diff --git a/src/registrar/models/domain.py b/src/registrar/models/domain.py
index 51c074a7d..a99a62fda 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/domain.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/domain.py
@@ -1608,7 +1608,8 @@ class Domain(TimeStampedModel, DomainHelper):
             cache = self._extract_data_from_response(data_response)
             cleaned = self._clean_cache(cache, data_response)
             self._update_hosts_and_contacts(cleaned, fetch_hosts, fetch_contacts)
-            self._update_hosts_and_ips_in_db(cleaned, fetch_hosts)
+            if fetch_hosts:
+                self._update_hosts_and_ips_in_db(cleaned)
             self._update_dates(cleaned)
 
             self._cache = cleaned
@@ -1655,7 +1656,11 @@ class Domain(TimeStampedModel, DomainHelper):
         return dnssec_data
 
     def _update_hosts_and_contacts(self, cleaned, fetch_hosts, fetch_contacts):
-        """Capture and cache old hosts and contacts from cache if they don't exist in cleaned"""
+        """
+        Update hosts and contacts if fetch_hosts and/or fetch_contacts.
+        Additionally, capture and cache old hosts and contacts from cache if they 
+        don't exist in cleaned
+        """
         old_cache_hosts = self._cache.get("hosts")
         old_cache_contacts = self._cache.get("contacts")
 
@@ -1670,50 +1675,49 @@ class Domain(TimeStampedModel, DomainHelper):
             if old_cache_contacts is not None:
                 cleaned["contacts"] = old_cache_contacts
 
-    def _update_hosts_and_ips_in_db(self, cleaned, fetch_hosts):
+    def _update_hosts_and_ips_in_db(self, cleaned):
         """Update hosts and host_ips in database if retrieved from registry.
+        Only called when fetch_hosts is True.
 
         Parameters:
             self: the domain to be updated with hosts and ips from cleaned
             cleaned: dict containing hosts.  Hosts are provided as a list of dicts, e.g.
                 [{"name": "ns1.example.com",}, {"name": "ns1.example.gov"}, "addrs": ["0.0.0.0"])]
-            fetch_hosts: boolean indicating whether or not fetch_hosts was called
         """
-        if fetch_hosts:
-            cleaned_hosts = cleaned["hosts"]
-            # Get all existing hosts from the database for this domain
-            existing_hosts_in_db = Host.objects.filter(domain=self)
-            # Identify hosts to delete
-            cleaned_host_names = set(cleaned_host["name"] for cleaned_host in cleaned_hosts)
-            hosts_to_delete_from_db = [
-                existing_host for existing_host in existing_hosts_in_db if existing_host.name not in cleaned_host_names
-            ]
-            # Delete hosts and their associated HostIP instances
-            for host_to_delete in hosts_to_delete_from_db:
-                # Delete associated HostIP instances
-                HostIP.objects.filter(host=host_to_delete).delete()
-                # Delete the host itself
-                host_to_delete.delete()
-            # Update or create Hosts and HostIPs
-            for cleaned_host in cleaned_hosts:
-                # Check if the cleaned_host already exists
-                host_in_db, host_created = Host.objects.get_or_create(domain=self, name=cleaned_host["name"])
-                # Get cleaned list of ips for update
-                cleaned_ips = cleaned_host["addrs"]
-                if not host_created:
-                    # Get all existing ips from the database for this host
-                    existing_ips_in_db = HostIP.objects.filter(host=host_in_db)
-                    # Identify IPs to delete
-                    ips_to_delete_from_db = [
-                        existing_ip for existing_ip in existing_ips_in_db if existing_ip.address not in cleaned_ips
-                    ]
-                    # Delete IPs
-                    for ip_to_delete in ips_to_delete_from_db:
-                        # Delete the ip
-                        ip_to_delete.delete()
-                # Update or create HostIP instances
-                for ip_address in cleaned_ips:
-                    HostIP.objects.get_or_create(address=ip_address, host=host_in_db)
+        cleaned_hosts = cleaned["hosts"]
+        # Get all existing hosts from the database for this domain
+        existing_hosts_in_db = Host.objects.filter(domain=self)
+        # Identify hosts to delete
+        cleaned_host_names = set(cleaned_host["name"] for cleaned_host in cleaned_hosts)
+        hosts_to_delete_from_db = [
+            existing_host for existing_host in existing_hosts_in_db if existing_host.name not in cleaned_host_names
+        ]
+        # Delete hosts and their associated HostIP instances
+        for host_to_delete in hosts_to_delete_from_db:
+            # Delete associated HostIP instances
+            HostIP.objects.filter(host=host_to_delete).delete()
+            # Delete the host itself
+            host_to_delete.delete()
+        # Update or create Hosts and HostIPs
+        for cleaned_host in cleaned_hosts:
+            # Check if the cleaned_host already exists
+            host_in_db, host_created = Host.objects.get_or_create(domain=self, name=cleaned_host["name"])
+            # Get cleaned list of ips for update
+            cleaned_ips = cleaned_host["addrs"]
+            if not host_created:
+                # Get all existing ips from the database for this host
+                existing_ips_in_db = HostIP.objects.filter(host=host_in_db)
+                # Identify IPs to delete
+                ips_to_delete_from_db = [
+                    existing_ip for existing_ip in existing_ips_in_db if existing_ip.address not in cleaned_ips
+                ]
+                # Delete IPs
+                for ip_to_delete in ips_to_delete_from_db:
+                    # Delete the ip
+                    ip_to_delete.delete()
+            # Update or create HostIP instances
+            for ip_address in cleaned_ips:
+                HostIP.objects.get_or_create(address=ip_address, host=host_in_db)
 
     def _update_dates(self, cleaned):
         """Update dates (expiration and creation) from cleaned"""