diff --git a/src/registrar/admin.py b/src/registrar/admin.py
index 95036812d..e68943272 100644
--- a/src/registrar/admin.py
+++ b/src/registrar/admin.py
@@ -824,41 +824,42 @@ class DomainApplicationAdminForm(forms.ModelForm):
         status = cleaned_data.get("status")
         investigator = cleaned_data.get("investigator")
 
-        # TODO - need some way of determining if a change has actually occurred and to enforce this only then
-        if status == DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.APPROVED:
-            # Checks the "investigators" field for validity.
-            # That field must obey certain conditions when an application is approved.
-            # Will call "add_error" if any issues are found.
-            self._check_investigators_on_approval(investigator)
+        checked_statuses = [
+            DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.APPROVED,
+            DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.IN_REVIEW,
+            DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.ACTION_NEEDED,
+            DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.REJECTED,
+            DomainApplication.ApplicationStatus.INELIGIBLE
+        ]
+        # Checks the "investigators" field for validity.
+        # That field must obey certain conditions when an application is approved.
+        # Will call "add_error" if any issues are found.
+        #if status in checked_statuses:
+        #self._check_for_valid_investigator(investigator)
 
         return cleaned_data
 
-    def _check_investigators_on_approval(self, investigator):
-        """Checks the investigator field when an approval occurs"""
+    def _check_for_valid_investigator(self, investigator) -> bool:
+        """
+        Checks if the investigator field is not none, and is staff.
+        Adds form errors on failure. 
+        """
 
-        # Get information about the current user making the request
-        current_user = self.request.user
-        is_superuser = current_user.has_perm("registrar.full_access_permission")
+        is_valid = False
 
-        error_message = None
         # Check if an investigator is assigned. No approval is possible without one.
-        if investigator is not None:
-            if not investigator.is_staff:
-                # Investigators must be staff users.
-                # This is handled elsewhere, but we should check here as a precaution.
-                error_message = ApplicationStatusError.get_error_message(FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF)
-            elif investigator != current_user and not is_superuser:
-                # If the submitting user is not the investigator, block this action.
-                # This is to enforce accountability. Superusers do not have this restriction.
-                error_message = ApplicationStatusError.get_error_message(
-                    FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER
-                )
+        error_message = None
+        if investigator is None:
+            error_message = ApplicationStatusError.get_error_message(FSMErrorCodes.NO_INVESTIGATOR)
+        elif not investigator.is_staff:
+            error_message = ApplicationStatusError.get_error_message(FSMErrorCodes.INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF)
         else:
-            error_message = ApplicationStatusError.get_error_message(FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_NO_INVESTIGATOR)
+            is_valid = True
 
-        # Add the error
         if error_message is not None:
             self.add_error("investigator", error_message)
+        
+        return is_valid
 
 
 class DomainApplicationAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin):
diff --git a/src/registrar/utility/errors.py b/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
index fba3410f6..f399299ff 100644
--- a/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
+++ b/src/registrar/utility/errors.py
@@ -77,15 +77,15 @@ class FSMErrorCodes(IntEnum):
     """Used when doing FSM transitions.
     Overview of generic error codes:
         - 1 APPROVE_DOMAIN_IN_USE The domain is already in use
-        - 2 APPROVE_NO_INVESTIGATOR No investigator is assigned when approving
-        - 3 APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF Investigator is a non-staff user
-        - 4 APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER The form submitter is not the investigator
+        - 2 NO_INVESTIGATOR No investigator is assigned
+        - 3 INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF Investigator is a non-staff user
+        - 4 INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER The form submitter is not the investigator
     """
 
     APPROVE_DOMAIN_IN_USE = 1
-    APPROVE_NO_INVESTIGATOR = 2
-    APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF = 3
-    APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER = 4
+    NO_INVESTIGATOR = 2
+    INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF = 3
+    INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER = 4
 
 
 # (Q for reviewers) What should this be called?
@@ -98,10 +98,10 @@ class ApplicationStatusError(Exception):
 
     _error_mapping = {
         FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_DOMAIN_IN_USE: ("Cannot approve. Requested domain is already in use."),
-        FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_NO_INVESTIGATOR: ("Cannot approve. No investigator was assigned."),
-        FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF: ("Cannot approve. Investigator is not a staff user."),
-        FSMErrorCodes.APPROVE_INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER: (
-            "Cannot approve. Only the assigned investigator can approve this application."
+        FSMErrorCodes.NO_INVESTIGATOR: ("No investigator was assigned."),
+        FSMErrorCodes.INVESTIGATOR_NOT_STAFF: ("Investigator is not a staff user."),
+        FSMErrorCodes.INVESTIGATOR_NOT_SUBMITTER: (
+            "Only the assigned investigator can make this change."
         ),
     }