diff --git a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
index 7b94fb4e1..cd2cd6da4 100644
--- a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
+++ b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
@@ -554,14 +554,23 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
     if(actionNeededReasonDropdown && actionNeededEmail) {
         let emailContainer = actionNeededEmail.closest(".dja-readonly-textarea-container");
         if (statusDropdown.value == "action needed") {
-            showElement(emailContainer)
+            showElement(emailContainer);
         }
 
         statusDropdown.addEventListener("change", function() {
             if (statusDropdown.value == "action needed") {
-                showElement(emailContainer)
+                showElement(emailContainer);
             }else {
-                hideElement(emailContainer)
+                hideElement(emailContainer);
+            }
+            
+            // We hide the table if there isn't any data to start with.
+            // If we add a value, show it.
+            // This edge case applies to fixtures data. Prod data will have a changelog to pull from.
+            let changeLog = document.querySelector(".dja-status-changelog");
+            console.log(`value is ===>${actionNeededReasonDropdown.value}<===`)
+            if(changeLog && changeLog.classList.contains("display-none") && actionNeededReasonDropdown.value){
+                showElement(changeLog);
             }
         });
 
@@ -572,8 +581,16 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
     function handleChangeActionNeededEmail(actionNeededReasonDropdown, actionNeededEmail) {
         actionNeededReasonDropdown.addEventListener("change", function() {
             // TODO on change if not actionneeded on status, hide show email button
-            const pk = document.querySelector("#domain_request_id").value
-            const reason = actionNeededReasonDropdown.value
+            const pk = document.querySelector("#domain_request_id").value;
+            const reason = actionNeededReasonDropdown.value;
+
+            // If a reason isn't specified, no email will be sent.
+            // You also cannot save the model in this state.
+            if(!reason) {
+                actionNeededEmail.value = "No email will be sent";
+                return;
+            }
+
             fetch(`/get-domain-requests-json/${pk}/action-needed-email/${reason}`)
             .then(response => response.json())
             .then(data => {
@@ -581,13 +598,9 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
                     console.log('Error in AJAX call: ' + data.error);
                     return;
                 }
-                
-                let noEmailMessage = document.getElementById("no-email-message");
+
                 if(data && data.email_body_text) {
                     actionNeededEmail.value = data.email_body_text
-
-
-
                 }else if (data && !data.email_body_text) {
                     actionNeededEmail.value = "No email will be sent";
                 }
@@ -597,7 +610,6 @@ function initializeWidgetOnList(list, parentId) {
                 }
             });
         });
-
     }
 
 })();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/registrar/assets/sass/_theme/_admin.scss b/src/registrar/assets/sass/_theme/_admin.scss
index 21fb429a1..eb09c01ec 100644
--- a/src/registrar/assets/sass/_theme/_admin.scss
+++ b/src/registrar/assets/sass/_theme/_admin.scss
@@ -823,4 +823,4 @@ div.dja__model-description{
 
 .no-border {
     border: none;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index ee577a84e..795aa9ee7 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -614,7 +614,8 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
 
     def sync_action_needed_reason_email(self):
         """If no action_needed_reason_email is defined, add a default one"""
-        if self.action_needed_reason and not self.action_needed_reason_email:
+        # Change this in #1901. Add a check on "not self.action_needed_reason_email"
+        if self.action_needed_reason:
             text = self.get_action_needed_reason_default_email_text(self.action_needed_reason)
             self.action_needed_reason_email = text.get("email_body_text")
 
@@ -852,8 +853,6 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
                 can_send_email = False
 
         # TODO - replace this logic with self.action_needed_reason_email in #1901.
-        # The email content should be dependent on that field.
-
         # Assumes that the template name matches the action needed reason if nothing is specified.
         # This is so you can override if you need, or have this taken care of for you.
         if not email_template_name and not email_template_subject_name:
diff --git a/src/registrar/templates/django/admin/includes/detail_table_fieldset.html b/src/registrar/templates/django/admin/includes/detail_table_fieldset.html
index 12d41c23e..a8de2b161 100644
--- a/src/registrar/templates/django/admin/includes/detail_table_fieldset.html
+++ b/src/registrar/templates/django/admin/includes/detail_table_fieldset.html
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@ This is using a custom implementation fieldset.html (see admin/fieldset.html)
 {% endblock field_readonly %}
 
 {% block after_help_text %}
-    {% if field.field.name == "status" and filtered_audit_log_entries %}
-    <div class="flex-container" id="dja-status-changelog">
+    {% if field.field.name == "status" %}
+    <div class="flex-container {% if not filtered_audit_log_entries or not action_needed_reason %}display-none{% endif %}" id="dja-status-changelog">
         <label aria-label="Status changelog"></label>
         <div>
             <div class="usa-table-container--scrollable collapse--dgsimple collapsed" tabindex="0">
+                {% if filtered_audit_log_entries %}
                 <table class="usa-table usa-table--borderless">
                     <thead>
                         <tr>
@@ -105,6 +106,7 @@ This is using a custom implementation fieldset.html (see admin/fieldset.html)
                         {% endfor %}
                     </tbody>
                 </table>
+                {% endif %}
 
                 <div class="dja-readonly-textarea-container padding-1 margin-top-2 thin-border display-none">
                     <label class="max-full" for="action_needed_reason_email_view_more">
diff --git a/src/registrar/views/domain_requests_json.py b/src/registrar/views/domain_requests_json.py
index e7a01e5c9..a66ae6218 100644
--- a/src/registrar/views/domain_requests_json.py
+++ b/src/registrar/views/domain_requests_json.py
@@ -106,9 +106,17 @@ def get_domain_requests_json(request):
 
 @login_required
 def get_action_needed_email(request, pk, reason):
-    has_access = request.user.is_staff or request.user.is_superuser
-    # TODO also check the perm group
-    if not has_access:
+    """
+    Given the primary key of a DomainRequest and the action_needed reason,
+    this will return the email that would be generated for the given user.
+    """
+    # Q: Do we need both checks? I'd think we can just check on the group, right?
+    staff_or_superuser = request.user.is_staff or request.user.is_superuser
+    has_access = (
+        request.user.has_perm("registrar.full_access_permission") or 
+        request.user.has_perm("registrar.analyst_access_permission")
+    )
+    if staff_or_superuser and not has_access:
         raise PermissionDenied("You do not have permission to access this resource.")
 
     domain_request = DomainRequest.objects.filter(id=pk).first()