diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
index d6e9940821..76ddf1b7d2 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -1696,6 +1696,10 @@ class GroupModeratorPermissionsTestCase(ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """Test utils functionality related to forums "abilities" (permissions) for group moderators"""
 
     def _check_condition(user, condition, content):
+        """
+        Mocks check_condition method because is_open and is_team_member_if_applicable must always be true
+        in order to interact with a thread or comment.
+        """
         return True if condition == 'is_open' or condition == 'is_team_member_if_applicable' else False
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -1716,7 +1720,7 @@ class GroupModeratorPermissionsTestCase(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         # Create four users: group_moderator (who is within the verified enrollment track and in the cohort),
         # verified_user (who is in the verified enrollment track but not the cohort),
         # cohorted_user (who is in the cohort but not the verified enrollment track),
-        # and plain_user (who is neither in the cohort nor the verified enrollment track)x
+        # and plain_user (who is neither in the cohort nor the verified enrollment track)
         self.group_moderator = UserFactory(username='group_moderator', email='group_moderator@edx.org')
         self.group_moderator.id = 1
         CourseEnrollmentFactory(
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
index ca132c7ec1..a9eee26f58 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
@@ -569,14 +569,15 @@ def get_user_group_ids(course_id, content, user=None):
     content_user_group_id = None
     user_group_id = None
     if course_id is not None:
+        course_discussion_settings = get_course_discussion_settings(course_id)
         if content.get('username'):
             try:
                 content_user = get_user_by_username_or_email(content.get('username'))
-                content_user_group_id = get_group_id_for_user(content_user, get_course_discussion_settings(course_id))
+                content_user_group_id = get_group_id_for_user(content_user, course_discussion_settings)
             except User.DoesNotExist:
                 content_user_group_id = None
 
-        user_group_id = get_group_id_for_user(user, get_course_discussion_settings(course_id)) if user else None
+        user_group_id = get_group_id_for_user(user, course_discussion_settings) if user else None
     return user_group_id, content_user_group_id
 
 
@@ -822,7 +823,7 @@ def get_group_id_for_user(user, course_discussion_settings):
     elif division_scheme == CourseDiscussionSettings.ENROLLMENT_TRACK:
         partition_service = PartitionService(course_discussion_settings.course_id)
         group_id = partition_service.get_user_group_id_for_partition(user, ENROLLMENT_TRACK_PARTITION_ID)
-        # We negate the group_ids from dynamic [partitions so that they will not conflict
+        # We negate the group_ids from dynamic partitions so that they will not conflict
         # with cohort IDs (which are an auto-incrementing integer field, starting at 1).
         return -1 * group_id if group_id is not None else None
     else: