diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 2ff982bdc7d..15f709b2468 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -35,4 +35,3 @@ deploy:
     secure: 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
   on:
     tags: true
-    condition: $TRAVIS_TAG =~ ^npmv.*$
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/__init__.py b/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
index 06a6c5fedb6..b2d90d2d540 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-__version__ = '1.5.0b3'
+# Be sure to update the version number in edx_proctoring/package.json
+__version__ = '1.5.0rc1'
 
 default_app_config = 'edx_proctoring.apps.EdxProctoringConfig'  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/backends/rest.py b/edx_proctoring/backends/rest.py
index 80f4c7ce79b..465cbdc544a 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/backends/rest.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/backends/rest.py
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ def instructor_url(self):
         "Returns the instructor dashboard url"
         return self.base_url + u'/api/v1/instructor/{client_id}/?jwt={jwt}'
 
+    @property
+    def proctoring_instructions(self):
+        "Returns the (optional) proctoring instructions"
+        return []
+
     def __init__(self, client_id=None, client_secret=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Initialize REST backend.
@@ -139,6 +144,10 @@ def get_attempt(self, attempt):
             attempt['proctored_exam']['external_id'],
             attempt['external_id'],
             method='GET')
+        # If the class has instructions defined, use them.
+        # Otherwise, the instructions should be returned by this
+        # API request. Subclasses should wrap each instruction with gettext
+        response['instructions'] = self.proctoring_instructions or response.get('instructions', [])
         return response
 
     def register_exam_attempt(self, exam, context):
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/backends/tests/test_rest.py b/edx_proctoring/backends/tests/test_rest.py
index dab294dbaf0..617ad3ee825 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/backends/tests/test_rest.py
+++ b/edx_proctoring/backends/tests/test_rest.py
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ def test_get_attempt(self):
             'id': 1,
             'external_id': 'abcd',
             'proctored_exam': self.backend_exam,
-            'user': 1
+            'user': 1,
+            'instructions': [],
         }
         responses.add(
             responses.GET,
diff --git a/edx_proctoring/templates/proctored_exam/instructions.html b/edx_proctoring/templates/proctored_exam/instructions.html
index 7153b8bb306..d934e45ae05 100644
--- a/edx_proctoring/templates/proctored_exam/instructions.html
+++ b/edx_proctoring/templates/proctored_exam/instructions.html
@@ -195,7 +195,6 @@ <h2 id="acessible-error-title">{% trans "Cannot Start Proctored Exam" %}</h2>
       },
       success: function (data) {
         newWindow.location = "{{software_download_url|safe}}";
-        setTimeout(poll_until_ready, 15000);
       }
     }).fail(function(){
       newWindow.close();
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 08eb6801d6c..c5f4686762a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@edx/edx-proctoring",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "//": "Be sure to update the version number in edx_proctoring/__init__.py",
+  "version": "1.5.0-rc.1",
   "main": "edx_proctoring/static/index.js",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",