diff --git a/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/ReactionRolesPlugin.ts b/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/ReactionRolesPlugin.ts
index 523ab7bd..53068bdc 100644
--- a/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/ReactionRolesPlugin.ts
+++ b/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/ReactionRolesPlugin.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ const defaultOptions: PluginOptions<ReactionRolesPluginType> = {
     remove_user_reactions: true,
 
     can_manage: false,
+
+    button_groups: null,
   },
 
   overrides: [
@@ -68,11 +70,12 @@ export const ReactionRolesPlugin = zeppelinGuildPlugin<ReactionRolesPluginType>(
   },
 
   afterLoad(pluginData) {
-    // let autoRefreshInterval = pluginData.config.get().auto_refresh_interval;
-    // if (autoRefreshInterval != null) {
-    //   autoRefreshInterval = Math.max(MIN_AUTO_REFRESH, autoRefreshInterval);
-    //   autoRefreshLoop(pluginData, autoRefreshInterval);
-    // }
+    const config = pluginData.config.get();
+    if (config.button_groups) {
+      pluginData.getPlugin(LogsPlugin).logBotAlert({
+        body: "The 'button_groups' option of the 'reaction_roles' plugin is deprecated and non-functional. Consider using the new 'role_buttons' plugin instead!",
+      });
+    }
   },
 
   beforeUnload(pluginData) {
diff --git a/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/types.ts b/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/types.ts
index d77b71fb..412d798a 100644
--- a/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/types.ts
+++ b/backend/src/plugins/ReactionRoles/types.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ import { BasePluginType, typedGuildCommand, typedGuildEventListener } from "knub
 import { GuildReactionRoles } from "../../data/GuildReactionRoles";
 import { GuildSavedMessages } from "../../data/GuildSavedMessages";
 import { Queue } from "../../Queue";
+import { tNullable } from "../../utils";
 
 export const ConfigSchema = t.type({
   auto_refresh_interval: t.number,
   remove_user_reactions: t.boolean,
   can_manage: t.boolean,
+  button_groups: tNullable(t.unknown),
 });
 export type TConfigSchema = t.TypeOf<typeof ConfigSchema>;
 
diff --git a/backend/src/plugins/RoleButtons/functions/applyRoleButtons.ts b/backend/src/plugins/RoleButtons/functions/applyRoleButtons.ts
index b3fc76f4..bbd290a2 100644
--- a/backend/src/plugins/RoleButtons/functions/applyRoleButtons.ts
+++ b/backend/src/plugins/RoleButtons/functions/applyRoleButtons.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export async function applyRoleButtons(
 
   // Remove existing role buttons, if any
   if (existingSavedButtons?.channel_id) {
-    const existingChannel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id);
+    const existingChannel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id).catch(() => null);
     const existingMessage = await (existingChannel?.isText() &&
       existingChannel.messages.fetch(existingSavedButtons.message_id).catch(() => null));
     if (existingMessage && existingMessage.components.length) {
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export async function applyRoleButtons(
   // Find or create message for role buttons
   if ("message_id" in configItem.message) {
     // channel id + message id: apply role buttons to existing message
-    const channel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id);
+    const channel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id).catch(() => null);
     const messageCandidate = await (channel?.isText() &&
       channel.messages.fetch(configItem.message.message_id).catch(() => null));
     if (!messageCandidate) {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export async function applyRoleButtons(
       return null;
     }
 
-    const channel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id);
+    const channel = await pluginData.guild.channels.fetch(configItem.message.channel_id).catch(() => null);
     if (!channel || !channel.isText()) {
       pluginData.getPlugin(LogsPlugin).logBotAlert({
         body: `Text channel not found for role_buttons/${configItem.name}`,
diff --git a/backend/src/utils/parseCustomId.ts b/backend/src/utils/parseCustomId.ts
index 2d95a3a1..7988e5ef 100644
--- a/backend/src/utils/parseCustomId.ts
+++ b/backend/src/utils/parseCustomId.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { logger } from "../logger";
+
 const customIdFormat = /^([^:]+):\d+:(.*)$/;
 
 export function parseCustomId(customId: string): { namespace: string; data: any } {
@@ -9,6 +11,17 @@ export function parseCustomId(customId: string): { namespace: string; data: any
     };
   }
 
+  let parsedData: any;
+  try {
+    parsedData = JSON.parse(parts[2]);
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.debug(`Error while parsing custom id data (custom id: ${customId}): ${String(err)}`);
+    return {
+      namespace: "",
+      data: null,
+    };
+  }
+
   return {
     namespace: parts[1],
     // Skipping timestamp