diff --git a/config/initializers/widget_renderer.rb b/config/initializers/widget_renderer.rb
index 608c188b1..69e2c6813 100644
--- a/config/initializers/widget_renderer.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/widget_renderer.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 begin
   # Try loading the precompiled Rutie extension.
   require_relative '../../ext/widget_renderer/lib/widget_renderer'
-  
+
   # Verify the class was properly defined
   if defined?(WidgetRenderer) && WidgetRenderer.respond_to?(:generate_js)
     Rails.logger.info "WidgetRenderer: Rust extension loaded successfully! generate_js method available."
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 rescue LoadError => e
   Rails.logger.warn "Widget renderer native library not available: #{e.message}"
   Rails.logger.warn 'Rust extension must be built during staging; falling back to ERB template rendering.'
+rescue SystemExit => e
+  Rails.logger.error "Widget renderer exited during load: #{e.message}"
+  Rails.logger.warn 'Falling back to ERB template rendering'
 rescue StandardError => e
   Rails.logger.error "Widget renderer failed to load: #{e.class}: #{e.message}"
   Rails.logger.error e.backtrace.join("\n") if e.backtrace
diff --git a/ext/widget_renderer/lib/widget_renderer.rb b/ext/widget_renderer/lib/widget_renderer.rb
index c6cd72a44..6c4142352 100644
--- a/ext/widget_renderer/lib/widget_renderer.rb
+++ b/ext/widget_renderer/lib/widget_renderer.rb
@@ -9,13 +9,6 @@
 puts "WidgetRenderer: root=#{root}"
 puts "WidgetRenderer: __dir__=#{__dir__}"
 
-# If a stale module exists, remove it so Rutie can define or reopen the class.
-if defined?(WidgetRenderer) && WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Module) && !WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Class)
-  Object.send(:remove_const, :WidgetRenderer)
-end
-# Ensure the constant exists as a Class so rb_define_class will reopen it instead of erroring on Module.
-WidgetRenderer = Class.new unless defined?(WidgetRenderer) && WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Class)
-
 # Check for library file extensions based on platform
 lib_extensions = %w[.so .bundle .dylib]
 lib_names = lib_extensions.map { |ext| "libwidget_renderer#{ext}" }
@@ -84,6 +77,13 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  # If a stale module exists, remove it so Rutie can define or reopen the class.
+  if defined?(WidgetRenderer) && WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Module) && !WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Class)
+    Object.send(:remove_const, :WidgetRenderer)
+  end
+  # Ensure the constant exists as a Class so rb_define_class will reopen it instead of erroring on Module.
+  WidgetRenderer = Class.new unless defined?(WidgetRenderer) && WidgetRenderer.is_a?(Class)
 else
   puts 'WidgetRenderer: Library not found in any checked path. Listing root contents:'
   # List files in root to help debug
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@
   else
     puts "WidgetRenderer: target/release directory does not exist at #{release_dir}"
   end
+
+  # No native library available; let caller handle fallback.
+  raise LoadError, 'WidgetRenderer native library not found'
 end
 
 # Rutie expects the project root and appends /target/release/lib<name>.so
@@ -112,4 +115,8 @@
 
 puts "WidgetRenderer: Initializing Rutie with path: #{path}"
 
-Rutie.new(:widget_renderer).init 'Init_widget_renderer', path
+begin
+  Rutie.new(:widget_renderer).init 'Init_widget_renderer', path
+rescue SystemExit => e
+  raise LoadError, "WidgetRenderer native init exited: #{e.message}"
+end