diff --git a/server/auth/types/openid/routes.ts b/server/auth/types/openid/routes.ts
index 44e5220a6..8f17eae2b 100644
--- a/server/auth/types/openid/routes.ts
+++ b/server/auth/types/openid/routes.ts
@@ -178,8 +178,11 @@ export class OpenIdAuthRoutes {
           });
         } catch (error) {
           context.security_plugin.logger.error(`OpenId authentication failed: ${error}`);
-          // redirect to login
-          return this.redirectToLogin(request, response);
+          if (error.toString().toLowerCase().includes('authentication exception')) {
+            return response.unauthorized();
+          } else {
+            return this.redirectToLogin(request, response);
+          }
         }
       }
     );