diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/course-certificate/certificate-view/certificate/Certificate.tsx b/src-ts/tools/learn/course-certificate/certificate-view/certificate/Certificate.tsx
index af4d8ca5b..be076dec3 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/course-certificate/certificate-view/certificate/Certificate.tsx
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/course-certificate/certificate-view/certificate/Certificate.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import classNames from 'classnames'
 import { FC, MutableRefObject } from 'react'
 
+import { LearnConfig } from '../../../learn-config'
 import { LearnCertificateTrackType } from '../../../learn-lib'
 
 import { CertificateBgPattern } from './certificate-bg-pattern'
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ import { ReactComponent as FccLogoSvg } from './vendor-fcc-logo.svg'
 interface CertificateProps {
     completedDate?: string
     course?: string
-    elRef?: MutableRefObject<HTMLElement|any>
+    elRef?: MutableRefObject<HTMLElement | any>
     provider?: string
     tcHandle?: string
     type?: LearnCertificateTrackType
@@ -21,10 +22,19 @@ interface CertificateProps {
 }
 
 const Certificate: FC<CertificateProps> = (props: CertificateProps) => {
+
     const certificateType: LearnCertificateTrackType = props.type ?? 'DEV'
 
+    const elementSelector: { [attr: string]: string } = {
+        [LearnConfig.CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR.attribute]: LearnConfig.CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR.value,
+    }
+
     return (
-        <div className={styles['wrap']} ref={props.elRef}>
+        <div
+            {...elementSelector}
+            className={styles['wrap']}
+            ref={props.elRef}
+        >
             <div className={classNames(styles['details'], `theme-${certificateType.toLowerCase()}`)}>
                 <h2 className='details grad'>Topcoder Academy</h2>
                 <h3>Certificate of Course Completion</h3>
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/free-code-camp/FreeCodeCamp.tsx b/src-ts/tools/learn/free-code-camp/FreeCodeCamp.tsx
index 43b519f83..11268128f 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/free-code-camp/FreeCodeCamp.tsx
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/free-code-camp/FreeCodeCamp.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
     useCourses,
     useLearnBreadcrumb,
     useLessonProvider,
+    userCertificationProgressCompleteCourseAsync,
     UserCertificationProgressProviderData,
     userCertificationProgressStartAsync,
     UserCertificationProgressStatus,
@@ -257,26 +258,34 @@ const FreeCodeCamp: FC<{}> = () => {
     }
 
     useEffect(() => {
+
+        // if we don't yet have the user's handle,
+        // or if the cert isn't complete,
+        // or the cert isn't in progress,
+        // there's nothing to do
         if (
-            certificateProgress &&
-            certificateProgress.certificationProgressPercentage === 100 &&
-            certificateProgress.status === UserCertificationProgressStatus.inProgress
+            !profile?.handle
+            || certificateProgress?.certificationProgressPercentage !== 100
+            || certificateProgress?.status !== UserCertificationProgressStatus.inProgress
         ) {
-            userCertificationProgressUpdateAsync(
-                certificateProgress.id,
-                UserCertificationUpdateProgressActions.completeCertificate,
-                {}
-            )
-                .then(setCertificateProgress)
-                .then(() => {
-                    const completedPath: string = getCertificationCompletedPath(
-                        providerParam,
-                        certificationParam
-                    )
-
-                    navigate(completedPath)
-                })
+            return
         }
+
+        // it's safe to complete the course
+        userCertificationProgressCompleteCourseAsync(
+            certificateProgress.id,
+            certificationParam,
+            profile.handle,
+            providerParam,
+        )
+            .then(setCertificateProgress)
+            .then(() => {
+                const completedPath: string = getCertificationCompletedPath(
+                    providerParam,
+                    certificationParam
+                )
+                navigate(completedPath)
+            })
     }, [
         certificateProgress,
         certificationParam,
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn-config.model.ts b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn-config.model.ts
index 783fe51ff..a4c546c7c 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn-config.model.ts
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn-config.model.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 export interface LearnConfigModel {
     API: string
+    CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR: {
+        attribute: string,
+        value: string,
+    }
     CLIENT: string
 }
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.default.config.ts b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.default.config.ts
index 36ca36697..a29a695a1 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.default.config.ts
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.default.config.ts
@@ -2,5 +2,9 @@ import { LearnConfigModel } from './learn-config.model'
 
 export const LearnConfigDefault: LearnConfigModel = {
     API: 'http://localhost:3001/v5/learning-paths',
+    CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR: {
+        attribute: 'data-id',
+        value: 'certificate-container',
+    },
     CLIENT: 'https://fcc.topcoder-dev.com:4431',
 }
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.dev.config.ts b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.dev.config.ts
index 8ee03c5fe..60c00ef28 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.dev.config.ts
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-config/learn.dev.config.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { LearnConfigModel } from './learn-config.model'
+import { LearnConfigDefault } from './learn.default.config'
 
