diff --git a/src/core/lib/security/transport/client_auth_filter.cc b/src/core/lib/security/transport/client_auth_filter.cc
index 6a3641f112b62..6d7f89873b33b 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/security/transport/client_auth_filter.cc
+++ b/src/core/lib/security/transport/client_auth_filter.cc
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ static void on_credentials_metadata(void* arg, grpc_error* input_error) {
     grpc_call_next_op(elem, batch);
   } else {
     error = grpc_error_set_int(error, GRPC_ERROR_INT_GRPC_STATUS,
-                               GRPC_STATUS_UNAUTHENTICATED);
+                               GRPC_STATUS_UNAVAILABLE);
     grpc_transport_stream_op_batch_finish_with_failure(batch, error,
                                                        calld->call_combiner);
   }
diff --git a/src/csharp/Grpc.IntegrationTesting/MetadataCredentialsTest.cs b/src/csharp/Grpc.IntegrationTesting/MetadataCredentialsTest.cs
index eba6276a1f54b..c83ccd26128cd 100644
--- a/src/csharp/Grpc.IntegrationTesting/MetadataCredentialsTest.cs
+++ b/src/csharp/Grpc.IntegrationTesting/MetadataCredentialsTest.cs
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ public void MetadataCredentials_InterceptorThrows()
             client = new TestService.TestServiceClient(channel);
 
             var ex = Assert.Throws<RpcException>(() => client.UnaryCall(new SimpleRequest { }));
-            Assert.AreEqual(StatusCode.Unauthenticated, ex.Status.StatusCode);
+            Assert.AreEqual(StatusCode.Unavailable, ex.Status.StatusCode);
         }
 
         private class FakeTestService : TestService.TestServiceBase
diff --git a/src/php/tests/unit_tests/CallCredentials2Test.php b/src/php/tests/unit_tests/CallCredentials2Test.php
index 0a587906faac4..1c7e0c0ff6fef 100644
--- a/src/php/tests/unit_tests/CallCredentials2Test.php
+++ b/src/php/tests/unit_tests/CallCredentials2Test.php
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public function testCallbackWithInvalidKey()
 
         $this->assertTrue($event->send_metadata);
         $this->assertTrue($event->send_close);
-        $this->assertTrue($event->status->code == Grpc\STATUS_UNAUTHENTICATED);
+        $this->assertTrue($event->status->code == Grpc\STATUS_UNAVAILABLE);
     }
 
     public function invalidReturnCallbackFunc($context)
@@ -179,6 +179,6 @@ public function testCallbackWithInvalidReturnValue()
 
         $this->assertTrue($event->send_metadata);
         $this->assertTrue($event->send_close);
-        $this->assertTrue($event->status->code == Grpc\STATUS_UNAUTHENTICATED);
+        $this->assertTrue($event->status->code == Grpc\STATUS_UNAVAILABLE);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb b/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
index 79eeca91979e6..5353b534f47ed 100644
--- a/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
+++ b/src/ruby/spec/generic/client_stub_spec.rb
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ def metadata_test(md)
         th.join
       end
 
-      it 'should receive UNAUTHENTICATED if call credentials plugin fails' do
+      it 'should receive UNAVAILABLE if call credentials plugin fails' do
         server_port = create_secure_test_server
         th = run_request_response(@sent_msg, @resp, @pass)
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def metadata_test(md)
         unauth_error_occured = false
         begin
           get_response(stub, credentials: creds)
-        rescue GRPC::Unauthenticated => e
+        rescue GRPC::Unavailable => e
           unauth_error_occured = true
           expect(e.details.include?(error_message)).to be true
         end
diff --git a/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc b/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
index 4c8dfe0f401a0..a6ea5aada9fca 100644
--- a/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
+++ b/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
@@ -1609,7 +1609,7 @@ TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, AuthMetadataPluginKeyFailure) {
 
   Status s = stub_->Echo(&context, request, &response);
   EXPECT_FALSE(s.ok());
-  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAUTHENTICATED);
+  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAVAILABLE);
 }
 
 TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, AuthMetadataPluginValueFailure) {
@@ -1626,7 +1626,7 @@ TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, AuthMetadataPluginValueFailure) {
 
   Status s = stub_->Echo(&context, request, &response);
   EXPECT_FALSE(s.ok());
-  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAUTHENTICATED);
+  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAVAILABLE);
 }
 
 TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, NonBlockingAuthMetadataPluginFailure) {
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, NonBlockingAuthMetadataPluginFailure) {
 
   Status s = stub_->Echo(&context, request, &response);
   EXPECT_FALSE(s.ok());
-  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAUTHENTICATED);
+  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAVAILABLE);
   EXPECT_EQ(s.error_message(),
             grpc::string("Getting metadata from plugin failed with error: ") +
                 kTestCredsPluginErrorMsg);
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ TEST_P(SecureEnd2endTest, BlockingAuthMetadataPluginFailure) {
 
   Status s = stub_->Echo(&context, request, &response);
   EXPECT_FALSE(s.ok());
-  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAUTHENTICATED);
+  EXPECT_EQ(s.error_code(), StatusCode::UNAVAILABLE);
   EXPECT_EQ(s.error_message(),
             grpc::string("Getting metadata from plugin failed with error: ") +
                 kTestCredsPluginErrorMsg);