diff --git a/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.js b/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.js
index e19a095..723754a 100644
--- a/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.js
+++ b/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.js
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ export const loadSubmission = () => (dispatch, getState) => {
       dispatch(actions.grading.loadSubmission({ ...response, submissionUUID }));
       if (selectors.grading.selected.isGrading(getState())) {
         dispatch(actions.app.setShowRubric(true));
+        // safety constraints
         let { gradeData } = response;
-        if (gradeData === null) {
+        if (gradeData === null || gradeData === undefined || Object.keys(gradeData).length) {
           gradeData = selectors.app.emptyGrade(getState());
         }
         const lockStatus = selectors.grading.selected.lockStatus(getState());
@@ -75,7 +76,8 @@ export const startGrading = () => (dispatch, getState) => {
     onSuccess: (response) => {
       dispatch(actions.app.setShowRubric(true));
       let gradeData = selectors.grading.selected.gradeData(getState());
-      if (gradeData === null) {
+      // safety constraints
+      if (gradeData === null || gradeData === undefined || Object.keys(gradeData).length) {
         gradeData = selectors.app.emptyGrade(getState());
       }
       dispatch(actions.grading.startGrading({ ...response, gradeData }));
diff --git a/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.test.js b/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.test.js
index 7dcb5ab..e3f4d2d 100644
--- a/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.test.js
+++ b/src/data/redux/thunkActions/grading.test.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import * as thunkActions from './grading';
 
 jest.mock('./requests', () => ({
   fetchSubmission: (args) => ({ fetchSubmission: args }),
-  fetchSubmissionResponse: (args) => ({ fetchSubmissionResponse: args }),
   fetchSubmissionStatus: (args) => ({ fetchSubmissionStatus: args }),
   setLock: (args) => ({ setLock: args }),
   submitGrade: (args) => ({ submitGrade: args }),
@@ -144,6 +143,8 @@ describe('grading thunkActions', () => {
       test('dispatches startGrading with selected gradeData if truthy', () => {
         actionArgs.onSuccess(startResponse);
         expect(dispatch.mock.calls).toContainEqual([
+          actions.app.setShowRubric(true),
+        ], [
           actions.grading.startGrading({
             ...startResponse,
             gradeData: selectors.grading.selected.gradeData(testState),
diff --git a/src/data/services/lms/api.js b/src/data/services/lms/api.js
index 0dd0d79..6068100 100644
--- a/src/data/services/lms/api.js
+++ b/src/data/services/lms/api.js
@@ -70,16 +70,6 @@ const fetchSubmissionStatus = (submissionUUID) => get(
     [paramKeys.submissionUUID]: submissionUUID,
   }),
 ).then(response => response.data);
-/**
- * Fetches only the learner response for a given submission. Used for pre-fetching response
- * for neighboring submissions in the queue.
- */
-export const fetchSubmissionResponse = (submissionUUID) => get(
-  stringifyUrl(urls.fetchSubmissionUrl, {
-    [paramKeys.oraLocation]: locationId,
-    [paramKeys.submissionUUID]: submissionUUID,
-  }),
-).then(response => response.data);
 
 /**
  * post('api/lock', { ora_location, submissionUUID });
@@ -117,7 +107,6 @@ const updateGrade = (submissionUUID, gradeData) => post(
 export default StrictDict({
   initializeApp,
   fetchSubmission,
-  fetchSubmissionResponse,
   fetchSubmissionStatus,
   lockSubmission,
   updateGrade,
diff --git a/src/test/app.test.jsx b/src/test/app.test.jsx
index 5fc6b6b..80bee76 100644
--- a/src/test/app.test.jsx
+++ b/src/test/app.test.jsx
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ const mockApi = () => {
   api.fetchSubmissionStatus = jest.fn((submissionUUID) => new Promise(
     (resolve) => resolve(fakeData.mockSubmissionStatus(submissionUUID)),
   ));
-  api.fetchSubmissionResponse = jest.fn((submissionUUID) => new Promise(
-    (resolve) => resolve({ response: fakeData.mockSubmission(submissionUUID).response }),
-  ));
   api.lockSubmission = jest.fn(() => new Promise(
     (resolve, reject) => {
       resolveFns.lock = {