diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
index 8ed44a1f5e..e52af84d37 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/tests/test_mongo.py
@@ -326,10 +326,12 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(object):
         self.content_store.find(location)
 
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course_location, root_dir, 'test_export')
-        assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        try:
+            export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course_location, root_dir, 'test_export')
+            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
+            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
+        finally:
+            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
 
     def test_export_course_image_nondefault(self):
         """
@@ -340,10 +342,12 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(object):
         assert_true(course.course_image, 'just_a_test.jpg')
 
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course.location, root_dir, 'test_export')
-        assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/just_a_test.jpg').isfile())
-        assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        try:
+            export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course.location, root_dir, 'test_export')
+            assert_true(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/just_a_test.jpg').isfile())
+            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
+        finally:
+            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
 
     def test_course_without_image(self):
         """
@@ -352,10 +356,12 @@ class TestMongoModuleStore(object):
         """
         course = self.get_course_by_id('edX/simple_with_draft/2012_Fall')
         root_dir = path(mkdtemp())
-        export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course.location, root_dir, 'test_export')
-        assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
-        shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
+        try:
+            export_to_xml(self.store, self.content_store, course.location, root_dir, 'test_export')
+            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images/course_image.jpg').isfile())
+            assert_false(path(root_dir / 'test_export/static/images_course_image.jpg').isfile())
+        finally:
+            shutil.rmtree(root_dir)
 
 
 
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
index 51192088fe..3937860f08 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/courses.py
@@ -110,14 +110,15 @@ def course_image_url(course):
         # set different than the default, return that path so that
         # courses can use custom course image paths, otherwise just
         # return the default static path.
+        url = '/static/' + (course.static_asset_path or getattr(course, 'data_dir', ''))
         if hasattr(course, 'course_image') and course.course_image != course.fields['course_image'].default:
-            return '/static/' + (course.static_asset_path or getattr(course, 'data_dir', '')) + '/' + course.course_image
+            url += '/' + course.course_image
         else:
-            return '/static/' + (course.static_asset_path or getattr(course, 'data_dir', '')) + "/images/course_image.jpg"
+            url += '/images/course_image.jpg'
     else:
         loc = StaticContent.compute_location(course.location.org, course.location.course, course.course_image)
-        _path = StaticContent.get_url_path_from_location(loc)
-        return _path
+        url = StaticContent.get_url_path_from_location(loc)
+    return url
 
 
 def find_file(filesystem, dirs, filename):