diff --git a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/transformation.py b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/transformation.py
index 7df16723870..01b2125d030 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/transformation.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/transformation.py
@@ -731,25 +731,13 @@ class VertexAIFilesConfig(VertexBase, BaseFilesConfig):
         has_error = bool(status)
 
         if has_error:
-            # Return error response in OpenAI format
             return {
                 "id": f"batch_req_{uuid.uuid4()}",
                 "custom_id": custom_id,
-                "response": {
-                    "status_code": 400,
-                    "request_id": "",
-                    "body": {
-                        "error": {
-                            "message": status,
-                            "type": "vertex_ai_error",
-                            "code": "vertex_ai_error",
-                        }
-                    },
-                },
+                "response": None,
                 "error": {
-                    "message": status,
-                    "type": "vertex_ai_error",
                     "code": "vertex_ai_error",
+                    "message": status,
                 },
             }
 
@@ -789,25 +777,13 @@ class VertexAIFilesConfig(VertexBase, BaseFilesConfig):
             }
 
         except Exception as e:
-            # If transformation fails, return error
             return {
                 "id": f"batch_req_{uuid.uuid4()}",
                 "custom_id": custom_id,
-                "response": {
-                    "status_code": 500,
-                    "request_id": "",
-                    "body": {
-                        "error": {
-                            "message": f"Failed to transform response: {str(e)}",
-                            "type": "transformation_error",
-                            "code": "transformation_error",
-                        }
-                    },
-                },
+                "response": None,
                 "error": {
-                    "message": f"Failed to transform response: {str(e)}",
-                    "type": "transformation_error",
                     "code": "transformation_error",
+                    "message": f"Failed to transform response: {str(e)}",
                 },
             }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/test_vertex_ai_files_transformation.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/test_vertex_ai_files_transformation.py
index 4adad53a98f..58d6d2902db 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/test_vertex_ai_files_transformation.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/files/test_vertex_ai_files_transformation.py
@@ -431,10 +431,12 @@ class TestVertexBatchOutputTransformation:
         )
         result = json.loads(transformed_content.decode("utf-8"))
 
-        # Verify error format
-        assert result["response"]["status_code"] == 400
+        # Per OpenAI Batch output spec, error entries set response to null
+        # and populate the top-level error object.
+        assert result["response"] is None
         assert result["error"] is not None
         assert "Invalid request" in result["error"]["message"]
+        assert result["error"]["code"] == "vertex_ai_error"
         assert result["custom_id"] == "request-error"
 
     def test_transform_vertex_batch_output_legacy_labels_only_sanitized(self, config):