diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/services.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/services.py
index ae4cd51ba33a..e2e180df80a5 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/services.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/services.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey
 
+from lms.djangoapps.certificates.models import CertificateWhitelist
 from lms.djangoapps.utils import _get_key
 
 from .models import GeneratedCertificate
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@ def invalidate_certificate(self, user_id, course_key_or_id):
         Invalidate the user certificate in a given course if it exists.
         """
         course_key = _get_key(course_key_or_id, CourseKey)
+        if CertificateWhitelist.objects.filter(user=user_id, course_id=course_key, whitelist=True).exists():
+            log.info(f'User {user_id} is on the allowlist for {course_key}. The certificate will not be invalidated.')
+            return False
+
         try:
             generated_certificate = GeneratedCertificate.objects.get(
                 user=user_id,
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
index eb0edf3e4e03..263a57cf5c47 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/certificates/signals.py
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ def _listen_for_failing_grade(sender, user, course_id, grade, **kwargs):  # pyli
     if it is currently passing,
     downstream signal from COURSE_GRADE_CHANGED
     """
+    if CertificateWhitelist.objects.filter(user=user, course_id=course_id, whitelist=True).exists():
+        log.info('{course_id} is using allowlist certificates, and the user {user_id} is on its allowlist. The '
+                 'failing grade will not affect the certificate.'.format(course_id=course_id, user_id=user.id))
+        return
     cert = GeneratedCertificate.certificate_for_student(user, course_id)
     if cert is not None:
         if CertificateStatuses.is_passing_status(cert.status):