diff --git a/common/djangoapps/course_groups/tests/tests.py b/common/djangoapps/course_groups/tests/tests.py
index b3ad928b39..e8727758c4 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/course_groups/tests/tests.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/course_groups/tests/tests.py
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ class TestCohorts(django.test.TestCase):
                               "id": to_id(name)})
                       for name in discussions)
 
-        course.metadata["discussion_topics"] = topics
+        course.discussion_topics = topics
 
         d = {"cohorted": cohorted}
         if cohorted_discussions is not None:
             d["cohorted_discussions"] = [to_id(name)
                                          for name in cohorted_discussions]
-        course.metadata["cohort_config"] = d
+        course.cohort_config = d
 
 
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
index ba2a70371c..54498cfc56 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/module_render.py
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ def get_module_for_descriptor(user, request, descriptor, model_data_cache, cours
                           # by the replace_static_urls code below
                           replace_urls=partial(
                               static_replace.replace_static_urls,
-                              data_directory=descriptor.data_dir,
+                              data_directory=getattr(descriptor, 'data_dir', None),
                               course_namespace=descriptor.location._replace(category=None, name=None),
                           ),
                           node_path=settings.NODE_PATH,