diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
index 6d4b0c3b02..5a5542a98e 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_underscore_templates.html
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
           <h1>${'<%- title %>'}</h1>
           <p class="posted-details">
               ${"<% if (obj.username) { %>"}
-              <a href="${'<%- user_url %>' | u}" class="username">${'<%- username %>'}</a>
+              <a href="${'<%- user_url %>'}" class="username">${'<%- username %>'}</a>
               ${"<% } else { %>"}
               ${_('anonymous') | h}
               ${"<% } %>"}
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
 
       <%  js_block = u"""
           var courseware_link = interpolate('<a href="%s">%s</a>', [courseware_url, _.escape(courseware_title)]);
-          print(interpolate('{}', {{'courseware_title_linked': courseware_link}}));
+          print(interpolate('{}', {{'courseware_title_linked': courseware_link}}, true));
           """.format(
                   ## Translators: 'courseware_title_linked' is a placeholder for the title of the courseware unit referenced by this discussion thread.
                   escapejs(_("(this post is about %(courseware_title_linked)s)"))