diff --git a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.email.erb_spec.rb b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.email.erb_spec.rb
index 85deb571614..d3494c8fa3c 100644
--- a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.email.erb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.email.erb_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/messages_helper')
 describe 'added_to_conversation.email' do
   it "should render" do
     course_with_teacher
-    student1 = student_in_course
-    student2 = student_in_course
-    student3 = student_in_course
+    student1 = student_in_course.user
+    student2 = student_in_course.user
+    student3 = student_in_course.user
     conversation = @teacher.initiate_conversation([student1.id, student2.id])
     conversation.add_message("some message")
     event = conversation.add_participants([student3.id])
diff --git a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.facebook.erb_spec.rb b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.facebook.erb_spec.rb
index 440feb3d932..48e5223a6b3 100644
--- a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.facebook.erb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.facebook.erb_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/messages_helper')
 describe 'added_to_conversation.facebook' do
   it "should render" do
     course_with_teacher
-    student1 = student_in_course
-    student2 = student_in_course
-    student3 = student_in_course
+    student1 = student_in_course.user
+    student2 = student_in_course.user
+    student3 = student_in_course.user
     conversation = @teacher.initiate_conversation([student1.id, student2.id])
     conversation.add_message("some message")
     event = conversation.add_participants([student3.id])
diff --git a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.sms.erb_spec.rb b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.sms.erb_spec.rb
index 01f5b5ee66d..f04bee7943c 100644
--- a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.sms.erb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.sms.erb_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/messages_helper')
 describe 'added_to_conversation.sms' do
   it "should render" do
     course_with_teacher
-    student1 = student_in_course
-    student2 = student_in_course
-    student3 = student_in_course
+    student1 = student_in_course.user
+    student2 = student_in_course.user
+    student3 = student_in_course.user
     conversation = @teacher.initiate_conversation([student1.id, student2.id])
     conversation.add_message("some message")
     event = conversation.add_participants([student3.id])
diff --git a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.summary.erb_spec.rb b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.summary.erb_spec.rb
index b32c1d81015..379dd904479 100644
--- a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.summary.erb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.summary.erb_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/messages_helper')
 describe 'added_to_conversation.summary' do
   it "should render" do
     course_with_teacher
-    student1 = student_in_course
-    student2 = student_in_course
-    student3 = student_in_course
+    student1 = student_in_course.user
+    student2 = student_in_course.user
+    student3 = student_in_course.user
     conversation = @teacher.initiate_conversation([student1.id, student2.id])
     conversation.add_message("some message")
     event = conversation.add_participants([student3.id])
diff --git a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.twitter.erb_spec.rb b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.twitter.erb_spec.rb
index 7b41a4aa851..f5a12d11ff3 100644
--- a/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.twitter.erb_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/messages/added_to_conversation.twitter.erb_spec.rb
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ require File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/messages_helper')
 describe 'added_to_conversation.twitter' do
   it "should render" do
     course_with_teacher
-    student1 = student_in_course
-    student2 = student_in_course
-    student3 = student_in_course
+    student1 = student_in_course.user
+    student2 = student_in_course.user
+    student3 = student_in_course.user
     conversation = @teacher.initiate_conversation([student1.id, student2.id])
     conversation.add_message("some message")
     event = conversation.add_participants([student3.id])