diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/course.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/course.py
index b4b14a64b6..54d711a597 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/course.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/course.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ from xmodule.partitions.partitions import UserPartition, Group
 
 from xmodule.modulestore.exceptions import ItemNotFoundError, InvalidLocationError
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
-from opaque_keys.edx.locations import Location, SlashSeparatedCourseKey
+from opaque_keys.edx.locations import Location
+from opaque_keys.edx.locator import CourseLocator
 
 from contentstore.course_info_model import get_course_updates, update_course_updates, delete_course_update
 from contentstore.utils import (
@@ -460,7 +461,7 @@ def _create_or_rerun_course(request):
                     status=400
                 )
 
-        course_key = SlashSeparatedCourseKey(org, number, run)
+        course_key = CourseLocator(org, number, run)
         fields = {'display_name': display_name} if display_name is not None else {}
 
         if 'source_course_key' in request.json:
@@ -492,6 +493,7 @@ def _create_new_course(request, course_key, fields):
     """
     Create a new course.
     Returns the URL for the course overview page.
+    Raises InvalidLocationError if the course already exists
     """
     # Set a unique wiki_slug for newly created courses. To maintain active wiki_slugs for
     # existing xml courses this cannot be changed in CourseDescriptor.
@@ -501,14 +503,16 @@ def _create_new_course(request, course_key, fields):
     definition_data = {'wiki_slug': wiki_slug}
     fields.update(definition_data)
 
-    # Creating the course raises InvalidLocationError if an existing course with this org/name is found
-    new_course = modulestore().create_course(
-        course_key.org,
-        course_key.course,
-        course_key.run,
-        request.user.id,
-        fields=fields,
-    )
+    store = modulestore()
+    with store.default_store(settings.FEATURES.get('DEFAULT_STORE_FOR_NEW_COURSE', 'mongo')):
+        # Creating the course raises InvalidLocationError if an existing course with this org/name is found
+        new_course = modulestore().create_course(
+            course_key.org,
+            course_key.course,
+            course_key.run,
+            request.user.id,
+            fields=fields,
+        )
 
     # Make sure user has instructor and staff access to the new course
     add_instructor(new_course.id, request.user, request.user)
diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
index f96f7e9632..6373f373a1 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/item.py
@@ -424,6 +424,11 @@ def _create_item(request):
     if display_name is not None:
         metadata['display_name'] = display_name
 
+    # TODO need to fix components that are sending definition_data as strings, instead of as dicts
+    # For now, migrate them into dicts here.
+    if isinstance(data, basestring):
+        data = {'data': data}
+
     created_block = store.create_child(
         request.user.id,
         usage_key,
diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index df5df07af7..2f39d754dc 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ FEATURES = {
 
     # Toggles Group Configuration editing functionality
     'ENABLE_GROUP_CONFIGURATIONS': os.environ.get('FEATURE_GROUP_CONFIGURATIONS'),
+
+    # Modulestore to use for new courses
+    'DEFAULT_STORE_FOR_NEW_COURSE': 'mongo',
 }
 ENABLE_JASMINE = False
 
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/caching_descriptor_system.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/caching_descriptor_system.py
index a2733d35b0..611423d7c5 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/caching_descriptor_system.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/caching_descriptor_system.py
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ class CachingDescriptorSystem(MakoDescriptorSystem):
         edit_info = json_data.get('edit_info', {})
         module.edited_by = edit_info.get('edited_by')
         module.edited_on = edit_info.get('edited_on')
+        module.published_by = None  # TODO
+        module.published_date = None  # TODO
         module.previous_version = edit_info.get('previous_version')
         module.update_version = edit_info.get('update_version')
         module.source_version = edit_info.get('source_version', None)
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
index 886b790f67..7adffe89d6 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/split_mongo/split.py
@@ -820,6 +820,12 @@ class SplitMongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreWriteBase):
         the course id'd by version_guid but instead in one w/ a new version_guid. Ensure in this case that you get
         the new version_guid from the locator in the returned object!
         """
+        # split handles all the fields in one dict not separated by scope
+        fields = kwargs.get('fields', {})
+        fields.update(kwargs.pop('metadata', {}) or {})
+        fields.update(kwargs.pop('definition_data', {}) or {})
+        kwargs['fields'] = fields
+
         # find course_index entry if applicable and structures entry
         index_entry = self._get_index_if_valid(course_key, force, continue_version)
         structure = self._lookup_course(course_key)['structure']
@@ -1844,6 +1850,7 @@ class SplitMongoModuleStore(ModuleStoreWriteBase):
             destination_block['edit_info']['previous_version'] = previous_version
             destination_block['edit_info']['update_version'] = destination_version
             destination_block['edit_info']['edited_by'] = user_id
+            destination_block['edit_info']['edited_on'] = datetime.datetime.now(UTC)
         else:
             destination_block = self._new_block(
                 user_id, new_block['category'],