diff --git a/changes/278.changed b/changes/278.changed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..201540f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/278.changed
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Optimized VLAN loading into diffsync from Nautbot
+Improved error handling when creating VLANs
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/dev/dev_environment.md b/docs/dev/dev_environment.md
index 48b8337d..1ec591ff 100644
--- a/docs/dev/dev_environment.md
+++ b/docs/dev/dev_environment.md
@@ -466,4 +466,4 @@ To run an individual test, you can run any or all of the following:
 ➜ invoke unittest
 ➜ invoke ruff
 ➜ invoke pylint
-```
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_devices_adapters.py b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_devices_adapters.py
index e0a4e0f8..201b8242 100644
--- a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_devices_adapters.py
+++ b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_devices_adapters.py
@@ -214,7 +214,6 @@ def execute_command_getter(self):
                     raise Exception(  # pylint: disable=broad-exception-raised
                         "Platform.network_driver missing"
                     )
-
         result = sync_devices_command_getter(
             self.job.job_result,
             self.job.logger.getEffectiveLevel(),
diff --git a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_network_data_adapters.py b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_network_data_adapters.py
index 2670d830..316f7dcb 100644
--- a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_network_data_adapters.py
+++ b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/adapters/sync_network_data_adapters.py
@@ -130,9 +130,11 @@ def load_vlans(self):
         """
         Load Vlans into the Diffsync store.
 
-        Only Vlans that were returned by the CommandGetter job should be synced.
+        Only Vlans that share locations with devices included in the sync should be loaded.
         """
-        for vlan in VLAN.objects.all():
+        # TODO: update this to support multiple locations per VLAN after the setting for this feature has been added.
+        location_ids = list(self.job.devices_to_load.values_list("location__id", flat=True))
+        for vlan in VLAN.objects.filter(location__in=location_ids):
             network_vlan = self.vlan(
                 adapter=self,
                 name=vlan.name,
@@ -595,7 +597,6 @@ def load_vlans(self):
         ) in self.job.command_getter_result.items():  # pylint: disable=too-many-nested-blocks
             if self.job.debug:
                 self.job.logger.debug(f"Loading Vlans from {hostname}")
-            # for interface in device_data["interfaces"]:
             for _, interface_data in device_data["interfaces"].items():
                 # add tagged vlans
                 for tagged_vlan in interface_data["tagged_vlans"]:
diff --git a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/models/sync_network_data_models.py b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/models/sync_network_data_models.py
index 4d0b9e5c..760f7678 100644
--- a/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/models/sync_network_data_models.py
+++ b/nautobot_device_onboarding/diffsync/models/sync_network_data_models.py
@@ -210,18 +210,18 @@ def create(cls, adapter, ids, attrs):
         location = None
         try:
             location = Location.objects.get(name=ids["location__name"])
-        except ObjectDoesNotExist:
-            adapter.job.logger.warning(
+        except ObjectDoesNotExist as err:
+            adapter.job.logger.error(
                 f"While creating VLAN {ids['vid']} - {ids['name']}, "
-                f"unable to find a Location with name: {ids['location__name']}. "
-                "This VLAN will be created without a Location"
+                f"unable to find a Location with name: {ids['location__name']}."
             )
-        except MultipleObjectsReturned:
-            adapter.job.logger.warning(
+            raise diffsync_exceptions.ObjectNotCreated(err)
+        except MultipleObjectsReturned as err:
+            adapter.job.logger.error(
                 f"While creating VLAN {ids['vid']} - {ids['name']}, "
-                f"Multiple Locations were found with name: {ids['location__name']}. "
-                "This VLAN will be created without a Location"
+                f"Multiple Locations were found with name: {ids['location__name']}."
             )
+            raise diffsync_exceptions.ObjectNotCreated(err)
         try:
             vlan = VLAN(
                 name=ids["name"],
@@ -232,6 +232,7 @@ def create(cls, adapter, ids, attrs):
             vlan.validated_save()
         except ValidationError as err:
             adapter.job.logger.error(f"VLAN {vlan} failed to create, {err}")
+            raise diffsync_exceptions.ObjectNotCreated(err)
 
         return super().create(adapter, ids, attrs)