diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index 0285b00d73be1..14d2fbd63b90d 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 import torch
 from vllm_test_utils import monitor
 
-from vllm.utils import (FlexibleArgumentParser, StoreBoolean, deprecate_kwargs,
-                        get_open_port, memory_profiling, merge_async_iterators,
-                        supports_kw)
+from vllm.utils import (FlexibleArgumentParser, PlaceholderModule,
+                        StoreBoolean, deprecate_kwargs, get_open_port,
+                        memory_profiling, merge_async_iterators, supports_kw)
 
 from .utils import error_on_warning, fork_new_process_for_each_test
 
@@ -323,3 +323,44 @@ def measure_current_non_torch():
     del weights
     lib.cudaFree(handle1)
     lib.cudaFree(handle2)
+
+
+def test_placeholder_module_error_handling():
+    placeholder = PlaceholderModule("placeholder_1234")
+
+    def build_ctx():
+        return pytest.raises(ModuleNotFoundError,
+                             match="No module named")
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        int(placeholder)
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        placeholder()
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        _ = placeholder.some_attr
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        # Test conflict with internal __name attribute
+        _ = placeholder.name
+
+    # OK to print the placeholder or use it in a f-string
+    _ = repr(placeholder)
+    _ = str(placeholder)
+
+    # No error yet; only error when it is used downstream
+    placeholder_attr = placeholder.placeholder_attr("attr")
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        int(placeholder_attr)
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        placeholder_attr()
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        _ = placeholder_attr.some_attr
+
+    with build_ctx():
+        # Test conflict with internal __module attribute
+        _ = placeholder_attr.module
diff --git a/vllm/utils.py b/vllm/utils.py
index 0b0905e675245..487088591ebc2 100644
--- a/vllm/utils.py
+++ b/vllm/utils.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 import zmq.asyncio
 from packaging.version import Version
 from torch.library import Library
-from typing_extensions import ParamSpec, TypeIs, assert_never
+from typing_extensions import Never, ParamSpec, TypeIs, assert_never
 
 import vllm.envs as envs
 from vllm.logger import enable_trace_function_call, init_logger
@@ -1627,24 +1627,183 @@ def get_vllm_optional_dependencies():
     }
 
 
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class PlaceholderModule:
+class _PlaceholderBase:
+    """
+    Disallows downstream usage of placeholder modules.
+
+    We need to explicitly override each dunder method because
+    :meth:`__getattr__` is not called when they are accessed.
+
+    See also:
+        [Special method lookup](https://docs.python.org/3/reference/datamodel.html#special-lookup)
+    """
+
+    def __getattr__(self, key: str) -> Never:
+        """
+        The main class should implement this to throw an error
+        for attribute accesses representing downstream usage.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    # [Basic customization]
+
+    def __lt__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__lt__")
+
+    def __le__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__le__")
+
+    def __eq__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__eq__")
+
+    def __ne__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__ne__")
+
+    def __gt__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__gt__")
+
+    def __ge__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__ge__")
+
+    def __hash__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__hash__")
+
+    def __bool__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__bool__")
+
+    # [Callable objects]
+
+    def __call__(self, *args: object, **kwargs: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__call__")
+
+    # [Container types]
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__len__")
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__getitem__")
+
+    def __setitem__(self, key: object, value: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__setitem__")
+
+    def __delitem__(self, key: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__delitem__")
+
+    # __missing__ is optional according to __getitem__ specification,
+    # so it is skipped
+
+    # __iter__ and __reversed__ have a default implementation
+    # based on __len__ and __getitem__, so they are skipped.
+
+    # [Numeric Types]
+
+    def __add__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__add__")
+
+    def __sub__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__sub__")
+
+    def __mul__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__mul__")
+
+    def __matmul__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__matmul__")
+
+    def __truediv__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__truediv__")
+
+    def __floordiv__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__floordiv__")
+
+    def __mod__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__mod__")
+
+    def __divmod__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__divmod__")
+
+    def __pow__(self, other: object, modulo: object = ...):
+        return self.__getattr__("__pow__")
+
+    def __lshift__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__lshift__")
+
+    def __rshift__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__rshift__")
+
+    def __and__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__and__")
+
+    def __xor__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__xor__")
+
+    def __or__(self, other: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__or__")
+
+    # r* and i* methods have lower priority than
+    # the methods for left operand so they are skipped
+
+    def __neg__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__neg__")
+
+    def __pos__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__pos__")
+
+    def __abs__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__abs__")
+
+    def __invert__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__invert__")
+
+    # __complex__, __int__ and __float__ have a default implementation
+    # based on __index__, so they are skipped.
+
+    def __index__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__index__")
+
+    def __round__(self, ndigits: object = ...):
+        return self.__getattr__("__round__")
+
+    def __trunc__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__trunc__")
+
+    def __floor__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__floor__")
+
+    def __ceil__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__ceil__")
+
+    # [Context managers]
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        return self.__getattr__("__enter__")
+
+    def __exit__(self, *args: object, **kwargs: object):
+        return self.__getattr__("__exit__")
+
+
+class PlaceholderModule(_PlaceholderBase):
     """
     A placeholder object to use when a module does not exist.
 
     This enables more informative errors when trying to access attributes
     of a module that does not exists.
     """
-    name: str
+
+    def __init__(self, name: str) -> None:
+        super().__init__()
+
+        # Apply name mangling to avoid conflicting with module attributes
+        self.__name = name
 
     def placeholder_attr(self, attr_path: str):
         return _PlaceholderModuleAttr(self, attr_path)
 
     def __getattr__(self, key: str):
-        name = self.name
+        name = self.__name
 
         try:
-            importlib.import_module(self.name)
+            importlib.import_module(name)
         except ImportError as exc:
             for extra, names in get_vllm_optional_dependencies().items():
                 if name in names:
@@ -1657,17 +1816,21 @@ def __getattr__(self, key: str):
                              "when the original module can be imported")
 
 
-@dataclass(frozen=True)
-class _PlaceholderModuleAttr:
-    module: PlaceholderModule
-    attr_path: str
+class _PlaceholderModuleAttr(_PlaceholderBase):
+
+    def __init__(self, module: PlaceholderModule, attr_path: str) -> None:
+        super().__init__()
+
+        # Apply name mangling to avoid conflicting with module attributes
+        self.__module = module
+        self.__attr_path = attr_path
 
     def placeholder_attr(self, attr_path: str):
-        return _PlaceholderModuleAttr(self.module,
-                                      f"{self.attr_path}.{attr_path}")
+        return _PlaceholderModuleAttr(self.__module,
+                                      f"{self.__attr_path}.{attr_path}")
 
     def __getattr__(self, key: str):
-        getattr(self.module, f"{self.attr_path}.{key}")
+        getattr(self.__module, f"{self.__attr_path}.{key}")
 
         raise AssertionError("PlaceholderModule should not be used "
                              "when the original module can be imported")