diff --git a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/_spike_exhaustiveness.py b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/_spike_exhaustiveness.py
index 623d3e5946f..e6b4e623021 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/_spike_exhaustiveness.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/_spike_exhaustiveness.py
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ def http_status(err: CredError) -> int:
             return 500
         case "precondition_required":
             return 412
+        case "not_implemented":
+            return 501
     assert_never(err.tag)
 
 
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/resolver.py b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/resolver.py
index 53434665a37..8b4624b1a6b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/resolver.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/resolver.py
@@ -205,5 +205,5 @@ def _bearer(token: StoredToken) -> StaticHeaderAuth:
 
 def _todo(kind: AuthSpecKind) -> Result[httpx.Auth, CredError]:
     return Error(
-        CredError.of_misconfigured(f"{kind.value}: resolver arm not implemented yet")
+        CredError.of_not_implemented(f"{kind.value}: resolver arm not implemented yet")
     )
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/types.py b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/types.py
index e8b44cd5fa0..3ae9972264e 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/types.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/gateway/mcp/outbound_credentials/types.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ class CredError:
         "upstream_unavailable",
         "unsupported_mode",
         "precondition_required",
+        "not_implemented",
     ] = tag()
 
     unauthorized: str = (
@@ -85,6 +86,9 @@ class CredError:
     precondition_required: str = (
         case()
     )  # a required per-user value (e.g. an env var) has not been provided -> 412
+    not_implemented: str = (
+        case()
+    )  # the declared mode's resolver arm is not built yet -> 501 (not operator error)
 
     @staticmethod
     def of_unauthorized(detail: str) -> CredError:
@@ -106,6 +110,10 @@ class CredError:
     def of_precondition_required(detail: str) -> CredError:
         return CredError(precondition_required=detail)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def of_not_implemented(detail: str) -> CredError:
+        return CredError(not_implemented=detail)
+
     @property
     def summary(self) -> str:
         # Exhaustiveness: every Literal tag has an arm; the trailing assert_never typechecks
@@ -121,6 +129,8 @@ class CredError:
                 return self.unsupported_mode
             case "precondition_required":
                 return f"precondition required: {self.precondition_required}"
+            case "not_implemented":
+                return f"not implemented: {self.not_implemented}"
         assert_never(self.tag)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/mcp_tests/gateway/test_resolver.py b/tests/mcp_tests/gateway/test_resolver.py
index c9decbb0ac9..f2600dc6d04 100644
--- a/tests/mcp_tests/gateway/test_resolver.py
+++ b/tests/mcp_tests/gateway/test_resolver.py
@@ -192,10 +192,11 @@ async def test_api_key_per_user_isolated_by_subject():
     assert result.error.tag == "unauthorized"
 
 
-def test_missing_status_maps_byok_401_distinct_from_env_var_412():
-    # The two per-user sources surface different HTTP statuses at the edge.
+def test_crederror_maps_to_distinct_http_statuses():
+    # Each failure class surfaces its own HTTP status at the edge.
     assert http_status(CredError.of_unauthorized("byok missing")) == 401
     assert http_status(CredError.of_precondition_required("env var missing")) == 412
+    assert http_status(CredError.of_not_implemented("stub arm")) == 501
 
 
 async def test_passthrough_forwards_the_inbound_token():
@@ -242,9 +243,10 @@ async def test_self_contained_arms_never_read_the_inbound_token():
     ],
 )
 async def test_unimplemented_arms_fail_closed(config: dict):
+    # Stub arms signal not_implemented (-> 501), not misconfigured (-> 500 operator error).
     result = await PROVIDER.resolve(SUBJECT, _spec(config))
     assert isinstance(result, Error)
-    assert result.error.tag == "misconfigured"
+    assert result.error.tag == "not_implemented"
 
 
 async def test_authorization_code_returns_a_valid_stored_token():