:
             score_msg['feedback'] = 'Invalid grader reply. Please contact the course staff.'
@@ -489,7 +488,6 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
           'progress' : 'none'/'in_progress'/'done',
           <other request-specific values here > }
         '''
-        log.debug(get)
         handlers = {
             'problem_get': self.get_problem,
             'save_answer': self.save_answer,
@@ -587,7 +585,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule():
             'state': self.state,
             'max_score': self._max_score,
             'attempts': self.attempts,
-            'created' : self.created,
+            'created' : "False",
             }
         return json.dumps(state)
 
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
index 56178acee4..64edb2bb8a 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class SelfAssessmentModule():
         # Scores are on scale from 0 to max_score
         self.history = instance_state.get('history', [])
 
-        self.created = instance_state.get('created', False)
+        self.created = instance_state.get('created', "False")
 
         self.state = instance_state.get('state', 'initial')
 
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ class SelfAssessmentModule():
                  'state': self.state,
                  'max_score': self._max_score,
                  'attempts': self.attempts,
-                 'created' : self.created,
+                 'created' : "False",
         }
         return json.dumps(state)