diff --git a/plugins/image_gen/xai/__init__.py b/plugins/image_gen/xai/__init__.py
index b1ec4368ef..93fd10ce39 100644
--- a/plugins/image_gen/xai/__init__.py
+++ b/plugins/image_gen/xai/__init__.py
@@ -203,11 +203,12 @@ class XAIImageGenProvider(ImageGenProvider):
             )
             response.raise_for_status()
         except requests.HTTPError as exc:
-            status = exc.response.status_code if exc.response else 0
+            response = exc.response
+            status = response.status_code if response is not None else 0
             try:
-                err_msg = exc.response.json().get("error", {}).get("message", exc.response.text[:300])
+                err_msg = response.json().get("error", {}).get("message", response.text[:300])
             except Exception:
-                err_msg = exc.response.text[:300] if exc.response else str(exc)
+                err_msg = response.text[:300] if response is not None else str(exc)
             logger.error("xAI image gen failed (%d): %s", status, err_msg)
             return error_response(
                 error=f"xAI image generation failed ({status}): {err_msg}",
diff --git a/tests/plugins/image_gen/test_xai_provider.py b/tests/plugins/image_gen/test_xai_provider.py
index ab1bf88345..0da46d43ec 100644
--- a/tests/plugins/image_gen/test_xai_provider.py
+++ b/tests/plugins/image_gen/test_xai_provider.py
@@ -172,6 +172,27 @@ class TestGenerate:
         assert result["success"] is False
         assert result["error_type"] == "api_error"
 
+    def test_api_error_preserves_real_response_status(self):
+        import requests as req_lib
+        from plugins.image_gen.xai import XAIImageGenProvider
+
+        response = req_lib.Response()
+        response.status_code = 401
+        response._content = json.dumps({"error": {"message": "Invalid API key"}}).encode()
+        response.headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+
+        response.raise_for_status = MagicMock(
+            side_effect=req_lib.HTTPError(response=response)
+        )
+
+        with patch("plugins.image_gen.xai.requests.post", return_value=response):
+            provider = XAIImageGenProvider()
+            result = provider.generate(prompt="test")
+
+        assert result["success"] is False
+        assert result["error_type"] == "api_error"
+        assert "xAI image generation failed (401): Invalid API key" in result["error"]
+
     def test_timeout(self):
         import requests as req_lib