diff --git a/api-server/server/boot/certificate.js b/api-server/server/boot/certificate.js
index 5c416214d0..8fd7e04a9c 100644
--- a/api-server/server/boot/certificate.js
+++ b/api-server/server/boot/certificate.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ function createCertTypeIds(allChallenges) {
   };
 }
 
-function isCertified(ids, completedChallenges = []) {
+function canClaim(ids, completedChallenges = []) {
   return _.every(ids, ({ id }) =>
     _.find(completedChallenges, ({ id: completedId }) => completedId === id)
   );
@@ -197,7 +197,6 @@ const completionHours = {
   [certTypes.machineLearningPyV7]: 400
 };
 
-// returns an array with a single element, to be flatMap'd by createdVerifyCert
 function getCertById(anId, allChallenges) {
   return allChallenges
     .filter(({ id }) => id === anId)
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ function getCertById(anId, allChallenges) {
       tests,
       name,
       challengeType
-    }));
+    }))[0];
 }
 
 const superBlocks = Object.keys(superBlockCertTypeMap);
@@ -308,19 +307,13 @@ function createVerifyCert(certTypeIds, app) {
     log(superBlock);
     let certType = superBlockCertTypeMap[superBlock];
     log(certType);
-    return user
-      .getCompletedChallenges$()
-      .flatMap(() => certTypeIds[certType])
+    return Observable.of(certTypeIds[certType])
       .flatMap(challenge => {
         const certName = certText[certType];
         if (user[certType]) {
           return Observable.just(alreadyClaimedMessage(certName));
         }
 
-        let updateData = {
-          [certType]: true
-        };
-
         // certificate doesn't exist or
         // connection error
         if (!challenge) {
@@ -329,11 +322,12 @@ function createVerifyCert(certTypeIds, app) {
         }
 
         const { id, tests, challengeType } = challenge;
-        if (!user[certType] && !isCertified(tests, user.completedChallenges)) {
+        if (!canClaim(tests, user.completedChallenges)) {
           return Observable.just(notCertifiedMessage(certName));
         }
-        updateData = {
-          ...updateData,
+
+        const updateData = {
+          [certType]: true,
           completedChallenges: [
             ...user.completedChallenges,
             {