diff --git a/app/models/form.rb b/app/models/form.rb
index edffcb94e..16d0bb40f 100644
--- a/app/models/form.rb
+++ b/app/models/form.rb
@@ -358,51 +358,14 @@ def touchpoints_js_string
     end
 
     # Always use ERB template rendering for now to avoid Rust compilation issues
-    controller = ApplicationController.new
-
-    # Set up a mock request with default URL options to avoid "undefined method 'host' for nil" errors
-    # This is necessary because the ERB templates use root_url which requires request context
-    # Try action_controller first, fall back to action_mailer if not set
-    default_options = Rails.application.config.action_controller.default_url_options ||
-                      Rails.application.config.action_mailer.default_url_options ||
-                      {}
-    host = default_options[:host] || 'localhost'
-    port = default_options[:port] || 3000
-    protocol = default_options[:protocol] || (port == 443 ? 'https' : 'http')
-
-    # Create a mock request
-    mock_request = ActionDispatch::Request.new(
-      'rack.url_scheme' => protocol,
-      'HTTP_HOST' => "#{host}#{":#{port}" if port != 80 && port != 443}",
-      'SERVER_NAME' => host,
-      'SERVER_PORT' => port.to_s,
-    )
-
-    controller.request = mock_request
-    controller.render_to_string(partial: 'components/widget/fba', formats: :js, locals: { form: self })
+    controller_with_request = build_controller_with_mock_request
+    controller_with_request.render_to_string(partial: 'components/widget/fba', formats: :js, locals: { form: self })
   end
 
   # Renders the widget CSS partial for use with the Rust widget renderer
   def render_widget_css
-    controller = ApplicationController.new
-
-    # Set up a mock request with default URL options
-    default_options = Rails.application.config.action_controller.default_url_options ||
-                      Rails.application.config.action_mailer.default_url_options ||
-                      {}
-    host = default_options[:host] || 'localhost'
-    port = default_options[:port] || 3000
-    protocol = default_options[:protocol] || (port == 443 ? 'https' : 'http')
-
-    mock_request = ActionDispatch::Request.new(
-      'rack.url_scheme' => protocol,
-      'HTTP_HOST' => "#{host}#{":#{port}" if port != 80 && port != 443}",
-      'SERVER_NAME' => host,
-      'SERVER_PORT' => port.to_s,
-    )
-
-    controller.request = mock_request
-    controller.render_to_string(partial: 'components/widget/widget', formats: :css, locals: { form: self })
+    controller_with_request = build_controller_with_mock_request
+    controller_with_request.render_to_string(partial: 'components/widget/widget', formats: :css, locals: { form: self })
   end
 
   def reportable_submissions(start_date: nil, end_date: nil)
@@ -1076,6 +1039,31 @@ def self.forms_whose_retention_period_has_passed
 
   private
 
+  # Builds an ApplicationController instance with a mock request for rendering partials
+  # This is necessary because ERB templates use URL helpers which require request context
+  def build_controller_with_mock_request
+    controller = ApplicationController.new
+
+    # Set up a mock request with default URL options
+    # Try action_controller first, fall back to action_mailer if not set
+    default_options = Rails.application.config.action_controller.default_url_options ||
+                      Rails.application.config.action_mailer.default_url_options ||
+                      {}
+    host = default_options[:host] || 'localhost'
+    port = default_options[:port] || 3000
+    protocol = default_options[:protocol] || (port == 443 ? 'https' : 'http')
+
+    mock_request = ActionDispatch::Request.new(
+      'rack.url_scheme' => protocol,
+      'HTTP_HOST' => "#{host}#{":#{port}" if port != 80 && port != 443}",
+      'SERVER_NAME' => host,
+      'SERVER_PORT' => port.to_s,
+    )
+
+    controller.request = mock_request
+    controller
+  end
+
   def set_uuid
     self.uuid ||= SecureRandom.uuid
     self.short_uuid ||= self.uuid[0..7]
diff --git a/ext/widget_renderer/extconf.rb b/ext/widget_renderer/extconf.rb
index ab434ccdc..6b8fde0a5 100644
--- a/ext/widget_renderer/extconf.rb
+++ b/ext/widget_renderer/extconf.rb
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ def ensure_rust
 
 puts "Current directory: #{Dir.pwd}"
 puts "Using cargo executable: #{cargo_bin}"
-puts "Cleaning previous build artifacts..."
-system("#{cargo_bin} clean 2>&1")
 puts "Running cargo build --release..."
 system("#{cargo_bin} build --release 2>&1") or abort 'Failed to build Rust extension'
 
diff --git a/ext/widget_renderer/src/template_renderer.rs b/ext/widget_renderer/src/template_renderer.rs
index 80f90db77..736df31aa 100644
--- a/ext/widget_renderer/src/template_renderer.rs
+++ b/ext/widget_renderer/src/template_renderer.rs
@@ -965,7 +965,8 @@ window.touchpointForm{uuid}.init(touchpointFormOptions{uuid});
 			}}
 		}}
 		// Ensure the custom button is also initialized if it exists (for 'custom-button-modal' delivery method)
-		const customButtonEl = document.getElementById('{element_selector}');
+		const customButtonSelector = '{element_selector}';
+		const customButtonEl = (customButtonSelector && customButtonSelector.length > 0) ? document.getElementById(customButtonSelector) : null;
 		if (customButtonEl && ('{delivery_method}' === 'custom-button-modal')) {{
 			if (fbaUswds.Modal) {{
 				fbaUswds.Modal.on(customButtonEl);