diff --git a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
index e3f39864b76..ad2c87750da 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
         MCPUserCredentialResponse,
         NewMCPServerRequest,
         RejectMCPServerRequest,
+        SpecialHeaders,
         SpecialMCPServerName,
         UpdateMCPServerRequest,
         UserAPIKeyAuth,
@@ -1457,7 +1458,7 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
         servers only (browser OAuth). When present, global-registry access
         follows admin / allowlist rules via ``_get_cached_temporary_mcp_server_or_404``.
 
-        Only non-empty **string** ``Authorization`` values trigger a full auth
+        Only non-empty **string** auth header values trigger a full auth
         pipeline import (tests and mocks may attach MagicMock headers).
         """
         try:
@@ -1465,13 +1466,23 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
         except Exception:
             return None
         raw: object = None
-        for key in ("authorization", "Authorization"):
-            try:
-                candidate = headers.get(key)
-            except Exception:
-                candidate = None
-            if isinstance(candidate, str) and candidate.strip():
-                raw = candidate
+        for header_name in (
+            SpecialHeaders.openai_authorization.value,
+            SpecialHeaders.azure_authorization.value,
+            SpecialHeaders.anthropic_authorization.value,
+            SpecialHeaders.google_ai_studio_authorization.value,
+            SpecialHeaders.azure_apim_authorization.value,
+            SpecialHeaders.custom_litellm_api_key.value,
+        ):
+            for key in (header_name, header_name.lower()):
+                try:
+                    candidate = headers.get(key)
+                except Exception:
+                    candidate = None
+                if isinstance(candidate, str) and candidate.strip():
+                    raw = candidate
+                    break
+            if isinstance(raw, str):
                 break
         if not isinstance(raw, str) or not raw.strip():
             return None
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_mcp_management_endpoints.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_mcp_management_endpoints.py
index f144afcff53..5d6f0435d8d 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_mcp_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_mcp_management_endpoints.py
@@ -1551,6 +1551,27 @@ class TestTemporaryMCPSessionEndpoints:
 
         assert "permission" in str(exc_info.value)
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_try_resolve_mcp_oauth_broker_user_accepts_api_key_header(self):
+        from litellm.proxy.management_endpoints.mcp_management_endpoints import (
+            _try_resolve_mcp_oauth_broker_user,
+        )
+
+        request = MagicMock()
+        request.headers = {"api-key": "sk-alt-header"}
+        user_auth = generate_mock_user_api_key_auth(
+            user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER,
+        )
+
+        with patch(
+            "litellm.proxy.auth.user_api_key_auth.user_api_key_auth_from_request_headers",
+            AsyncMock(return_value=user_auth),
+        ) as auth_mock:
+            result = await _try_resolve_mcp_oauth_broker_user(request)
+
+        assert result is user_auth
+        auth_mock.assert_awaited_once_with(request)
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_mcp_authorize_proxies_to_discoverable_endpoint(self):
         from litellm.proxy.management_endpoints.mcp_management_endpoints import (