diff --git a/lib/utils/otplease.js b/lib/utils/otplease.js
index 8bfe7da1d387f..44f9aaa89b7a3 100644
--- a/lib/utils/otplease.js
+++ b/lib/utils/otplease.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ async function otplease (npm, opts, fn) {
       throw err
     }
 
-    const isBackwardsCompatibleOTP = err.code === 'E401' && /one-time pass/.test(err.body)
-    const isClassicOTP = err.code === 'EOTP'
+    const isClassicOTP =
+      err.code === 'EOTP' || (err.code === 'E401' && /one-time pass/.test(err.body))
     const isWebOTP = err.code === 'EOTP' && err.body?.authUrl && err.body?.doneUrl
 
     if (isWebOTP) {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ async function otplease (npm, opts, fn) {
       return await fn({ ...opts, otp })
     }
 
-    if (isClassicOTP || isBackwardsCompatibleOTP) {
+    if (isClassicOTP) {
       const readUserInfo = require('./read-user-info.js')
       const otp = await readUserInfo.otp('This operation requires a one-time password.\nEnter OTP:')
       return await fn({ ...opts, otp })