diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c289ae2..58ded63 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ __pycache__/
 .idea/**/usage.statistics.xml
 .idea/**/dictionaries
 .idea/**/shelf
+.idea/copilot/
 
 # AWS User-specific
 .idea/**/aws.xml
diff --git a/backend/api/add-member.js b/backend/api/add-member.js
index c9503d8..916ae14 100644
--- a/backend/api/add-member.js
+++ b/backend/api/add-member.js
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ export default async function handler(req, res) {
     return res.status(200).json(response.data);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error("Ghost error", error.response.data.errors);
+    if (error.response.data.errors[0].context === 'Member already exists. Attempting to add member with existing email address') {
+      return res.status(200).json({});
+    }
     return res.status(500).json({ error: `${error.response.data.errors[0].message} Context: ${error.response.data.errors[0].context}` });
   }
 }