diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
index 9ba91de703b..f3d7805693b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
@@ -647,6 +647,17 @@ def _iter_user_config_litellm_params(user_config: object) -> Iterator[Mapping[st
             yield params
 
 
+def _user_config_search_tool_params(user_config: object) -> tuple[Mapping[str, object], ...]:
+    config: Final = _coerce_metadata_to_dict(user_config)
+    if config is None:
+        return ()
+    return tuple(
+        params
+        for entry in _mappings_in(config.get("search_tools"))
+        if (params := _coerce_metadata_to_dict(entry.get("litellm_params"))) is not None
+    )
+
+
 def iter_request_fallback_targets(request_body: Mapping[str, object]) -> Iterator[str | Mapping[str, object]]:
     for value in _iter_fallback_field_values(request_body):
         yield from _iter_fallback_targets(value, 0)
@@ -806,7 +817,10 @@ def is_request_body_safe(
                 banned_params=_BANNED_METADATA_PARAMS,
                 rejects_secret_references=False,
             )
-    for user_config_params in _iter_user_config_litellm_params(request_body.get("user_config")):
+    for user_config_params in (
+        *_iter_user_config_litellm_params(request_body.get("user_config")),
+        *_user_config_search_tool_params(request_body.get("user_config")),
+    ):
         _reject_user_config_secret_references(user_config_params)
     return True
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/auth/test_auth_utils.py b/tests/unit/proxy/auth/test_auth_utils.py
index bd915f8d8e1..f634b8d7fcd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/auth/test_auth_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/auth/test_auth_utils.py
@@ -409,11 +409,13 @@ _USER_CONFIG_SECRET_REFERENCE_PARAMS: Final = (
 def _user_config(slot: str, litellm_params: Mapping[str, object]) -> Mapping[str, object]:
     if slot == "default_litellm_params":
         return {"default_litellm_params": dict(litellm_params)}
+    if slot == "search_tools":
+        return {"search_tools": [{"search_tool_name": "caller-search", "litellm_params": dict(litellm_params)}]}
     return {"model_list": [{"model_name": "caller-model", "litellm_params": dict(litellm_params)}]}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("litellm_params", _USER_CONFIG_SECRET_REFERENCE_PARAMS)
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("slot", ("model_list", "default_litellm_params"))
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("slot", ("model_list", "default_litellm_params", "search_tools"))
 def test_user_config_secret_references_are_rejected_despite_client_side_opt_in(
     litellm_params: Mapping[str, object], slot: str
 ) -> None: