diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/expire_waiting_enrollments.py b/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/expire_waiting_enrollments.py
index 28f123e20f..40b175810b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/expire_waiting_enrollments.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/expire_waiting_enrollments.py
@@ -29,5 +29,4 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
         expiration_days = options.get('expiration_days')
         logger.info(u'Deleting waiting enrollments unmodified for %s days', expiration_days)
-        task = tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments.apply_async(args=[expiration_days])
-        task.get()  # wait for task to complete before exiting
+        tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments(expiration_days)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/tests/test_expire_waiting_enrollments.py b/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/tests/test_expire_waiting_enrollments.py
index ee8ba3e908..90cb7dd193 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/tests/test_expire_waiting_enrollments.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/program_enrollments/management/commands/tests/test_expire_waiting_enrollments.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class TestExpireWaitingEnrollments(TestCase):
         cls.command = expire_waiting_enrollments.Command()
 
     @ddt.data(90, None)
-    @patch('lms.djangoapps.program_enrollments.tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments')
+    @patch('lms.djangoapps.program_enrollments.tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments', autospec=True)
     def test_task_fired_with_args(self, expire_days_argument, mock_task):
         mock_task.return_value = {}
         expected_expiration = 60
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ class TestExpireWaitingEnrollments(TestCase):
         else:
             call_command(command)
 
-        mock_task.apply_async.assert_called_with(args=[expected_expiration])
+        mock_task.assert_called_with(expected_expiration)
 
-    @patch('lms.djangoapps.program_enrollments.tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments')
+    @patch('lms.djangoapps.program_enrollments.tasks.expire_waiting_enrollments', autospec=True)
     def test_task_failure_fails_command(self, mock_task):
-        mock_task.apply_async.side_effect = Exception('BOOM!')
+        mock_task.side_effect = Exception('BOOM!')
         with self.assertRaises(Exception):
             call_command('expire_waiting_enrollments')