diff --git a/src/crewai/crew.py b/src/crewai/crew.py
index d1bbde947..509154822 100644
--- a/src/crewai/crew.py
+++ b/src/crewai/crew.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ from hashlib import md5
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
 from langchain_core.callbacks import BaseCallbackHandler
-from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
 from pydantic import (
     UUID4,
     BaseModel,
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ class Crew(BaseModel):
         description="Plan the crew execution and add the plan to the crew.",
     )
     planning_llm: Optional[Any] = Field(
-        default=ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-4o-mini"),
+        default=None,
         description="Language model that will run the AgentPlanner if planning is True.",
     )
     task_execution_output_json_files: Optional[List[str]] = Field(
diff --git a/src/crewai/utilities/planning_handler.py b/src/crewai/utilities/planning_handler.py
index 10d13c385..29b89667e 100644
--- a/src/crewai/utilities/planning_handler.py
+++ b/src/crewai/utilities/planning_handler.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-from typing import Any, List
+from typing import Any, List, Optional
 
+from langchain_openai import ChatOpenAI
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 from crewai.agent import Agent
@@ -11,9 +12,13 @@ class PlannerTaskPydanticOutput(BaseModel):
 
 
 class CrewPlanner:
-    def __init__(self, tasks: List[Task], planning_agent_llm: Any):
+    def __init__(self, tasks: List[Task], planning_agent_llm: Optional[Any] = None):
         self.tasks = tasks
-        self.planning_agent_llm = planning_agent_llm
+
+        if planning_agent_llm is None:
+            self.planning_agent_llm = ChatOpenAI(model="gpt-4o-mini")
+        else:
+            self.planning_agent_llm = planning_agent_llm
 
     def _handle_crew_planning(self) -> PlannerTaskPydanticOutput:
         """Handles the Crew planning by creating detailed step-by-step plans for each task."""
diff --git a/tests/utilities/test_planning_handler.py b/tests/utilities/test_planning_handler.py
index 75bc3e033..d1bee0f50 100644
--- a/tests/utilities/test_planning_handler.py
+++ b/tests/utilities/test_planning_handler.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 from unittest.mock import patch
-from crewai.tasks.task_output import TaskOutput
 
 import pytest
 
 from crewai.agent import Agent
 from crewai.task import Task
+from crewai.tasks.task_output import TaskOutput
 from crewai.utilities.planning_handler import CrewPlanner, PlannerTaskPydanticOutput
 
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TestCrewPlanner:
                 agent=Agent(role="Agent 3", goal="Goal 3", backstory="Backstory 3"),
             ),
         ]
-        return CrewPlanner(tasks)
+        return CrewPlanner(tasks, None)
 
     def test_handle_crew_planning(self, crew_planner):
         with patch.object(Task, "execute_sync") as execute: