diff --git a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
index cbf2cf351..f8d4d679d 100644
--- a/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
+++ b/src/registrar/assets/js/get-gov-admin.js
@@ -644,9 +644,9 @@ class customActionNeededEmail extends CustomizableEmailBase {
     }
 
     loadActionNeededEmail() {
-        if (this.textAreaFormGroup && this.dropdownFormGroup) {
-            this.initializeFormGroups("action needed", "showActionNeededReason");
-        }
+        // Hide/show the email fields depending on the current status
+        this.initializeFormGroups("action needed", "showActionNeededReason");
+        // Setup the textarea, edit button, helper text
         this.updateUserInterface(this.dropdown.value);
         this.initializeDropdown("Error when attempting to grab action needed email: ")
         this.initializeModalConfirm()
@@ -713,10 +713,7 @@ class customRejectedEmail extends CustomizableEmailBase {
     }
 
     loadRejectedEmail() {
-        if (this.textAreaFormGroup && this.dropdownFormGroup) {
-            // TODO: fix this for rejected
-            this.initializeFormGroups("rejected", "showRejectionReason");
-        }
+        this.initializeFormGroups("rejected", "showRejectionReason");
         this.updateUserInterface(this.dropdown.value);
         this.initializeDropdown("Error when attempting to grab rejected email: ")
         this.initializeModalConfirm()
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
index 72e0e4773..3ccb490a9 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain_request.py
@@ -693,8 +693,8 @@ class DomainRequest(TimeStampedModel):
 
         # We should never send an email if no reason was specified
         # Additionally, Don't send out emails for reasons that shouldn't send them
-        if new_reason is None or self.action_needed_reason in excluded_reasons:
-            return 
+        if new_reason is None or new_reason in excluded_reasons:
+            return
 
         # Only send out an email if the underlying email itself changed
         if old_reason != new_reason: