diff --git a/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api.py b/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api.py
index 97da753d08..b0fff800b9 100644
--- a/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api.py
+++ b/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Tuple
 from urllib.parse import urlencode
 
+from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
+
 from modules.common import req
 from modules.common.component_state import CarState
 from modules.vehicles.saic_ismart import crypto
@@ -94,10 +96,16 @@ def _send(method: str, path_with_query: str, config: SaicIsmartConfiguration,
         headers["event-id"] = event_id
 
     session = req.get_http_session()
-    response = session.request(
-        method, f"{BASE_URL}{path_with_query}",
-        data=encrypted_body if encrypted_body else None, headers=headers, timeout=15)
-    response.raise_for_status()
+    try:
+        response = session.request(
+            method, f"{BASE_URL}{path_with_query}",
+            data=encrypted_body if encrypted_body else None, headers=headers, timeout=15)
+    except HTTPError as exc:
+        if exc.response is not None and exc.response.status_code in (401, 403):
+            # Session kann auch schon auf HTTP-Ebene abgelehnt werden, nicht nur über code= in der Antwort.
+            raise SaicAuthenticationError(
+                f"{path_with_query}: Session abgelaufen (HTTP {exc.response.status_code})") from exc
+        raise
 
     body_text = response.text
     resp_ts = response.headers.get("APP-SEND-DATE")
diff --git a/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api_test.py b/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api_test.py
index a70a87a348..87e14c7866 100644
--- a/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api_test.py
+++ b/packages/modules/vehicles/saic_ismart/api_test.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 
 import pytest
+from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
 
 from modules.vehicles.saic_ismart import api
 from modules.vehicles.saic_ismart.config import SaicIsmartConfiguration
@@ -95,3 +96,19 @@ def test_wake_vehicle_auth_error_triggers_relogin(self, monkeypatch):
 
         assert result.soc == 55.5
         assert wake_mock.call_count == 2
+
+
+class TestSendHttpLevelAuthError:
+    def test_http_401_raises_authentication_error_not_http_error(self, monkeypatch):
+        # Die Cloud lehnt eine ungueltige Session manchmal schon auf HTTP-Ebene ab (zB nach
+        # Login in der iSMART-App auf dem Handy), nicht nur ueber das eigene code-Feld in einer
+        # 200-Antwort - muss als SaicAuthenticationError erkannt werden, damit der automatische
+        # Relogin in _call_with_relogin() greift (siehe Discussion zu wiederholtem 401 ohne Relogin).
+        # Der Session-Hook in req.py ruft raise_for_status() bereits in session.request() auf.
+        response = Mock(status_code=401, headers={})
+        session = Mock()
+        session.request = Mock(side_effect=HTTPError("401 Client Error", response=response))
+        monkeypatch.setattr(api.req, "get_http_session", Mock(return_value=session))
+
+        with pytest.raises(api.SaicAuthenticationError):
+            api._send("GET", "/vehicle/charging/mgmtData?vin=xxx", _config(), "token")