diff --git a/litellm/proxy/_types.py b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
index 95dabd8bfd0..b6c4b213b2b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/_types.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
@@ -3276,6 +3276,9 @@ class ProxyException(Exception):
         elif RouterErrors.no_deployments_with_tag_routing.value in self.message:
             self.code = "401"
 
+    def __str__(self) -> str:
+        return self.message
+
     def to_dict(self) -> dict:
         """Converts the ProxyException instance to a dictionary."""
         error_dict: Dict[str, Optional[Union[str, Dict]]] = {
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_exception.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_exception.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..65b17e7ce31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_exception.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Tests for ProxyException.__str__.
+
+Related issue: https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/issues/22644
+"""
+
+from litellm.proxy._types import ProxyException
+
+
+def test_proxy_exception_str_returns_message():
+    exc = ProxyException(
+        message="This is an error",
+        type="invalid_request_error",
+        param="model",
+        code=400,
+    )
+    assert str(exc) == "This is an error"
+
+
+def test_proxy_exception_str_with_non_string_message():
+    exc = ProxyException(
+        message=42,
+        type="server_error",
+        param=None,
+        code=500,
+    )
+    # __init__ already calls str(message)
+    assert str(exc) == "42"