diff --git a/src/registrar/management/commands/send_domain_invitations.py b/src/registrar/management/commands/send_domain_invitations.py
index 68e805be9..e02c87bf8 100644
--- a/src/registrar/management/commands/send_domain_invitations.py
+++ b/src/registrar/management/commands/send_domain_invitations.py
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             self.send_emails()
             logger.info("done sending emails")
 
-            self.update_domains_as_sent()
-
             logger.info("done sending emails and updating transition_domains")
         else:
             logger.info("not sending emails")
@@ -143,11 +141,13 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             # to True
             for domain in email_data["domains"]:
                 self.domains_with_errors.append(domain)
-
-    def update_domains_as_sent(self):
-        """set email_sent to True in all transition_domains which have
-        been processed successfully"""
-        for transition_domain in self.transition_domains:
-            if transition_domain.domain_name not in self.domains_with_errors:
-                transition_domain.email_sent = True
-                transition_domain.save()
+        else:
+            # email was sent no exception, mark all these transition domains
+            # as email_sent.
+            this_email = email_data["email"]
+            for domain_name in email_data["domains"]:
+                # self.transition_domains is a queryset so we can sub-select
+                # from it and use the objects to mark them as sent
+                this_transition_domain = self.transition_domains.get(username=this_email, domain_name=domain_name)
+                this_transition_domain.email_sent = True
+                this_transition_domain.save()
diff --git a/src/registrar/tests/test_transition_domain_migrations.py b/src/registrar/tests/test_transition_domain_migrations.py
index 5c93fd8f0..e048b2830 100644
--- a/src/registrar/tests/test_transition_domain_migrations.py
+++ b/src/registrar/tests/test_transition_domain_migrations.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ from registrar.models import (
     UserDomainRole,
 )
 
+import boto3_mocking  # type: ignore
+
 from django.core.management import call_command
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
@@ -413,3 +415,15 @@ class TestMigrations(TestCase):
         self.assertIn("Found 2 transition domains", output)
         self.assertTrue("would send email to testuser@gmail.com", output)
         self.assertTrue("would send email to agustina.wyman7@test.com", output)
+
+    # this tries to actually send an email, so mock it out
+    @boto3_mocking.patching
+    def test_send_domain_invitations_email_sent(self):
+        """A transition domain is marked email_sent."""
+        with less_console_noise():
+            self.run_load_domains()
+            self.run_transfer_domains()
+            call_command("send_domain_invitations", "-s", "testuser@gmail.com")
+
+        self.assertTrue(TransitionDomain.objects.get(username="testuser@gmail.com").email_sent)
+        self.assertFalse(TransitionDomain.objects.get(username="agustina.wyman7@test.com").email_sent)