diff --git a/src/registrar/admin.py b/src/registrar/admin.py
index b2db130d9..1fed780e1 100644
--- a/src/registrar/admin.py
+++ b/src/registrar/admin.py
@@ -1606,7 +1606,6 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
         "is_election_board",
         "federal_agency",
         "status_history",
-        "action_needed_reason_email",
     )
 
     # Read only that we'll leverage for CISA Analysts
@@ -1705,7 +1704,7 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
             return super().save_model(request, obj, form, change)
 
         # == Handle non-status changes == #
-        if obj.action_needed_reason and not self.action_needed_reason_email:
+        if obj.action_needed_reason and not obj.action_needed_reason_email:
             self._handle_action_needed_reason_email(obj)
             should_save = True
 
@@ -1933,13 +1932,14 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
         emails = {}
         for action_needed_reason in domain_request.ActionNeededReasons:
             enum_value = action_needed_reason.value
+            custom_text = None
             if domain_request.action_needed_reason == enum_value and domain_request.action_needed_reason_email:
-                emails[enum_value] = domain_request.action_needed_reason_email
-            else:
-                emails[enum_value] = self._get_action_needed_reason_default_email_text(domain_request, enum_value)
+                custom_text = domain_request.action_needed_reason_email
+
+            emails[enum_value] = self._get_action_needed_reason_default_email_text(domain_request, enum_value, custom_text)
         return json.dumps(emails)
 
-    def _get_action_needed_reason_default_email_text(self, domain_request, action_needed_reason: str):
+    def _get_action_needed_reason_default_email_text(self, domain_request, action_needed_reason: str, custom_text=None):
         """Returns the default email associated with the given action needed reason"""
         if action_needed_reason is None or action_needed_reason == domain_request.ActionNeededReasons.OTHER:
             return {
@@ -1961,7 +1961,7 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
 
         return {
             "subject_text": subject_template.render(context=context),
-            "email_body_text": template.render(context=context),
+            "email_body_text": template.render(context=context) if not custom_text else custom_text,
         }
 
     def process_log_entry(self, log_entry):
diff --git a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
index 898c41c4b..6d753744f 100644
--- a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
+++ b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
 */
 (function () {
     let actionNeededReasonDropdown = document.querySelector("#id_action_needed_reason");
-    let actionNeededEmail = document.querySelector("#action_needed_reason_email_view_more");
+    let actionNeededEmail = document.querySelector("#id_action_needed_reason_email");
     if(actionNeededReasonDropdown && actionNeededEmail) {
         // Add a change listener to the action needed reason dropdown 
         handleChangeActionNeededEmail(actionNeededReasonDropdown, actionNeededEmail);
@@ -546,6 +546,7 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
             let actionNeededEmails = JSON.parse(document.getElementById('action-needed-emails-data').textContent)
             let emailData = actionNeededEmails[reason];
             if (emailData) {
+                // TODO: do we need a revert to default button?
                 let emailBody = emailData.email_body_text
                 if (emailBody) {
                     actionNeededEmail.value = emailBody
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index febf0a5e6..830ad9480 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -785,8 +785,8 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
                 "submission confirmation",
                 "emails/submission_confirmation.txt",
                 "emails/submission_confirmation_subject.txt",
-                True,
-                bcc_address,
+                send_email=True,
+                bcc_address=bcc_address,
             )
 
     @transition(
@@ -856,7 +856,8 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
 
         # Send out an email if an action needed reason exists
         if self.action_needed_reason and self.action_needed_reason != self.ActionNeededReasons.OTHER:
-            self._send_action_needed_reason_email(send_email)
+            custom_email_content = self.action_needed_reason_email
+            self._send_action_needed_reason_email(send_email, custom_email_content)
 
     def _send_action_needed_reason_email(self, send_email=True, custom_email_content=None):
         """Sends out an automatic email for each valid action needed reason provided"""
@@ -951,7 +952,7 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
             "domain request approved",
             "emails/status_change_approved.txt",
             "emails/status_change_approved_subject.txt",
-            send_email,
+            send_email=send_email,
         )
 
     @transition(