diff --git a/backend/src/components/sdc/sdc.js b/backend/src/components/sdc/sdc.js
index 64ef6ec2..2d0aaf38 100644
--- a/backend/src/components/sdc/sdc.js
+++ b/backend/src/components/sdc/sdc.js
@@ -682,11 +682,8 @@ async function updateAndValidateSdcSchoolCollectionStudent(req, res) {
         status: HttpStatus.CONFLICT,
         message: 'The student you are attempting to update is already being saved by another user. Please refresh your screen and try again.'
       });
-    } else if (e.status === 400 && e.data.message === 'SdcSchoolCollectionStudent was not saved to the database because it would create a provincial duplicate.') {
-      return res.status(HttpStatus.CONFLICT).json({
-        status: HttpStatus.CONFLICT,
-        message: 'Student was not saved because it would create provincial a duplicate.'
-      });
+    } else if (e?.status === 400) {
+      return res.status(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST).json(e?.data?.message);
     }
     return handleExceptionResponse(e, res);
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/data-collection/AllStudents/EditStudent.vue b/frontend/src/components/data-collection/AllStudents/EditStudent.vue
index 300544ff..6ed1657f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/data-collection/AllStudents/EditStudent.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/data-collection/AllStudents/EditStudent.vue
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ export default {
           }
         }).catch(error => {
           console.error(error);
-          setFailureAlert(error?.response?.data?.message ? error?.response?.data?.message : 'An error occurred while trying to update student details. Please try again later.');
+          setFailureAlert(error?.response?.data ? error?.response?.data : 'An error occurred while trying to update student details. Please try again later.');
         }).finally(() => {
           this.loadingCount -= 1;
           this.$emit('reset-parent');