diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/test_exportchannel.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/test_exportchannel.py
index 8eeeb064ec..8e629a1379 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/test_exportchannel.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/tests/test_exportchannel.py
@@ -263,6 +263,14 @@ def test_duration_override_on_completion_criteria_time(self):
         assert completion_criteria_node.duration == 20
         assert non_completion_criteria_node.duration == 100
 
+    def test_completion_criteria_set(self):
+        completion_criteria_node = kolibri_models.ContentNode.objects.filter(title='Completion criteria test').first()
+
+        self.assertEqual(completion_criteria_node.options["completion_criteria"], {
+            "model": "time",
+            "threshold": 20
+        })
+
     def test_contentnode_channel_id_data(self):
         channel = kolibri_models.ChannelMetadata.objects.first()
         nodes = kolibri_models.ContentNode.objects.all()
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/utils/publish.py b/contentcuration/contentcuration/utils/publish.py
index 1593fda172..b0e9bab857 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/utils/publish.py
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/utils/publish.py
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ def create_bare_contentnode(ccnode, default_language, channel_id, channel_name,
             'license_description': kolibri_license.license_description if kolibri_license is not None else None,
             'coach_content': ccnode.role_visibility == roles.COACH,
             'duration': duration,
-            'options': json.dumps(options),
+            'options': options,
             # Fields for metadata labels
             "grade_levels": ",".join(grade_levels.keys()) if grade_levels else None,
             "resource_types": ",".join(resource_types.keys()) if resource_types else None,