diff --git a/py-polars/polars/_utils/construction/series.py b/py-polars/polars/_utils/construction/series.py
index 0e582d429014..66ace911fef1 100644
--- a/py-polars/polars/_utils/construction/series.py
+++ b/py-polars/polars/_utils/construction/series.py
@@ -310,8 +310,18 @@ def _construct_series_with_fallbacks(
     """Construct Series, with fallbacks for basic type mismatch (eg: bool/int)."""
     try:
         return constructor(name, values, strict)
-    except TypeError:
-        if dtype is None:
+    except (TypeError, OverflowError) as e:
+        # # This retry with i64 is related to https://github.com/pola-rs/polars/issues/17231
+        # # Essentially, when given a [0, u64::MAX] then it would Overflow.
+        if (
+            isinstance(e, OverflowError)
+            and dtype is None
+            and constructor == PySeries.new_opt_i64
+        ):
+            return _construct_series_with_fallbacks(
+                PySeries.new_opt_u64, name, values, dtype, strict=strict
+            )
+        elif dtype is None:
             return PySeries.new_from_any_values(name, values, strict=strict)
         else:
             return PySeries.new_from_any_values_and_dtype(
diff --git a/py-polars/tests/unit/series/test_series.py b/py-polars/tests/unit/series/test_series.py
index 0ed478b9aa83..b68427b1a471 100644
--- a/py-polars/tests/unit/series/test_series.py
+++ b/py-polars/tests/unit/series/test_series.py
@@ -2172,3 +2172,12 @@ def test_series_from_numpy_with_dtype() -> None:
 def test_raise_invalid_is_between() -> None:
     with pytest.raises(pl.exceptions.InvalidOperationError):
         pl.select(pl.lit(2).is_between(pl.lit("11"), pl.lit("33")))
+
+
+def test_construction_large_nested_u64_17231() -> None:
+    import polars as pl
+
+    values = [{"f0": [9223372036854775808]}]
+    dtype = pl.Struct({"f0": pl.List(pl.UInt64)})
+
+    assert pl.Series(values, dtype=dtype).to_list() == values