diff --git a/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html b/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
index a8ada9681751..0b3f6feec5de 100644
--- a/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
+++ b/lms/templates/staff_problem_info.html
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ <h2>${_("Submission History Viewer")}</h2>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 // assumes courseware.html's loaded this method.
 $(function () {
-    setup_debug('${element_id | n, js_escaped_string}',
+    (typeof setup_debug !== 'undefined') && setup_debug('${element_id | n, js_escaped_string}',
         %if edit_link:
         '${edit_link | n, js_escaped_string}',
         %else:
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/api.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/api.py
index 7c24308f6bfe..a88936936f83 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/api.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/api.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from django.urls import reverse
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import UsageKeyV2
-from opaque_keys.edx.locator import BundleDefinitionLocator
+from opaque_keys.edx.locator import BlockUsageLocator, BundleDefinitionLocator
 from rest_framework.exceptions import NotFound
 from xblock.core import XBlock
 from xblock.exceptions import NoSuchViewError
@@ -120,17 +120,27 @@ def get_block_metadata(block, includes=()):
         editable_children: children in the same bundle, as opposed to linked
             children in other bundles.
     """
+    usage_id = block.scope_ids.usage_id
+
+    if isinstance(usage_id, BlockUsageLocator):
+        # The second method is more efficient, but it doesn't work with the DescriptorSystem.
+        display_name = block.display_name
+    else:
+        display_name = get_block_display_name(block)
     data = {
-        "block_id": str(block.scope_ids.usage_id),
+        "block_id": str(usage_id),
         "block_type": block.scope_ids.block_type,
-        "display_name": get_block_display_name(block),
+        "display_name": display_name,
     }
 
     if "index_dictionary" in includes:
         data["index_dictionary"] = block.index_dictionary()
 
     if "student_view_data" in includes:
-        data["student_view_data"] = block.student_view_data() if hasattr(block, 'student_view_data') else None
+        if isinstance(usage_id, BlockUsageLocator):
+            data["student_view_data"] = render_block_view(block, 'student_view', None).content
+        else:
+            data["student_view_data"] = block.student_view_data() if hasattr(block, 'student_view_data') else None
 
     if "children" in includes:
         data["children"] = block.children if hasattr(block, 'children') else []  # List of usage keys of children
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/rest_api/views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/rest_api/views.py
index 4af890bb4323..747f9e84e70f 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/rest_api/views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock/rest_api/views.py
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 from xblock.django.request import DjangoWebobRequest, webob_to_django_response
 from xblock.fields import Scope
 
+from lms.djangoapps.courseware.block_render import get_block_by_usage_id
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import UsageKey
+from opaque_keys.edx.locator import BlockUsageLocator
 from openedx.core.lib.api.view_utils import view_auth_classes
 from ..api import (
     get_block_display_name,
@@ -52,7 +54,13 @@ def block_metadata(request, usage_key_str):
     except InvalidKeyError as e:
         raise NotFound(invalid_not_found_fmt.format(usage_key=usage_key_str)) from e
 
-    block = load_block(usage_key, request.user)
+    if isinstance(usage_key, BlockUsageLocator):
+        block, __ = get_block_by_usage_id(
+            request, str(usage_key.course_key), str(usage_key), disable_staff_debug_info=True
+        )
+    else:
+        block = load_block(usage_key, request.user)
+
     includes = request.GET.get("include", "").split(",")
     metadata_dict = get_block_metadata(block, includes=includes)
     if 'children' in metadata_dict:
@@ -74,7 +82,13 @@ def render_block_view(request, usage_key_str, view_name):
     except InvalidKeyError as e:
         raise NotFound(invalid_not_found_fmt.format(usage_key=usage_key_str)) from e
 
-    block = load_block(usage_key, request.user)
+    if isinstance(usage_key, BlockUsageLocator):
+        block, __ = get_block_by_usage_id(
+            request, str(usage_key.course_key), str(usage_key), disable_staff_debug_info=True
+        )
+    else:
+        block = load_block(usage_key, request.user)
+
     fragment = _render_block_view(block, view_name, request.user)
     response_data = get_block_metadata(block)
     response_data.update(fragment.to_dict())
@@ -152,7 +166,19 @@ def xblock_handler(request, user_id, secure_token, usage_key_str, handler_name,
         raise AuthenticationFailed("Invalid user ID format.")
 
     request_webob = DjangoWebobRequest(request)  # Convert from django request to the webob format that XBlocks expect
-    block = load_block(usage_key, user)
+
+    if isinstance(usage_key, BlockUsageLocator):
+        # HACK: These requests are coming from ajax calls, so they do not the authenticated HTTP client in in the
+        #  learning MFE. We don't want to modify the signature of the get_block_by_usage_id function, so we just
+        #  manually set the user on the request object. This is safe because the user permissions are checked above and
+        #  the request object is not used for anything else in the function.
+        request.user = user
+        block, __ = get_block_by_usage_id(
+            request, str(usage_key.course_key), str(usage_key), disable_staff_debug_info=True
+        )
+    else:
+        block = load_block(usage_key, user)
+
     # Run the handler, and save any resulting XBlock field value changes:
     response_webob = block.handle(handler_name, request_webob, suffix)
     response = webob_to_django_response(response_webob)