Why is this `if` here? Alternatively: how do you handle the failure branch?

Bigger picture advice: don't support a failure case unless you intend to handle the failure. Specifically, don't catch an exception unless you plain to handle it, don't produce `nil` unless you're ready for a `nil`, and in this case don't let an `if` fall through if you know that Rails will try to render a template.

Other bigger picture advice: don't write a conditional without a test to motivate it.

Other, more controversial bigger picture advice: avoid conditionals. Join the Anti-If Campaign! http://www.antiifcampaign.com/