diff --git a/src/data/api.js b/src/data/api.js
index 2db67097..a2f18c01 100644
--- a/src/data/api.js
+++ b/src/data/api.js
@@ -1,16 +1,26 @@
 import { getConfig } from '@edx/frontend-platform';
 import { getAuthenticatedHttpClient } from '@edx/frontend-platform/auth';
+import { logError } from '@edx/frontend-platform/logging';
 import { ExamAction } from '../constants';
 import { generateHumanizedTime } from '../helpers';
 
 const BASE_API_URL = '/api/edx_proctoring/v1/proctored_exam/attempt';
 
 async function fetchActiveAttempt() {
+  // fetch 'active' (timer is running) attempt if it exists
   const activeAttemptUrl = new URL(`${getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL}/api/v1/exams/attempt/latest`);
   const activeAttemptResponse = await getAuthenticatedHttpClient().get(activeAttemptUrl.href);
   return activeAttemptResponse.data;
 }
 
+async function fetchLatestExamAttempt(sequenceId) {
+  // fetch lastest attempt for a specific exam
+  const attemptUrl = new URL(`${getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL}/api/v1/exams/attempt/latest`);
+  attemptUrl.searchParams.append('content_id', sequenceId);
+  const response = await getAuthenticatedHttpClient().get(attemptUrl.href);
+  return response.data;
+}
+
 export async function fetchExamAttemptsData(courseId, sequenceId) {
   let data;
   if (!getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL) {
@@ -56,22 +66,24 @@ export async function fetchLatestAttempt(courseId) {
   return data;
 }
 
-export async function pollExamAttempt(url) {
+export async function pollExamAttempt(pollUrl, sequenceId) {
   let data;
-  if (!getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL) {
+  if (pollUrl) {
     const edxProctoringURL = new URL(
-      `${getConfig().LMS_BASE_URL}${url}`,
+      `${getConfig().LMS_BASE_URL}${pollUrl}`,
     );
     const urlResponse = await getAuthenticatedHttpClient().get(edxProctoringURL.href);
     data = urlResponse.data;
-  } else {
-    data = await fetchActiveAttempt();
+  } else if (getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL) {
+    data = await fetchLatestExamAttempt(sequenceId);
 
     // Update dictionaries returned by edx-exams to have correct status key for legacy compatibility
     if (data.attempt_status) {
       data.status = data.attempt_status;
       delete data.attempt_status;
     }
+  } else {
+    logError('pollExamAttempt called but no pollUrl is set');
   }
   return data;
 }
diff --git a/src/data/redux.test.jsx b/src/data/redux.test.jsx
index 5dde4ebe..259bfbf6 100644
--- a/src/data/redux.test.jsx
+++ b/src/data/redux.test.jsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import MockAdapter from 'axios-mock-adapter';
 import { getAuthenticatedHttpClient } from '@edx/frontend-platform/auth';
 import { getConfig, mergeConfig } from '@edx/frontend-platform';
 
+import * as api from './api';
 import * as thunks from './thunks';
 
 import executeThunk from '../utils';
@@ -958,6 +959,35 @@ describe('Data layer integration tests', () => {
       const state = store.getState();
       expect(state.examState.activeAttempt).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
+
+    describe('pollAttempt api called directly', () => {
+      // in the download view we call this function directly withough invoking the wrapping thunk
+      it('should call pollUrl if one is provided', async () => {
+        const pollExamAttemptUrl = `${getConfig().LMS_BASE_URL}${attempt.exam_started_poll_url}`;
+        axiosMock.onGet(pollExamAttemptUrl).reply(200, {
+          time_remaining_seconds: 1739.9,
+          accessibility_time_string: 'you have 29 minutes remaining',
+          attempt_status: ExamStatus.STARTED,
+        });
+        await api.pollExamAttempt(attempt.exam_started_poll_url);
+        expect(axiosMock.history.get[0].url).toEqual(pollExamAttemptUrl);
+      });
+      it('should call the latest attempt for a sequence if a sequence id is provided instead of a pollUrl', async () => {
+        const sequenceId = 'block-v1:edX+Test+123';
+        const expectedUrl = `${getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL}/api/v1/exams/attempt/latest?content_id=${encodeURIComponent(sequenceId)}`;
+        axiosMock.onGet(expectedUrl).reply(200, {
+          time_remaining_seconds: 1739.9,
+          status: ExamStatus.STARTED,
+        });
+        await api.pollExamAttempt(null, sequenceId);
+        expect(axiosMock.history.get[0].url).toEqual(expectedUrl);
+      });
+      test.only('pollUrl is required if edx-exams in not enabled, an error should be logged', async () => {
+        mergeConfig({ EXAMS_BASE_URL: null });
+        api.pollExamAttempt(null, null);
+        expect(loggingService.logError).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('Test pingAttempt', () => {
diff --git a/src/instructions/proctored_exam/download-instructions/index.jsx b/src/instructions/proctored_exam/download-instructions/index.jsx
index da0a4bf0..6b49b577 100644
--- a/src/instructions/proctored_exam/download-instructions/index.jsx
+++ b/src/instructions/proctored_exam/download-instructions/index.jsx
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ const DownloadSoftwareProctoredExamInstructions = ({ intl, skipProctoredExam })
     ? `${getConfig().EXAMS_BASE_URL}/lti/start_proctoring/${attemptId}` : downloadUrl;
 
   const handleDownloadClick = () => {
-    pollExamAttempt(`${pollUrl}?sourceid=instructions`)
+    pollExamAttempt(pollUrl, sequenceId)
       .then((data) => {
         if (data.status === ExamStatus.READY_TO_START) {
           setSystemCheckStatus('success');
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ const DownloadSoftwareProctoredExamInstructions = ({ intl, skipProctoredExam })
   };
 
   const handleStartExamClick = () => {
-    pollExamAttempt(`${pollUrl}?sourceid=instructions`)
+    pollExamAttempt(pollUrl, sequenceId)
       .then((data) => (
         data.status === ExamStatus.READY_TO_START
           ? getExamAttemptsData(courseId, sequenceId)