diff --git a/src/nodejs-common/util.ts b/src/nodejs-common/util.ts
index aec0b2f50..d4425e76c 100644
--- a/src/nodejs-common/util.ts
+++ b/src/nodejs-common/util.ts
@@ -256,6 +256,12 @@ export interface ParsedHttpResponseBody {
   err?: Error;
 }
 
+export enum UtilExceptionMessages {
+  TLS_TIMEOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE = 'Request or TLS handshake timed out. This may be due to CPU starvation or a temporary network issue.',
+  ETIMEDOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE = 'Connection timed out. This suggests a network issue or the server took too long to respond.',
+  ECONNRESET_ERROR_MESSAGE = 'Connection reset by peer. The connection was closed unexpectedly, possibly by a firewall or network issue.',
+}
+
 /**
  * Custom error type for API errors.
  *
@@ -912,6 +918,33 @@ export class Util {
         options,
         // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
         (err: Error | null, response: {}, body: any) => {
+          if (err) {
+            const lowerCaseMessage = err.message.toLowerCase();
+            let newError: Error | undefined;
+
+            if (lowerCaseMessage.includes('tls handshake')) {
+              newError = new Error(
+                UtilExceptionMessages.TLS_TIMEOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE
+              );
+            } else if (
+              lowerCaseMessage.includes('etimedout') ||
+              lowerCaseMessage.includes('timed out')
+            ) {
+              newError = new Error(
+                UtilExceptionMessages.ETIMEDOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE
+              );
+            } else if (lowerCaseMessage.includes('econnreset')) {
+              newError = new Error(
+                UtilExceptionMessages.ECONNRESET_ERROR_MESSAGE
+              );
+            }
+
+            if (newError) {
+              // Preserve the original stack trace for better debugging
+              newError.stack = err.stack;
+              err = newError;
+            }
+          }
           util.handleResp(err, response as {} as r.Response, body, callback!);
         }
       );
diff --git a/test/nodejs-common/util.ts b/test/nodejs-common/util.ts
index 3efc73d11..58c107f35 100644
--- a/test/nodejs-common/util.ts
+++ b/test/nodejs-common/util.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import {
   MakeRequestConfig,
   ParsedHttpRespMessage,
   Util,
+  UtilExceptionMessages,
 } from '../../src/nodejs-common/util.js';
 import {DEFAULT_PROJECT_ID_TOKEN} from '../../src/nodejs-common/service.js';
 import duplexify from 'duplexify';
@@ -1189,6 +1190,62 @@ describe('common/util', () => {
         });
       });
 
+      describe('Handling of TLS Handshake, Timeout, and Connection Reset Errors in Authenticated Requests', () => {
+        const reqOpts = fakeReqOpts;
+        beforeEach(() => {
+          authClient.authorizeRequest = async () => reqOpts;
+          sandbox.stub(fakeGoogleAuth, 'GoogleAuth').returns(authClient);
+        });
+
+        const testCases = [
+          {
+            name: 'ECONNRESET',
+            error: new Error('ECONNRESET'),
+            expectedMessage: UtilExceptionMessages.ECONNRESET_ERROR_MESSAGE,
+          },
+          {
+            name: '"TLS handshake"',
+            error: new Error('Request failed due to TLS handshake timeout.'),
+            expectedMessage: UtilExceptionMessages.TLS_TIMEOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE,
+          },
+          {
+            name: 'generic "timed out"',
+            error: new Error('The request timed out.'),
+            expectedMessage: UtilExceptionMessages.ETIMEDOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE,
+          },
+          {
+            name: 'ETIMEDOUT',
+            error: new Error('Request failed with error: ETIMEDOUT'),
+            expectedMessage: UtilExceptionMessages.ETIMEDOUT_ERROR_MESSAGE,
+          },
+        ];
+
+        testCases.forEach(({name, error: networkError, expectedMessage}) => {
+          it(`should transform raw ${name} into specific network error`, done => {
+            // Override `retry-request` to simulate a network error.
+            retryRequestOverride = (
+              // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+              _reqOpts: any,
+              // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+              _opts: any,
+              callback: (err: Error, res: {}, body: null) => void
+            ) => {
+              callback(networkError, {}, null);
+              return {abort: () => {}}; // Return an abortable request.
+            };
+
+            const makeAuthenticatedRequest =
+              util.makeAuthenticatedRequestFactory({});
+
+            makeAuthenticatedRequest({} as DecorateRequestOptions, err => {
+              assert.ok(err);
+              assert.strictEqual(err!.message, expectedMessage);
+              done();
+            });
+          });
+        });
+      });
+
       describe('authentication success', () => {
         const reqOpts = fakeReqOpts;
         beforeEach(() => {