diff --git a/lib/charms/operator_libs_linux/v0/apt.py b/lib/charms/operator_libs_linux/v0/apt.py
index bf2fe98a..1c67d400 100644
--- a/lib/charms/operator_libs_linux/v0/apt.py
+++ b/lib/charms/operator_libs_linux/v0/apt.py
@@ -1428,14 +1428,16 @@ def add(  # noqa: D417  # undocumented-param: default_filename intentionally und
         """Add a new repository to the system using add-apt-repository.
 
         Args:
-            repo: a DebianRepository object where repo.enabled is True
-        raises:
-            ValueError: if repo.enabled is False
+            repo: a DebianRepository object
+                if repo.enabled is falsey, will return without adding the repository
+        Raises:
             CalledProcessError: if there's an error running apt-add-repository
 
         WARNING: Does not associate the repository with a signing key.
         Use `import_key` to add a signing key globally.
 
+        WARNING: if repo.enabled is falsey, will return without adding the repository
+
         WARNING: Don't forget to call `apt.update` before installing any packages!
         Or call `apt.add_package` with `update_cache=True`.
 
@@ -1443,7 +1445,15 @@ def add(  # noqa: D417  # undocumented-param: default_filename intentionally und
         only. It is not used, and was not used in the previous revision of this library.
         """
         if not repo.enabled:
-            raise ValueError("{repo}.enabled is {value}".format(repo=repo, value=repo.enabled))
+            logger.warning(
+                (
+                    "Returning from RepositoryMapping.add(repo=%s) without adding the repo"
+                    " because repo.enabled is %s"
+                ),
+                repo,
+                repo.enabled,
+            )
+            return
         _add_repository(repo)
         self._repository_map[_repo_to_identifier(repo)] = repo
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_deb822.py b/tests/unit/test_deb822.py
index df2142e7..96bf88bc 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_deb822.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_deb822.py
@@ -334,12 +334,15 @@ def test_add_with_deb822(repo_mapping: apt.RepositoryMapping):
     # we re-raise CalledProcessError after logging
     error = apt.CalledProcessError(1, "cmd")
     error.stdout = error.stderr = b""
-    with patch.object(apt.logger, "error") as mock_logging_error:
-        with patch.object(apt.subprocess, "run", side_effect=error):
+    with patch.object(apt.subprocess, "run", side_effect=error):
+        with patch.object(apt.logger, "error") as mock_error:
             with pytest.raises(apt.CalledProcessError):
                 repo_mapping.add(repo)
-    mock_logging_error.assert_called_once()
+    mock_error.assert_called_once()
     # call add with a disabled repository
     repo._enabled = False
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-        repo_mapping.add(repo)
+    with patch.object(apt, "_add_repository") as mock_add:
+        with patch.object(apt.logger, "warning") as mock_warning:
+            repo_mapping.add(repo)
+    mock_add.assert_not_called()
+    mock_warning.assert_called_once()