diff --git a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
index 34e7d34bbf3..9de845397aa 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from litellm.proxy._types import (
     WebhookEvent,
 )
 from litellm.proxy.auth.user_api_key_auth import user_api_key_auth
+from litellm.proxy.db.exception_handler import PrismaDBExceptionHandler
 from litellm.proxy.health_check import (
     _clean_endpoint_data,
     _update_litellm_params_for_health_check,
@@ -381,20 +382,23 @@ async def _db_health_readiness_check():
     global db_health_cache
 
     # Note - Intentionally don't try/except this so it raises an exception when it fails
+    try:
+        # if timedelta is less than 2 minutes return DB Status
+        time_diff = datetime.now() - db_health_cache["last_updated"]
+        if db_health_cache["status"] != "unknown" and time_diff < timedelta(minutes=2):
+            return db_health_cache
 
-    # if timedelta is less than 2 minutes return DB Status
-    time_diff = datetime.now() - db_health_cache["last_updated"]
-    if db_health_cache["status"] != "unknown" and time_diff < timedelta(minutes=2):
+        if prisma_client is None:
+            db_health_cache = {"status": "disconnected", "last_updated": datetime.now()}
+            return db_health_cache
+
+        await prisma_client.health_check()
+        db_health_cache = {"status": "connected", "last_updated": datetime.now()}
         return db_health_cache
-
-    if prisma_client is None:
-        db_health_cache = {"status": "disconnected", "last_updated": datetime.now()}
+    except Exception as e:
+        PrismaDBExceptionHandler.handle_db_exception(e)
         return db_health_cache
 
-    await prisma_client.health_check()
-    db_health_cache = {"status": "connected", "last_updated": datetime.now()}
-    return db_health_cache
-
 
 @router.get(
     "/settings",
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index eefc0bdd06e..0e04e9f2132 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ from litellm.proxy.common_utils.proxy_state import ProxyState
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.reset_budget_job import ResetBudgetJob
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.swagger_utils import ERROR_RESPONSES
 from litellm.proxy.credential_endpoints.endpoints import router as credential_router
+from litellm.proxy.db.exception_handler import PrismaDBExceptionHandler
 from litellm.proxy.fine_tuning_endpoints.endpoints import router as fine_tuning_router
 from litellm.proxy.fine_tuning_endpoints.endpoints import set_fine_tuning_config
 from litellm.proxy.guardrails.guardrail_endpoints import router as guardrails_router
@@ -456,15 +457,6 @@ async def proxy_startup_event(app: FastAPI):
     ### LOAD MASTER KEY ###
     # check if master key set in environment - load from there
     master_key = get_secret("LITELLM_MASTER_KEY", None)  # type: ignore
-    # check if DATABASE_URL in environment - load from there
-    if prisma_client is None:
-        _db_url: Optional[str] = get_secret("DATABASE_URL", None)  # type: ignore
-        prisma_client = await ProxyStartupEvent._setup_prisma_client(
-            database_url=_db_url,
-            proxy_logging_obj=proxy_logging_obj,
-            user_api_key_cache=user_api_key_cache,
-        )
-
     ## CHECK PREMIUM USER
     verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
         "litellm.proxy.proxy_server.py::startup() - CHECKING PREMIUM USER - {}".format(
@@ -527,6 +519,15 @@ async def proxy_startup_event(app: FastAPI):
         redis_usage_cache=redis_usage_cache,
     )
 
+    # check if DATABASE_URL in environment - load from there
+    if prisma_client is None:
+        _db_url: Optional[str] = get_secret("DATABASE_URL", None)  # type: ignore
+        prisma_client = await ProxyStartupEvent._setup_prisma_client(
+            database_url=_db_url,
+            proxy_logging_obj=proxy_logging_obj,
+            user_api_key_cache=user_api_key_cache,
+        )
+
     ## JWT AUTH ##
     ProxyStartupEvent._initialize_jwt_auth(
         general_settings=general_settings,
@@ -3362,33 +3363,36 @@ class ProxyStartupEvent:
         - Sets up prisma client
         - Adds necessary views to proxy
         """
-        prisma_client: Optional[PrismaClient] = None
-        if database_url is not None:
-            try:
-                prisma_client = PrismaClient(
-                    database_url=database_url, proxy_logging_obj=proxy_logging_obj
-                )
-            except Exception as e:
-                raise e
+        try:
+            prisma_client: Optional[PrismaClient] = None
+            if database_url is not None:
+                try:
+                    prisma_client = PrismaClient(
+                        database_url=database_url, proxy_logging_obj=proxy_logging_obj
+                    )
+                except Exception as e:
+                    raise e
 
-            await prisma_client.connect()
+                await prisma_client.connect()
 
-            ## Add necessary views to proxy ##
-            asyncio.create_task(
-                prisma_client.check_view_exists()
-            )  # check if all necessary views exist. Don't block execution
+                ## Add necessary views to proxy ##
+                asyncio.create_task(
+                    prisma_client.check_view_exists()
+                )  # check if all necessary views exist. Don't block execution
 
-            asyncio.create_task(
-                prisma_client._set_spend_logs_row_count_in_proxy_state()
-            )  # set the spend logs row count in proxy state. Don't block execution
+                asyncio.create_task(
+                    prisma_client._set_spend_logs_row_count_in_proxy_state()
+                )  # set the spend logs row count in proxy state. Don't block execution
 
-            # run a health check to ensure the DB is ready
-            if (
-                get_secret_bool("DISABLE_PRISMA_HEALTH_CHECK_ON_STARTUP", False)
-                is not True
-            ):
-                await prisma_client.health_check()
-        return prisma_client
+                # run a health check to ensure the DB is ready
+                if (
+                    get_secret_bool("DISABLE_PRISMA_HEALTH_CHECK_ON_STARTUP", False)
+                    is not True
+                ):
+                    await prisma_client.health_check()
+            return prisma_client
+        except Exception as e:
+            PrismaDBExceptionHandler.handle_db_exception(e)
 
     @classmethod
     def _init_dd_tracer(cls):