diff --git a/litellm/llms/openai/openai.py b/litellm/llms/openai/openai.py
index 4f7efaacbff..46ac9d4eef0 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/openai/openai.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/openai/openai.py
@@ -336,9 +336,16 @@ def _get_openai_exception_status_code(e: Exception) -> int:
     status_code = getattr(e, "status_code", None)
     if status_code is not None:
         return status_code
-    if isinstance(e, openai.OpenAIError):
-        # openai.OpenAIError with no status_code == raised before any HTTP
-        # exchange (e.g. missing api_key), which is an auth/config problem.
+    # Match the *bare* ``openai.OpenAIError`` base class exactly. The
+    # missing-credentials error is raised as the base class at client
+    # construction (before any HTTP request), so it has no ``status_code`` and
+    # should surface as a non-retryable 401 ``AuthenticationError``.
+    #
+    # Do NOT use ``isinstance`` here: ``openai.APIConnectionError`` and
+    # ``openai.APITimeoutError`` subclass ``OpenAIError`` and also carry no
+    # ``status_code``, but they are genuinely transient and must stay retryable
+    # (keep the 500 default).
+    if type(e) is openai.OpenAIError:
         return 401
     return 500
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai/test_openai_exception_status_code.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai/test_openai_exception_status_code.py
index 70d10024992..58564e1a23e 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai/test_openai_exception_status_code.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai/test_openai_exception_status_code.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ so a permanent credential/config error is retried instead of failing fast.
 It should map to 401 (AuthenticationError) instead.
 """
 
+import httpx
 import openai
 
 from litellm.llms.openai.openai import _get_openai_exception_status_code
@@ -20,6 +21,17 @@ class TestGetOpenAIExceptionStatusCode:
         assert not hasattr(err, "status_code") or getattr(err, "status_code") is None
         assert _get_openai_exception_status_code(err) == 401
 
+    def test_transient_openai_subclasses_stay_retryable(self):
+        """APIConnectionError / APITimeoutError subclass OpenAIError and carry no
+        status_code, but they are genuinely transient and must stay retryable
+        (500), not be turned into a non-retryable 401. Only the bare
+        OpenAIError base class (missing credentials) maps to 401."""
+        conn_err = openai.APIConnectionError(request=httpx.Request("POST", "https://api.openai.com/v1"))
+        timeout_err = openai.APITimeoutError(request=httpx.Request("POST", "https://api.openai.com/v1"))
+        assert _get_openai_exception_status_code(conn_err) == 500
+        assert _get_openai_exception_status_code(timeout_err) == 500
+
+
     def test_existing_status_code_is_preserved(self):
         """An exception that already carries a status_code keeps it (real HTTP response)."""