 export const LearnConfigDev: LearnConfigModel = {
+    ...LearnConfigDefault,
     API: 'https://api.topcoder-dev.com/v5/learning-paths',
     CLIENT: 'https://freecodecamp.topcoder-dev.com',
 }
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/index.ts b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/index.ts
index 507435d3c..9b8dd3889 100755
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/index.ts
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/index.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export * from './learn-module-progress.model'
 export * from './user-certification-progress-status.enum'
 export * from './user-certification-update-progress-actions.enum'
 export {
+    completeCourse as userCertificationProgressCompleteCourseAsync,
     getAsync as userCertificationProgressGetAsync,
     startAsync as userCertificationProgressStartAsync,
     updateAsync as userCertificationProgressUpdateAsync
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/user-certification-progress.store.ts b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/user-certification-progress.store.ts
index f570da701..52a78321e 100755
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/user-certification-progress.store.ts
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn-lib/user-certifications-provider/user-certifications-functions/user-certification-progress.store.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { LearnConfig } from '../../../learn-config'
+import { getUserCertificatePath } from '../../../learn.routes'
 import { learnUrlGet, learnXhrGetAsync, learnXhrPostAsync, learnXhrPutAsync } from '../../functions'
 
 import { LearnUserCertificationProgress } from './learn-user-certification-progress.model'
@@ -5,6 +7,27 @@ import { UserCertificationUpdateProgressActions } from './user-certification-upd
 
 const certProgressPath: string = 'certification-progresses'
 
+export function completeCourse(
+    certificationProgressId: string,
+    certification: string,
+    handle: string,
+    provider: string,
+): Promise<LearnUserCertificationProgress> {
+
+    // construct the certificate params
+    const certificateElement: string = `[${LearnConfig.CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR.attribute}=${LearnConfig.CERT_ELEMENT_SELECTOR.value}]`
+    const certificateUrl: string = getUserCertificatePath(provider, certification, handle)
+
+    return updateAsync(
+        certificationProgressId,
+        UserCertificationUpdateProgressActions.completeCertificate,
+        {
+            certificateElement,
+            certificateUrl,
+        }
+    )
+}
+
 export function getAsync(userId: number, provider?: string, certification?: string): Promise<Array<LearnUserCertificationProgress>> {
 
     const params: string = [
diff --git a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn.routes.tsx b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn.routes.tsx
index a2ecb9342..3a3f8060d 100644
--- a/src-ts/tools/learn/learn.routes.tsx
+++ b/src-ts/tools/learn/learn.routes.tsx
@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@ import { default as Learn, toolTitle } from './Learn'
 import { MyLearning } from './my-learning'
 import { WelcomePage } from './welcome'
 
+export function getAuthenticateAndStartCourseRoute(): string {
+    return `${authUrlLogin()}${encodeURIComponent(`?${LEARN_PATHS.startCourseRouteFlag}`)}`
+}
+
 export function getCoursePath(provider: string, certification: string): string {
     return `${rootRoute}/${provider}/${certification}`
 }
 
 export function getCertificatePath(provider: string, certification: string): string {
-    return `${getCoursePath(provider, certification)}/certificate`
+    return `${getCoursePath(provider, certification)}${LEARN_PATHS.certificate}`
 }
 
 export function getCertificationCompletedPath(provider: string, certification: string): string {
@@ -40,7 +44,12 @@ export function getLessonPathFromModule(
     return `${getCoursePath(provider, certification)}/${module}/${lesson}`
 }
 
+export function getUserCertificatePath(provider: string, certification: string, handle: string): string {
+    return `${window.location.origin}${getCoursePath(provider, certification)}/${handle}${LEARN_PATHS.certificate}`
+}
+
 export enum LEARN_PATHS {
+    certificate = '/certificate',
     completed = '/learn/completed',
     myCertificate = '/learn/my-certificate',
     myLearning = '/learn/my-learning',
@@ -49,10 +58,6 @@ export enum LEARN_PATHS {
     startCourseRouteFlag = 'start-course',
 }
 
-export function getAuthenticateAndStartCourseRoute(): string {
-    return `${authUrlLogin()}${encodeURIComponent(`?${LEARN_PATHS.startCourseRouteFlag}`)}`
-}
-
 export const rootRoute: string = LEARN_PATHS.root
 export const absoluteRootRoute: string = `${window.location.origin}${LEARN_PATHS.root}`