diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/vpp.go b/server/datastore/mysql/vpp.go
index 88fc13ae27..614557559c 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/vpp.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/vpp.go
@@ -141,9 +141,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) BatchInsertVPPApps(ctx context.Context, apps []*fleet.VPPAp
 
 func (ds *Datastore) InsertVPPAppWithTeam(ctx context.Context, app *fleet.VPPApp, teamID *uint) error {
 	return ds.withRetryTxx(ctx, func(tx sqlx.ExtContext) error {
-		// TODO: we should not just create a software title, I think we should try
-		// to match to an existing one (i.e. getOrCreate logic)?
-		titleID, err := insertSoftwareTitleForVPPApp(ctx, tx, app)
+		titleID, err := ds.getOrInsertSoftwareTitleForVPPApp(ctx, tx, app)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -234,17 +232,40 @@ VALUES
 	return ctxerr.Wrap(ctx, err, "writing vpp app team mapping to db")
 }
 
-func insertSoftwareTitleForVPPApp(ctx context.Context, tx sqlx.ExtContext, app *fleet.VPPApp) (uint, error) {
-	stmt := `INSERT INTO software_titles (name, source, bundle_identifier, browser) VALUES (?, '', ?, '')`
+func (ds *Datastore) getOrInsertSoftwareTitleForVPPApp(ctx context.Context, tx sqlx.ExtContext, app *fleet.VPPApp) (uint, error) {
+	// NOTE: it was decided to leave the source empty for VPP apps for now, TBD
+	// if this needs to change to better map to how software titles are reported
+	// back by osquery. Since I think this will likely not stay empty, I'm using
+	// a variable for the source.
+	const source = ""
 
-	result, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, stmt, app.Name, app.BundleIdentifier)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, ctxerr.Wrap(ctx, err, "writing vpp app software title")
+	selectStmt := `SELECT id FROM software_titles WHERE name = ? AND source = ? AND browser = ''`
+	selectArgs := []any{app.Name, source}
+	insertStmt := `INSERT INTO software_titles (name, source, browser) VALUES (?, ?, '')`
+	insertArgs := []any{app.Name, source}
+
+	if app.BundleIdentifier != "" {
+		selectStmt = `SELECT id FROM software_titles WHERE bundle_identifier = ?`
+		selectArgs = []any{app.BundleIdentifier}
+		insertStmt = `INSERT INTO software_titles (name, source, bundle_identifier, browser) VALUES (?, ?, ?, '')`
+		insertArgs = append(insertArgs, app.BundleIdentifier)
 	}
 
-	id, _ := result.LastInsertId()
+	titleID, err := ds.optimisticGetOrInsert(ctx,
+		&parameterizedStmt{
+			Statement: selectStmt,
+			Args:      selectArgs,
+		},
+		&parameterizedStmt{
+			Statement: insertStmt,
+			Args:      insertArgs,
+		},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
 
-	return uint(id), nil
+	return titleID, nil
 }
 
 func (ds *Datastore) DeleteVPPAppFromTeam(ctx context.Context, teamID *uint, adamID string) error {
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/vpp_test.go b/server/datastore/mysql/vpp_test.go
index 9a13374ded..14b077d5ba 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/vpp_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/vpp_test.go
@@ -300,7 +300,27 @@ func testVPPApps(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	team, err := ds.NewTeam(ctx, &fleet.Team{Name: "foobar"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	// Insert some VPP apps for the team
+	// create a host with some non-VPP software
+	h1, err := ds.NewHost(ctx, &fleet.Host{
+		Hostname:       "macos-test-1",
+		OsqueryHostID:  ptr.String("osquery-macos-1"),
+		NodeKey:        ptr.String("node-key-macos-1"),
+		UUID:           uuid.NewString(),
+		Platform:       "darwin",
+		HardwareSerial: "654321a",
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	software := []fleet.Software{
+		{Name: "foo", Version: "0.0.1", BundleIdentifier: "b1"},
+		{Name: "foo", Version: "0.0.2", BundleIdentifier: "b1"},
+		{Name: "bar", Version: "0.0.3", BundleIdentifier: "bar"},
+	}
+	_, err = ds.UpdateHostSoftware(ctx, h1.ID, software)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	err = ds.ReconcileSoftwareTitles(ctx)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Insert some VPP apps for the team, "vpp_app_1" should match the existing "foo" title
 	app1 := &fleet.VPPApp{Name: "vpp_app_1", AdamID: "1", BundleIdentifier: "b1"}
 	app2 := &fleet.VPPApp{Name: "vpp_app_2", AdamID: "2", BundleIdentifier: "b2"}
 	err = ds.InsertVPPAppWithTeam(ctx, app1, &team.ID)
@@ -332,6 +352,6 @@ func testVPPApps(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	require.Len(t, appTitles, 2)
 	require.Equal(t, app1.BundleIdentifier, *appTitles[0].BundleIdentifier)
 	require.Equal(t, app2.BundleIdentifier, *appTitles[1].BundleIdentifier)
-	require.Equal(t, app1.Name, appTitles[0].Name)
+	require.Equal(t, "foo", appTitles[0].Name)
 	require.Equal(t, app2.Name, appTitles[1].Name)
 }