diff --git a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
index 2eb359984..22335c1c8 100644
--- a/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
+++ b/src/registrar/forms/application_wizard.py
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ class AlternativeDomainForm(RegistrarForm):
         """Validation code for domain names."""
         requested = self.cleaned_data.get("alternative_domain", None)
         validated = DraftDomain.validate_and_handle_errors(
-            requested, ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR, prevent_blank=False
+            requested, ValidationErrorReturnType.FORM_VALIDATION_ERROR, blank_ok=True
         )
         return validated
 
diff --git a/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py b/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
index eb174d814..e4d3c094c 100644
--- a/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
+++ b/src/registrar/models/utility/domain_helper.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class DomainHelper:
         return domain
 
     @classmethod
-    def validate_and_handle_errors(cls, domain, error_return_type, prevent_blank=True, display_success=False):
+    def validate_and_handle_errors(cls, domain, error_return_type, blank_ok=False, display_success=False):
         """
         Validates the provided domain and handles any validation errors.
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class DomainHelper:
         Args:
             domain (str): The domain to validate.
             error_return_type (ValidationErrorReturnType): The type of error response to return if validation fails.
-            prevent_blank (bool, optional): Whether to return an exception if the input is blank. Defaults to True.
+            blank_ok (bool, optional): Whether to return an exception if the input is blank. Defaults to False.
             display_success (bool, optional): Whether to return a success response if validation is successful. Defaults to False.
 
         Returns:
@@ -81,12 +81,9 @@ class DomainHelper:
         """  # noqa
 
         try:
-            validated = cls.validate(domain)
+            validated = cls.validate(domain, blank_ok)
         except errors.BlankValueError:
-            if not prevent_blank:
-                return DomainHelper._return_form_error_or_json_response(error_return_type, code="required")
-            else:
-                return validated
+            return DomainHelper._return_form_error_or_json_response(error_return_type, code="required")
         except errors.ExtraDotsError:
             return DomainHelper._return_form_error_or_json_response(error_return_type, code="extra_dots")
         except errors.DomainUnavailableError: