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..b8482ce6aae 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
@@ -431,12 +431,61 @@ 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_exception_path_sets_response_null(self, config):
+        """
+        The except-Exception branch in _transform_single_vertex_batch_output_to_openai
+        must also emit response=null per the OpenAI Batch output spec. The outer
+        _try_transform path swallows exceptions and falls back to original content,
+        so this test invokes the single-line transformer directly with a vertex_gemini_config
+        stub that raises during transformation.
+        """
+        from litellm.llms.vertex_ai.gemini.vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini import (
+            VertexGeminiConfig,
+        )
+
+        vertex_output = {
+            "status": "",
+            "processed_time": "2024-11-01T18:13:16.826+00:00",
+            "request": {
+                "contents": [{"role": "user", "parts": [{"text": "Hello world!"}]}],
+                "labels": {"litellm_custom_id": "request-boom"},
+            },
+            "response": {"modelVersion": "gemini-2.0-flash-001@default"},
+        }
+
+        class _RaisingGeminiConfig(VertexGeminiConfig):
+            def _transform_google_generate_content_to_openai_model_response(
+                self, *args, **kwargs
+            ):
+                raise ValueError("simulated transform failure")
+
+        mock_response = httpx.Response(
+            status_code=200,
+            headers={"content-type": "application/json"},
+            request=httpx.Request(method="POST", url="https://example.com"),
+        )
+
+        result = config._transform_single_vertex_batch_output_to_openai(
+            vertex_output=vertex_output,
+            vertex_gemini_config=_RaisingGeminiConfig(),
+            logging_obj=MagicMock(),
+            mock_httpx_response=mock_response,
+        )
+
+        assert result["response"] is None
+        assert result["error"] is not None
+        assert result["error"]["code"] == "transformation_error"
+        assert "simulated transform failure" in result["error"]["message"]
+        assert result["custom_id"] == "request-boom"
+
     def test_transform_vertex_batch_output_legacy_labels_only_sanitized(self, config):
         """Older LiteLLM batches only stored litellm_custom_id (sanitized); read path still works."""
         vertex_output = {