diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
index 3e0a3b27a5..2da15a4086 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ VERSION_TUPLES = (
 )
 
 DEFAULT_VERSION = 1
+DEFAULT_VERSION = str(DEFAULT_VERSION)
 
 class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
     """
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         }
 
         self.child_descriptor = descriptors[version_index](self.system)
-        self.child_definition = CombinedOpenEndedV1Descriptor.definition_from_xml(etree.fromstring(definition['xml_string']), self.system)
+        self.child_definition = descriptors[version_index].definition_from_xml(etree.fromstring(definition['xml_string']), self.system)
         self.child_module = modules[version_index](self.system, location, self.child_definition, self.child_descriptor,
             instance_state = json.dumps(instance_state), metadata = self.metadata, static_data= static_data)
 
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
index e21765f76b..f62c2d309a 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_modulev1.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedV1Module():
 
         self.metadata = metadata
         self.display_name = metadata.get('display_name', "Open Ended")
-        self.rewrite_content_links = static_data['rewrite_content_links']
+        self.rewrite_content_links = static_data.get('rewrite_content_links',"")
 
 
         # Load instance state
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_combined_open_ended.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_combined_open_ended.py
index 690eb7e39e..556bf2953b 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_combined_open_ended.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/tests/test_combined_open_ended.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import unittest
 
 from xmodule.openendedchild import OpenEndedChild
 from xmodule.open_ended_module import OpenEndedModule
-from xmodule.combined_open_ended_module import CombinedOpenEndedModule
+from xmodule.combined_open_ended_modulev1 import CombinedOpenEndedV1Module
 
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from lxml import etree
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ class OpenEndedModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
             'max_score': max_score,
             'display_name': 'Name',
             'accept_file_upload': False,
+            'rewrite_content_links' : "",
             }
 
     oeparam = etree.XML('''
@@ -279,13 +280,15 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     metadata = {'attempts': '10', 'max_score': max_score}
 
-    static_data = json.dumps({
+    static_data = {
             'max_attempts': 20,
             'prompt': prompt,
             'rubric': rubric,
             'max_score': max_score,
-            'display_name': 'Name'
-            })
+            'display_name': 'Name',
+            'accept_file_upload' : False,
+            'rewrite_content_links' : "",
+            }
 
     oeparam = etree.XML('''
       <openendedparam>
@@ -317,7 +320,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
     descriptor = Mock()
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.combinedoe = CombinedOpenEndedModule(test_system, self.location, self.definition, self.descriptor, self.static_data, metadata=self.metadata)
+        self.combinedoe = CombinedOpenEndedV1Module(test_system, self.location, self.definition, self.descriptor, self.static_data, metadata=self.metadata)
 
     def test_get_tag_name(self):
         name = self.combinedoe.get_tag_name("<t>Tag</t>")
@@ -327,14 +330,14 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
         response_dict = self.combinedoe.get_last_response(0)
         self.assertEqual(response_dict['type'], "selfassessment")
         self.assertEqual(response_dict['max_score'], self.max_score)
-        self.assertEqual(response_dict['state'], CombinedOpenEndedModule.INITIAL)
+        self.assertEqual(response_dict['state'], CombinedOpenEndedV1Module.INITIAL)
 
     def test_update_task_states(self):
         changed = self.combinedoe.update_task_states()
         self.assertFalse(changed)
 
         current_task = self.combinedoe.current_task
-        current_task.change_state(CombinedOpenEndedModule.DONE)
+        current_task.change_state(CombinedOpenEndedV1Module.DONE)
         changed = self.combinedoe.update_task_states()
 
         self.assertTrue(changed)