diff --git a/backend/src/api/nft_manager.py b/backend/src/api/nft_manager.py
index b6937a9..a7be9e8 100644
--- a/backend/src/api/nft_manager.py
+++ b/backend/src/api/nft_manager.py
@@ -713,8 +713,7 @@ def list_rules():
             logger.error("Successfully obtained nft JSON ruleset, but also got textual output: %r", nft_text)
         except NftError as e:
             logger.debug("could not obtain nft JSON ruleset: %s", e)
-            text = mgr.list_rules_json()
-            return RulesetOut(ruleset=text.strip() if text is not None else None)
+            raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=f"Failed to obtain nft JSON ruleset: {e}")
 
         custom = build_predictable_ruleset(nft_json)
 
@@ -727,7 +726,7 @@ def list_rules():
             logger.debug("list_rules: populate_text_from_chain_text failed: %s", e)
 
         ruleset_model = RulesetModel.parse_obj(custom)
-        return RulesetOut(ruleset=ruleset_model)
+        return {"ruleset": ruleset_model, "raw": nft_text}
     except NftError as e:
         logger.exception("list_rules failed")
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))