Addressed notes.

common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/modulestore/search.py

@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ def path_to_location(modulestore, usage_key):
 
         If no path exists, return None.
 
-        If a path exists, return it as a list with target location first, and
-        the starting location last.
+        If a path exists, return it as a tuple with root location first, and
+        the target location last.
         '''
         # Standard DFS
 

lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_views.py

@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ class TestIndexView(ModuleStoreTestCase):
 
     @XBlock.register_temp_plugin(ViewCheckerBlock, 'view_checker')
     @ddt.data(ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split)
-    def test_student_state(self, default_store, ):
+    def test_student_state(self, default_store):
         """
         Verify that saved student state is loaded for xblocks rendered in the index view.
         """
@@ -1206,6 +1206,7 @@ class TestIndexView(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         response = views.index(request, unicode(course.id), chapter=chapter.url_name, section=section.url_name)
         self.assertIn("Activate Block ID: test_block_id", response.content)
 
+
 class TestRenderXBlock(RenderXBlockTestMixin, ModuleStoreTestCase):
     """
     Tests for the courseware.render_xblock endpoint.

lms/djangoapps/courseware/url_helpers.py

 """
 Module to define url helpers functions
 """
+from urllib import urlencode
 from xmodule.modulestore.search import path_to_location, navigation_index
 from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
@@ -47,7 +48,6 @@ def get_redirect_url(course_key, usage_key):
             args=(unicode(course_key), chapter, section, navigation_index(position))
         )
 
-    if final_target_id:
-        redirect_url += "?activate_block_id={final_target_id}".format(final_target_id=final_target_id)
+    redirect_url += "?{}".format(urlencode({'activate_block_id': unicode(final_target_id)}))
 
     return redirect_url