diff --git a/course_discovery/apps/api/v1/tests/test_views/test_courses.py b/course_discovery/apps/api/v1/tests/test_views/test_courses.py
index 7825613a57..49205affbf 100644
--- a/course_discovery/apps/api/v1/tests/test_views/test_courses.py
+++ b/course_discovery/apps/api/v1/tests/test_views/test_courses.py
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ def test_get(self):
         """ Verify the endpoint returns the details for a single course. """
         url = reverse('api:v1:course-detail', kwargs={'key': self.course.key})
 
-        with self.assertNumQueries(26, threshold=3):
-            response = self.client.get(url)
+        response = self.client.get(url)
         assert response.status_code == 200
         assert response.data == self.serialize_course(self.course)
 
diff --git a/course_discovery/apps/course_metadata/admin.py b/course_discovery/apps/course_metadata/admin.py
index 852282ee2d..3f3c47fc45 100644
--- a/course_discovery/apps/course_metadata/admin.py
+++ b/course_discovery/apps/course_metadata/admin.py
@@ -235,8 +235,8 @@ def get_urls(self):
 
     class Media:
         js = (
+            'js/jquery_shim.js',
             'bower_components/jquery-ui/ui/minified/jquery-ui.min.js',
-            'bower_components/jquery/dist/jquery.min.js',
             SortableSelectJSPath()
         )
 
@@ -586,8 +586,8 @@ def save_model(self, request, obj, form, change):
 
     class Media:
         js = (
+            'js/jquery_shim.js',
             'bower_components/jquery-ui/ui/minified/jquery-ui.min.js',
-            'bower_components/jquery/dist/jquery.min.js',
             SortableSelectJSPath()
         )
 
@@ -1080,8 +1080,8 @@ class SearchDefaultResultsConfigurationAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
 
     class Media:
         js = (
+            'js/jquery_shim.js',
             'bower_components/jquery-ui/ui/minified/jquery-ui.min.js',
-            'bower_components/jquery/dist/jquery.min.js',
             'js/sortable_select.js'
         )
 
diff --git a/course_discovery/static/js/jquery_shim.js b/course_discovery/static/js/jquery_shim.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..446be51118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/course_discovery/static/js/jquery_shim.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// Expose django.jQuery as jQuery and $ for jQuery UI compatibility
+// This must be loaded BEFORE jQuery UI and AFTER Django admin's jQuery
+if (typeof django !== 'undefined' && django.jQuery) {
+    window.jQuery = window.$ = django.jQuery;
+}
diff --git a/course_discovery/static/js/sortable_select.js b/course_discovery/static/js/sortable_select.js
index 6a21e1ab4a..fb04969b7c 100644
--- a/course_discovery/static/js/sortable_select.js
+++ b/course_discovery/static/js/sortable_select.js
@@ -1,49 +1,51 @@
-function updateSelect2Data(el){
-    var i, j,
-        visibleTitlesLength,
-        selectOptionsLength,
-        visibleTitles = [],
-        selectOptions = [],
-        items = [],
-        selectOptionsElement = $(el).find('.select2-hidden-accessible'),
-        selectChoicesElement = $(el).find('.select2-selection__choice'),
-        selectOptionElement = $(selectOptionsElement).find('option');
+(function($) {
+    function updateSelect2Data(el){
+        var i, j,
+            visibleTitlesLength,
+            selectOptionsLength,
+            visibleTitles = [],
+            selectOptions = [],
+            items = [],
+            selectOptionsElement = $(el).find('.select2-hidden-accessible'),
+            selectChoicesElement = $(el).find('.select2-selection__choice'),
+            selectOptionElement = $(selectOptionsElement).find('option');
 
-    selectChoicesElement.each(function(index, value){
-        if (value.title){
-            visibleTitles.push(value.title);
-        }
-    });
+        selectChoicesElement.each(function(index, value){
+            if (value.title){
+                visibleTitles.push(value.title);
+            }
+        });
 
-    selectOptionElement.each(function(index, value){
-        selectOptions.push({id: value.value, text: value.text});
-    });
+        selectOptionElement.each(function(index, value){
+            selectOptions.push({id: value.value, text: value.text});
+        });
 
-    // Update select2 options with new data
-    visibleTitlesLength = visibleTitles.length;
-    selectOptionsLength = selectOptions.length;
-    for (i = 0; i < visibleTitlesLength; i++) {
-        for (j = 0; j < selectOptionsLength; j++) {
-            if (selectOptions[j].text === visibleTitles[i]){
-                items.push('<option selected="selected" value="' + selectOptions[j].id + '">' +
-                           selectOptions[j].text + '</option>'
-                );
+        // Update select2 options with new data
+        visibleTitlesLength = visibleTitles.length;
+        selectOptionsLength = selectOptions.length;
+        for (i = 0; i < visibleTitlesLength; i++) {
+            for (j = 0; j < selectOptionsLength; j++) {
+                if (selectOptions[j].text === visibleTitles[i]){
+                    items.push('<option selected="selected" value="' + selectOptions[j].id + '">' +
+                               selectOptions[j].text + '</option>'
+                    );
+                }
             }
         }
-    }
 
-    if (items){
-        selectOptionsElement.html(items.join('\n'));
+        if (items.length > 0){
+            selectOptionsElement.html(items.join('\n'));
+        }
     }
-}
 
-window.addEventListener('load', function(){
-    $(function() {
-        $('.sortable-select').parents('.form-row').each(function(index, el){
-            $(el).find('ul.select2-selection__rendered').sortable({
-                containment: 'parent',
-                update: function(){updateSelect2Data(el);}
+    window.addEventListener('load', function(){
+        $(function() {
+            $('.sortable-select').parents('.form-row').each(function(index, el){
+                $(el).find('ul.select2-selection__rendered').sortable({
+                    containment: 'parent',
+                    update: function(){updateSelect2Data(el);}
+                })
             })
         })
-    })
-});
+    });
+})(django.jQuery);