diff --git a/src/illumidesk/grades/handlers.py b/src/illumidesk/grades/handlers.py
index e9d0db55..6c96fb3a 100644
--- a/src/illumidesk/grades/handlers.py
+++ b/src/illumidesk/grades/handlers.py
@@ -15,10 +15,6 @@ class SendGradesHandler(BaseHandler):
     Defines a POST method to process grades submission for a specific assignment within a course
     """
 
-    @property
-    def authenticator_class(self):
-        return self.settings.get('authenticator_class', None)
-
     async def post(self, course_id: str, assignment_name: str) -> None:
         """
         Receives a request with the course name and the assignment name as path parameters
@@ -41,7 +37,7 @@ async def post(self, course_id: str, assignment_name: str) -> None:
         lti_grade_sender = None
 
         # check lti version by the authenticator setting
-        if self.authenticator_class == LTI11Authenticator:
+        if isinstance(self.authenticator, LTI11Authenticator) or self.authenticator is LTI11Authenticator:
             lti_grade_sender = LTIGradeSender(course_id, assignment_name)
         else:
             auth_state = await self.current_user.get_auth_state()
diff --git a/src/tests/illumidesk/grades/test_lms_grades_handler.py b/src/tests/illumidesk/grades/test_lms_grades_handler.py
index fe29b094..7c05021e 100644
--- a/src/tests/illumidesk/grades/test_lms_grades_handler.py
+++ b/src/tests/illumidesk/grades/test_lms_grades_handler.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 from unittest.mock import patch
-from unittest.mock import PropertyMock
 
 from illumidesk.authenticators.authenticator import LTI11Authenticator
 from illumidesk.authenticators.authenticator import LTI13Authenticator
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def send_grades_handler_lti11(make_mock_request_handler):
-    jhub_settings = {'authenticator_class': LTI11Authenticator}
+    jhub_settings = {'authenticator': LTI11Authenticator}
     request_handler = make_mock_request_handler(RequestHandler, **jhub_settings)
     send_grades_handler = SendGradesHandler(request_handler.application, request_handler.request)
     return send_grades_handler
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ def send_grades_handler_lti11(make_mock_request_handler):
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def send_grades_handler_lti13(make_mock_request_handler):
-    jhub_settings = {'authenticator_class': LTI13Authenticator}
+    jhub_settings = {'authenticator': LTI13Authenticator}
 
     async def user_auth_state():
         return []
@@ -43,7 +42,6 @@ def mock_user():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-@patch('illumidesk.grades.senders.LTI13GradeSender.send_grades')
 @patch('tornado.web.RequestHandler.write')
 async def test_SendGradesHandler_calls_authenticator_class_property(
     mock_write, send_grades_handler_lti13, send_grades_handler_lti11
@@ -54,18 +52,14 @@ async def test_SendGradesHandler_calls_authenticator_class_property(
     with patch('illumidesk.grades.handlers.LTI13GradeSender') as mock_sender:
         instance = mock_sender.return_value
         instance.send_grades = AsyncMock()
-        mock_authenticator_class = PropertyMock(return_value=LTI13Authenticator)
-        mock_sender.authenticator_class = mock_authenticator_class
         await send_grades_handler_lti13.post('course_example', 'assignment_test')
-        mock_authenticator_class.called
+        assert mock_sender.called
 
-    with patch('illumidesk.grades.handlers.LTIGradeSender') as mock_sender:
-        instance = mock_sender.return_value
-        instance.send_grades = AsyncMock()
-        mock_authenticator_class = PropertyMock(return_value=LTI13Authenticator)
-        mock_sender.authenticator_class = mock_authenticator_class
-        await send_grades_handler_lti11.post('course_example', 'assignment_test')
-        mock_authenticator_class.called
+        with patch('illumidesk.grades.handlers.LTIGradeSender') as mocklti11_sender:
+            instance = mocklti11_sender.return_value
+            instance.send_grades = AsyncMock()
+            await send_grades_handler_lti11.post('course_example', 'assignment_test')
+            mocklti11_sender.called
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -76,8 +70,8 @@ async def test_SendGradesHandler_authenticator_class_gets_its_value_from_setting
     """
     Does the SendGradesHandler.authenticator_class property gets its value from jhub settings?
     """
-    assert send_grades_handler_lti11.authenticator_class == LTI11Authenticator
-    assert send_grades_handler_lti13.authenticator_class == LTI13Authenticator
+    assert send_grades_handler_lti11.authenticator == LTI11Authenticator
+    assert send_grades_handler_lti13.authenticator == LTI13Authenticator
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio