diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain.py b/src/registrar/models/domain.py
index 18d597204..faec1389a 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain.py
@@ -277,7 +277,12 @@ class Domain(TimeStampedModel, DomainHelper):
             return response.code
         except RegistryError as e:
             logger.error("Error _create_host, code was %s error was %s" % (e.code, e))
-            raise e
+            # OBJECT_EXISTS is an expected error code that should not raise
+            # an exception, rather return the code to be handled separately
+            if response and response.code == ErrorCode.OBJECT_EXISTS:
+                return response.code
+            else:
+                raise e
 
     def _convert_list_to_dict(self, listToConvert: list[tuple[str, list]]):
         """converts a list of hosts into a dictionary
@@ -1625,7 +1630,12 @@ class Domain(TimeStampedModel, DomainHelper):
             return response.code
         except RegistryError as e:
             logger.error("Error _update_host, code was %s error was %s" % (e.code, e))
-            raise e
+            # OBJECT_EXISTS is an expected error code that should not raise
+            # an exception, rather return the code to be handled separately
+            if response and response.code == ErrorCode.OBJECT_EXISTS:
+                return response.code
+            else:
+                raise e
 
     def addAndRemoveHostsFromDomain(
         self, hostsToAdd: list[str], hostsToDelete: list[str]