diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
index ff4a038ee5f2..7b2b038a93f7 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def toggle_self_generated_certs(course_key, course_self_paced):
 
 
 @receiver(COURSE_GRADE_NOW_PASSED, dispatch_uid="new_passing_learner")
-def _listen_for_passing_grade(sender, user, course_id, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+def _listen_for_passing_grade(sender, user, course_key, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     """
     Listen for a learner passing a course, send cert generation task,
     downstream signal from COURSE_GRADE_CHANGED
@@ -93,12 +93,10 @@ def _listen_for_passing_grade(sender, user, course_id, **kwargs):  # pylint: dis
     elif waffle.waffle().is_enabled(waffle.INSTRUCTOR_PACED_ONLY):
         if courses.get_course_by_id(course_key, depth=0).self_paced:
             return
-    if GeneratedCertificate.certificate_for_student(self.user, self.course_id) is None:
-        generate_certificate.apply_async(
-            student=user,
-            course_key=course_id,
-        )
+    if GeneratedCertificate.certificate_for_student(user, course_key) is None:
+        kwargs = dict(student=user.id, course_key=unicode(course_key),)
+        generate_certificate.apply_async(kwargs=kwargs)
         log.info(u'Certificate generation task initiated for {user} : {course} via passing grade'.format(
             user=user.id,
-            course=course_id
+            course=course_key
         ))
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tasks.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tasks.py
index 9ccd36bb3e92..19f795cd7bdd 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tasks.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/tasks.py
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 from celery_utils.logged_task import LoggedTask
 from celery_utils.persist_on_failure import PersistOnFailureTask
 
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
+
 from .api import generate_user_certificates
 
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -21,6 +24,6 @@ def generate_certificate(**kwargs):
     """
     Generates a certificate for a single user.
     """
-    student = kwargs.pop('student')
-    course_key = kwargs.pop('course_key')
+    student = User.objects.get(id=kwargs.pop('student'))
+    course_key = CourseKey.from_string(kwargs.pop('course_key'))
     generate_user_certificates(student=student, course_key=course_key, **kwargs)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/grades/new/course_grade_factory.py b/lms/djangoapps/grades/new/course_grade_factory.py
index 236d99af3504..252cb7965080 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/grades/new/course_grade_factory.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/grades/new/course_grade_factory.py
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ def create(self, user, course=None, collected_block_structure=None, course_struc
         course_data = CourseData(user, course, collected_block_structure, course_structure, course_key)
         try:
             course_grade, read_policy_hash = self._read(user, course_data)
-            if read_policy_hash == course_data.grading_policy_hash:
-                return course_grade
+            # BCW: this logic has to be removed in orde to allow cert generation on passing grade
+            # but probably adds to performance overhead
+            # if read_policy_hash == course_data.grading_policy_hash:
+            #     return course_grade
             read_only = False  # update the persisted grade since the policy changed; TODO(TNL-6786) remove soon
         except PersistentCourseGrade.DoesNotExist:
             if assume_zero_if_absent(course_data.course_key):
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ def _update(user, course_data, read_only, force_update_subsections=False):
             COURSE_GRADE_NOW_PASSED.send_robust(
                 sender=CourseGradeFactory,
                 user=user,
-                course_key=course_data.course_key,
+                course_key=course_data.course_key
             )
 
         log.info(