diff --git a/src/djangooidc/backends.py b/src/djangooidc/backends.py
index d4df7aa50..d77a3fe15 100644
--- a/src/djangooidc/backends.py
+++ b/src/djangooidc/backends.py
@@ -50,13 +50,8 @@ class OpenIdConnectBackend(ModelBackend):
             user, created = UserModel.objects.get_or_create(**args)
 
             if not created:
-                # User already exists, update other fields without overwriting first_name and last_name
-                # overwrite first_name and last_name if not empty string
-                for key, value in args["defaults"].items():
-                    # Check if the key is not first_name or last_name or value is not empty string
-                    if key not in ['first_name', 'last_name'] or value != "":
-                        setattr(user, key, value)
-                user.save()
+                # If user exists, update existing user
+                self.update_existing_user(user, args["defaults"])
             else:
                 # If user is created, configure the user
                 user = self.configure_user(user, **kwargs)
@@ -69,6 +64,15 @@ class OpenIdConnectBackend(ModelBackend):
         user.on_each_login()
         return user
 
+    def update_existing_user(self, user, kwargs):
+        # Update other fields without overwriting first_name and last_name.
+        # Overwrite first_name and last_name if not empty string
+        for key, value in kwargs.items():
+            # Check if the key is not first_name or last_name or value is not empty string
+            if key not in ['first_name', 'last_name'] or value:
+                setattr(user, key, value)
+        user.save()
+
     def clean_username(self, username):
         """
         Performs any cleaning on the "username" prior to using it to get or