diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionAdd.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionAdd.jsx
index 9889f824cf..009c295bf7 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionAdd.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionAdd.jsx
@@ -9,15 +9,15 @@ export default function SurveyQuestionAdd({ survey, updateSurvey }) {
   const match = useRouteMatch();
 
   const handleSubmit = async question => {
-    if (survey.spec?.some(q => q.variable === question.variable)) {
-      setFormError(
-        new Error(
-          `Survey already contains a question with variable named “${question.variable}”`
-        )
-      );
-      return;
-    }
     try {
+      if (survey.spec?.some(q => q.variable === question.variable)) {
+        setFormError(
+          new Error(
+            `Survey already contains a question with variable named “${question.variable}”`
+          )
+        );
+        return;
+      }
       const newSpec = survey.spec ? survey.spec.concat(question) : [question];
       await updateSurvey(newSpec);
       history.push(match.url.replace('/add', ''));
diff --git a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionEdit.jsx b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionEdit.jsx
index cb9dac0a58..9c6ac6193a 100644
--- a/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionEdit.jsx
+++ b/awx/ui_next/src/screens/Template/Survey/SurveyQuestionEdit.jsx
@@ -21,19 +21,18 @@ export default function SurveyQuestionEdit({ survey, updateSurvey }) {
   };
 
   const handleSubmit = async formData => {
-    if (
-      formData.variable !== question.variable &&
-      survey.spec.find(q => q.variable === formData.variable)
-    ) {
-      debugger;
-      setFormError(
-        new Error(
-          `Survey already contains a question with variable named “${formData.variable}”`
-        )
-      );
-      return;
-    }
     try {
+      if (
+        formData.variable !== question.variable &&
+        survey.spec.find(q => q.variable === formData.variable)
+      ) {
+        setFormError(
+          new Error(
+            `Survey already contains a question with variable named “${formData.variable}”`
+          )
+        );
+        return;
+      }
       const questionIndex = survey.spec.findIndex(
         q => q.variable === match.params.variable
       );