diff --git a/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py b/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
index c787fe750..44d8680fb 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/extractor/skillshare.py
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from .common import InfoExtractor
 from .brightcove import BrightcoveNewIE
+from ..utils import (
+    try_get,
+    compat_str
+)
 
 
 class SkillshareClassIE(InfoExtractor):
@@ -14,22 +18,33 @@ class SkillshareClassIE(InfoExtractor):
 
     def _real_extract(self, url):
         class_id = self._match_id(url)
-        class_json_data = self._parse_json(self._search_regex(r'(?P<json_line>{"userData":{.+});\n', self._download_webpage(url, class_id), 'class_json_data'), class_id)
-        account_id = str(class_json_data['pageData']['videoPlayerData']['brightcoveAccountId'])
+        class_json_data = self._parse_json(self._search_regex(
+            r'(?P<json_line>{.+pageData.+});\n',
+            self._download_webpage(url, class_id), 'class_json_data'), class_id)
+        account_id = class_json_data['pageData']['videoPlayerData']['brightcoveAccountId']
         lessons = class_json_data['pageData']['videoPlayerData']['units'][0]['sessions']
         entries = []
         for lesson in lessons:
-            lesson_id = str(lesson['id'])
-            lesson_info_api_response = self._download_json("https://www.skillshare.com/sessions/{}/video".format(lesson_id), lesson_id)
+            lesson_id = lesson.get('id')
+            lesson_info_api_response = self._download_json(
+                "https://www.skillshare.com/sessions/%s/video" % lesson_id,
+                lesson_id)
             if 'video_hashed_id' not in lesson_info_api_response:
                 break
-            video_hashed_id = lesson_info_api_response['video_hashed_id'][3:]
+            video_hashed_id = self._search_regex(
+                r'(\d+)', lesson_info_api_response.get('video_hashed_id'),
+                'video_hashed_id')
             entry = {
+                # the brightcove extractor extracts the title and id
                 '_type': 'url_transparent',
-                'id': video_hashed_id,
-                'title': lesson['title'],
                 'ie_key': BrightcoveNewIE.ie_key(),
-                'url': 'https://players.brightcove.net/{}/default_default/index.html?videoId={}'.format(account_id, video_hashed_id),
+                'url': 'https://players.brightcove.net/%s/default_default/index.html?videoId=%s' % (account_id, video_hashed_id),
             }
             entries.append(entry)
-        return self.playlist_result(entries, class_id, class_json_data['pageData']['headerData']['title'], class_json_data.get("pageData").get('sectionData').get('description'))
+        return self.playlist_result(
+            entries, class_id, try_get(
+                class_json_data, lambda x: x['pageData']['headerData']['title'],
+                compat_str),
+            try_get(
+                class_json_data, lambda x: x['pageData']['sectionData']['description'],
+                compat_str))