diff --git a/litellm/proxy/db/exception_handler.py b/litellm/proxy/db/exception_handler.py
index 5502543b926..d71f67574d5 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/db/exception_handler.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/db/exception_handler.py
@@ -55,13 +55,17 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         Reporting decisions want the opposite breadth; use
         ``is_database_infrastructure_error`` for those.
         """
-        import prisma.engine.errors
-
         if isinstance(e, DB_CONNECTION_ERROR_TYPES):
             return True
+        if isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection:
+            return True
+        try:
+            import prisma.engine.errors
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         if isinstance(e, prisma.engine.errors.EngineConnectionError):
             return True
-        return isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection
+        return False
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_database_infrastructure_error(e: Exception) -> bool:
@@ -79,8 +83,14 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         ``RecordNotFoundError``, etc.) are excluded — the DB IS reachable and
         the request itself is what failed.
         """
-        import prisma
-
+        if isinstance(e, DB_CONNECTION_ERROR_TYPES):
+            return True
+        if isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection:
+            return True
+        try:
+            import prisma
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         data_layer_errors: Final = (
             prisma.errors.DataError,
             prisma.errors.UniqueViolationError,
@@ -92,12 +102,8 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         )
         if isinstance(e, data_layer_errors):
             return False
-        if isinstance(e, DB_CONNECTION_ERROR_TYPES):
-            return True
         if isinstance(e, prisma.errors.PrismaError):
             return True
-        if isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection:
-            return True
         return False
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -119,8 +125,10 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         per-row data rejection has to additionally consult
         ``is_database_service_unavailable_error`` before acting on a True here.
         """
-        import prisma
-
+        try:
+            import prisma
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         return type(e) is prisma.errors.DataError
 
     @staticmethod
@@ -132,10 +140,14 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         Use this for reconnect logic — data-layer errors like UniqueViolationError
         mean the DB IS reachable, so reconnecting would be pointless.
         """
-        import prisma
-
         if isinstance(e, DB_CONNECTION_ERROR_TYPES):
             return True
+        if isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection:
+            return True
+        try:
+            import prisma
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         if isinstance(
             e,
             (
@@ -162,15 +174,15 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
             )
             if any(keyword in error_message for keyword in connection_keywords):
                 return True
-        if isinstance(e, ProxyException) and e.type == ProxyErrorTypes.no_db_connection:
-            return True
         return False
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_deadlock_error(e: Exception) -> bool:
         """True iff ``e`` is a Postgres deadlock (P2034 / 40P01) surfaced through prisma."""
-        import prisma
-
+        try:
+            import prisma
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         if not isinstance(e, prisma.errors.PrismaError):
             return False
         if getattr(e, "code", None) == "P2034":
@@ -200,8 +212,10 @@ class PrismaDBExceptionHandler:
         are already classified by type/keyword above, and data-layer ones
         (the DB IS reachable) must stay 401.
         """
-        import prisma
-
+        try:
+            import prisma
+        except ImportError:
+            return False
         if isinstance(e, prisma.errors.PrismaError):
             return False
         tb = getattr(e, "__traceback__", None)
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/db/test_exception_handler.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/db/test_exception_handler.py
index d80e3acb4b8..11065aaffac 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/db/test_exception_handler.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/db/test_exception_handler.py
@@ -106,6 +106,26 @@ def test_is_database_connection_generic_errors():
     )
 
 
+def test_db_less_proxy_auth_error_does_not_require_prisma():
+    """A missing Prisma dependency must not mask a normal authentication error."""
+    original_import = __import__
+
+    def import_without_prisma(name, globals=None, locals=None, fromlist=(), level=0):
+        if name == "prisma" or name.startswith("prisma."):
+            raise ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'prisma'")
+        return original_import(name, globals, locals, fromlist, level)
+
+    with patch("builtins.__import__", side_effect=import_without_prisma):
+        error = Exception("No api key passed in.")
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_database_connection_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_database_infrastructure_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_prisma_data_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_database_transport_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_deadlock_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_prisma_engine_internal_error(error) is False
+        assert PrismaDBExceptionHandler.is_database_service_unavailable_error(error) is False
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "error",
     [