diff --git a/src/crewai/agents/crew_agent_executor.py b/src/crewai/agents/crew_agent_executor.py
index 813ac8a08..bc710bc81 100644
--- a/src/crewai/agents/crew_agent_executor.py
+++ b/src/crewai/agents/crew_agent_executor.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import re
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Union
 
+from litellm import AuthenticationError as LiteLLMAuthenticationError
 from crewai.agents.agent_builder.base_agent import BaseAgent
 from crewai.agents.agent_builder.base_agent_executor_mixin import CrewAgentExecutorMixin
 from crewai.agents.parser import (
@@ -197,7 +198,19 @@ class CrewAgentExecutor(CrewAgentExecutorMixin):
             return self._invoke_loop(formatted_answer)
 
         except Exception as e:
-            if LLMContextLengthExceededException(str(e))._is_context_limit_error(
+            if isinstance(e, LiteLLMAuthenticationError):
+                self._logger.log(
+                    level="error",
+                    message="Authentication error with litellm occurred. Please check your API key and configuration.",
+                    color="red",
+                )
+                self._logger.log(
+                    level="error",
+                    message=f"Error details: {str(e)}",
+                    color="red",
+                )
+                raise e
+            elif LLMContextLengthExceededException(str(e))._is_context_limit_error(
                 str(e)
             ):
                 self._handle_context_length()
diff --git a/tests/agent_test.py b/tests/agent_test.py
index 6879a4519..f17a573e6 100644
--- a/tests/agent_test.py
+++ b/tests/agent_test.py
@@ -1308,6 +1308,114 @@ def test_llm_call_with_error():
         llm.call(messages)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.vcr(filter_headers=["authorization"])
+def test_litellm_auth_error_handling():
+    """Test that LiteLLM authentication errors are handled correctly and not retried."""
+    from litellm import AuthenticationError as LiteLLMAuthenticationError
+
+    # Create an agent with a mocked LLM and max_retry_limit=0
+    agent = Agent(
+        role="test role",
+        goal="test goal",
+        backstory="test backstory",
+        llm=LLM(model="gpt-4"),
+        max_retry_limit=0,  # Disable retries for authentication errors
+    )
+
+    # Create a task
+    task = Task(
+        description="Test task",
+        expected_output="Test output",
+        agent=agent,
+    )
+
+    # Mock the LLM call to raise LiteLLMAuthenticationError
+    with (
+        patch.object(LLM, "call") as mock_llm_call,
+        pytest.raises(LiteLLMAuthenticationError, match="Invalid API key"),
+    ):
+        mock_llm_call.side_effect = LiteLLMAuthenticationError(
+            message="Invalid API key",
+            llm_provider="openai",
+            model="gpt-4"
+        )
+        agent.execute_task(task)
+
+    # Verify the call was only made once (no retries)
+    mock_llm_call.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.vcr(filter_headers=["authorization"])
+def test_crew_agent_executor_litellm_auth_error():
+    """Test that CrewAgentExecutor properly identifies and handles LiteLLM authentication errors."""
+    from litellm import AuthenticationError as LiteLLMAuthenticationError
+    from crewai.utilities import Logger
+    from crewai.agents.tools_handler import ToolsHandler
+
+    # Create an agent and executor with max_retry_limit=0
+    agent = Agent(
+        role="test role",
+        goal="test goal",
+        backstory="test backstory",
+        llm=LLM(model="gpt-4"),
+        max_retry_limit=0,  # Disable retries for authentication errors
+    )
+    task = Task(
+        description="Test task",
+        expected_output="Test output",
+        agent=agent,
+    )
+    
+    # Create executor with all required parameters
+    executor = CrewAgentExecutor(
+        agent=agent,
+        task=task,
+        llm=agent.llm,
+        crew=None,
+        prompt={
+            "system": "You are a test agent",
+            "user": "Execute the task: {input}"
+        },
+        max_iter=5,
+        tools=[],
+        tools_names="",
+        stop_words=[],
+        tools_description="",
+        tools_handler=ToolsHandler(),
+    )
+
+    # Mock the LLM call to raise LiteLLMAuthenticationError
+    with (
+        patch.object(LLM, "call") as mock_llm_call,
+        patch.object(Logger, "log") as mock_logger,
+        pytest.raises(LiteLLMAuthenticationError, match="Invalid API key"),
+    ):
+        mock_llm_call.side_effect = LiteLLMAuthenticationError(
+            message="Invalid API key",
+            llm_provider="openai",
+            model="gpt-4"
+        )
+        executor.invoke({
+            "input": "test input",
+            "tool_names": "",  # Required template variable
+            "tools": "",       # Required template variable
+        })
+
+    # Verify error handling
+    mock_logger.assert_any_call(
+        level="error",
+        message="Authentication error with litellm occurred. Please check your API key and configuration.",
+        color="red",
+    )
+    mock_logger.assert_any_call(
+        level="error",
+        message="Error details: litellm.AuthenticationError: Invalid API key",
+        color="red",
+    )
+    # Verify the call was only made once (no retries)
+    mock_llm_call.assert_called_once()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.vcr(filter_headers=["authorization"])
 def test_handle_context_length_exceeds_limit():
     agent = Agent(