diff --git a/litellm/tests/test_configs/custom_auth.py b/litellm/tests/test_configs/custom_auth.py
index e4747ee5320..1b6bec43b5e 100644
--- a/litellm/tests/test_configs/custom_auth.py
+++ b/litellm/tests/test_configs/custom_auth.py
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@ load_dotenv()
 async def user_api_key_auth(request: Request, api_key: str) -> UserAPIKeyAuth:
     try:
         print(f"api_key: {api_key}")
+        if api_key == "":
+            raise Exception(
+                f"CustomAuth - Malformed API Key passed in. Ensure Key has `Bearer` prefix"
+            )
         if api_key == f"{os.getenv('PROXY_MASTER_KEY')}-1234":
             return UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key=api_key)
         raise Exception
-    except:
+    except Exception as e:
+        if len(str(e)) > 0:
+            raise e
         raise Exception("Failed custom auth")