diff --git a/src/registrar/admin.py b/src/registrar/admin.py
index 48a5b61c3..0fe3a2c38 100644
--- a/src/registrar/admin.py
+++ b/src/registrar/admin.py
@@ -1915,20 +1915,8 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
             else:
                 obj.action_needed_reason_email = default_email
 
-        if obj.status in DomainRequest.get_statuses_that_send_emails():
-            if not settings.IS_PRODUCTION:
-                profile_flag = flag_is_active(None, "profile_feature")
-                if profile_flag and hasattr(obj, "creator"):
-                    recipient = obj.creator
-                elif not profile_flag and hasattr(obj, "submitter"):
-                    recipient = obj.submitter
-                else:
-                    recipient = None
-
-                # Displays a warning in admin when an email cannot be sent,
-                # Or a success message if it was.
-                if recipient and recipient.email:
-                    self._check_for_valid_email(request, recipient.email)
+        if obj.status in DomainRequest.get_statuses_that_send_emails() and not settings.IS_PRODUCTION:
+            self._check_for_valid_email(request, obj)
 
         # == Handle status == #
         if obj.status == original_obj.status:
@@ -1942,16 +1930,27 @@ class DomainRequestAdmin(ListHeaderAdmin, ImportExportModelAdmin):
             if should_save:
                 return super().save_model(request, obj, form, change)
 
-    def _check_for_valid_email(self, request, email):
+    def _check_for_valid_email(self, request, obj):
         """Certain emails are whitelisted in non-production environments,
         so we should display that information using this function.
 
         """
+        profile_flag = flag_is_active(request, "profile_feature")
+        if profile_flag and hasattr(obj, "creator"):
+            recipient = obj.creator
+        elif not profile_flag and hasattr(obj, "submitter"):
+            recipient = obj.submitter
+        else:
+            recipient = None
 
-        allowed = models.AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(email)
-        error_message = f"Could not send email. The email '{email}' does not exist within the whitelist."
-        if not allowed:
-            messages.warning(request, error_message)
+        # Displays a warning in admin when an email cannot be sent,
+        # Or a success message if it was.
+        if recipient and recipient.email:
+            email = recipient.email
+            allowed = models.AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(email)
+            error_message = f"Could not send email. The email '{email}' does not exist within the whitelist."
+            if not allowed:
+                messages.warning(request, error_message)
 
     def _handle_status_change(self, request, obj, original_obj):
         """
diff --git a/src/registrar/tests/test_admin_request.py b/src/registrar/tests/test_admin_request.py
index d82826f33..46b7c22f2 100644
--- a/src/registrar/tests/test_admin_request.py
+++ b/src/registrar/tests/test_admin_request.py
@@ -53,11 +53,6 @@ class TestDomainRequestAdmin(MockEppLib):
       tests have available staffuser, superuser, client, admin and test_helper
     """
 
-    @classmethod
-    def tearDownClass(cls):
-        super().tearDownClass()
-        AllowedEmail.objects.all.delete()
-
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(self):
         super().setUpClass()
diff --git a/src/registrar/tests/test_views_domain.py b/src/registrar/tests/test_views_domain.py
index 0f8b59995..ae3689703 100644
--- a/src/registrar/tests/test_views_domain.py
+++ b/src/registrar/tests/test_views_domain.py
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ class TestDomainManagers(TestDomainOverview):
         """Inviting a user sends them an email, with email as the name."""
         # Create a fake user object
         email_address = "mayor@igorville.gov"
-        allowed_email = AllowedEmail.objects.get_or_create(email=email_address)
+        AllowedEmail.objects.get_or_create(email=email_address)
         User.objects.get_or_create(email=email_address, username="fakeuser@fakeymail.com")
 
         # Make sure the user is staff
diff --git a/src/registrar/utility/email.py b/src/registrar/utility/email.py
index d77de3ed0..533bd9e99 100644
--- a/src/registrar/utility/email.py
+++ b/src/registrar/utility/email.py
@@ -41,18 +41,7 @@ def send_templated_email(
     """
 
     if not settings.IS_PRODUCTION:  # type: ignore
-        if flag_is_active(None, "disable_email_sending"):  # type: ignore
-            message = "Could not send email. Email sending is disabled due to flag 'disable_email_sending'."
-            raise EmailSendingError(message)
-        else:
-            # Raise an email sending error if these doesn't exist within our whitelist.
-            # If these emails don't exist, this function can handle that elsewhere.
-            AllowedEmail = apps.get_model("registrar", "AllowedEmail")
-            message = "Could not send email. The email '{}' does not exist within the whitelist."
-            if to_address and not AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(to_address):
-                raise EmailSendingError(message.format(to_address))
-            if bcc_address and not AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(bcc_address):
-                raise EmailSendingError(message.format(bcc_address))
+        _can_send_email(to_address, bcc_address)
 
     template = get_template(template_name)
     email_body = template.render(context=context)
@@ -113,6 +102,22 @@ def send_templated_email(
         raise EmailSendingError("Could not send SES email.") from exc
 
 
+def _can_send_email(to_address, bcc_address):
+    """Raises an error if we cannot send an error"""
+    if flag_is_active(None, "disable_email_sending"):  # type: ignore
+        message = "Could not send email. Email sending is disabled due to flag 'disable_email_sending'."
+        raise EmailSendingError(message)
+    else:
+        # Raise an email sending error if these doesn't exist within our whitelist.
+        # If these emails don't exist, this function can handle that elsewhere.
+        AllowedEmail = apps.get_model("registrar", "AllowedEmail")
+        message = "Could not send email. The email '{}' does not exist within the whitelist."
+        if to_address and not AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(to_address):
+            raise EmailSendingError(message.format(to_address))
+        if bcc_address and not AllowedEmail.is_allowed_email(bcc_address):
+            raise EmailSendingError(message.format(bcc_address))
+
+
 def wrap_text_and_preserve_paragraphs(text, width):
     """
     Wraps text to `width` preserving newlines; splits on '\n', wraps segments, rejoins with '\n'.