diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
index 47392621ae3..536ac309f42 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
@@ -242,7 +242,18 @@ def _get_parent_otel_span_from_kwargs(
         return None
 
 
-def process_response_headers(response_headers: Union[httpx.Headers, dict]) -> dict:
+def process_response_headers(
+    response_headers: Union[httpx.Headers, dict],
+    preserve_litellm_internal_headers: bool = False,
+) -> dict:
+    """
+    `preserve_litellm_internal_headers` must only be True when the input dict is
+    a LiteLLM-owned structure (e.g. `_hidden_params["additional_headers"]` that
+    has already been through one round of processing). For raw upstream
+    provider headers it must remain False, otherwise a malicious provider
+    returning `x-litellm-*` could spoof LiteLLM-internal markers
+    (e.g. `x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks`).
+    """
     from litellm.types.utils import OPENAI_RESPONSE_HEADERS
 
     openai_headers = {}
@@ -256,7 +267,7 @@ def process_response_headers(response_headers: Union[httpx.Headers, dict]) -> di
             "llm_provider-"
         ):  # return raw provider headers (incl. openai-compatible ones)
             processed_headers[k] = v
-        elif k.startswith("x-litellm-"):
+        elif preserve_litellm_internal_headers and k.startswith("x-litellm-"):
             # LiteLLM's own internal headers (e.g. x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks,
             # x-litellm-model-group) are not LLM provider headers and must not be
             # prefixed. Downstream consumers (proxy override, callers checking
diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/llm_response_utils/response_metadata.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/llm_response_utils/response_metadata.py
index 06933a6fbcb..ba870eb9459 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/llm_response_utils/response_metadata.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/llm_response_utils/response_metadata.py
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ class ResponseMetadata:
                 result=self.result, litellm_model_name=model, router_model_id=model_id
             ),
             "additional_headers": process_response_headers(
-                self._get_value_from_hidden_params("additional_headers") or {}
+                self._get_value_from_hidden_params("additional_headers") or {},
+                preserve_litellm_internal_headers=True,
             ),
             "litellm_model_name": model,
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_fallback_utils.py b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_fallback_utils.py
index 8c73f5cc864..142602ccb27 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_fallback_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_fallback_utils.py
@@ -109,20 +109,41 @@ async def test_async_completion_with_fallbacks_header_is_zero_when_primary_succe
     assert response.choices[0].message.content == "primary-resp"
 
 
-def test_process_response_headers_preserves_x_litellm_headers():
+def test_process_response_headers_preserves_x_litellm_headers_when_internal():
     """
     `process_response_headers` must not add the `llm_provider-` prefix to
-    LiteLLM's own internal headers (anything starting with `x-litellm-`).
-    These are markers set by LiteLLM (e.g. fallback / retry headers); the
-    proxy and other callers look up the bare key.
+    LiteLLM's own internal headers (anything starting with `x-litellm-`) when
+    the caller has marked the input as LiteLLM-owned. These are markers set by
+    LiteLLM (e.g. fallback / retry headers); the proxy and other callers look
+    up the bare key.
     """
     result = process_response_headers(
         {
             "x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks": 1,
             "x-litellm-model-group": "gpt-4",
             "x-stainless-arch": "arm64",
-        }
+        },
+        preserve_litellm_internal_headers=True,
     )
     assert result["x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks"] == 1
     assert result["x-litellm-model-group"] == "gpt-4"
     assert result["llm_provider-x-stainless-arch"] == "arm64"
+
+
+def test_process_response_headers_prefixes_x_litellm_from_raw_provider():
+    """
+    On raw upstream-provider headers (default `preserve_litellm_internal_headers=False`),
+    a header whose name starts with `x-litellm-` MUST still get the
+    `llm_provider-` prefix. Otherwise a malicious provider could return
+    `x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks` and spoof a LiteLLM-internal marker,
+    bypassing the proxy model-override guard.
+    """
+    result = process_response_headers(
+        {
+            "x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks": 99,
+            "x-stainless-arch": "arm64",
+        }
+    )
+    assert "x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks" not in result
+    assert result["llm_provider-x-litellm-attempted-fallbacks"] == 99
+    assert result["llm_provider-x-stainless-arch"] == "arm64"