diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
index 0e01577b20e..cf9604a0fd5 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from litellm.types.utils import (
     Choices,
     CompletionTokensDetails,
     CompletionTokensDetailsWrapper,
+    Delta,
     Function,
     FunctionCall,
     ModelResponse,
@@ -326,6 +327,18 @@ class ChunkProcessor:
                 return chunk_id
         return ""
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get_role_from_chunks(chunks: Sequence["_BaseChunk"]) -> str:
+        return ChunkProcessor._role_of_choice(next((c["choices"][0] for c in chunks if c.get("choices")), None))
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _role_of_choice(choice: object) -> str:
+        match choice:
+            case StreamingChoices(delta=Delta(role=str() as role)) | {"delta": {"role": str() as role}} if role:
+                return role
+            case _:
+                return "assistant"
+
     @staticmethod
     def _get_model_from_chunks(chunks: Sequence["_BaseChunk"], first_chunk_model: str) -> str:
         """
@@ -353,8 +366,7 @@ class ChunkProcessor:
         model: Final = ChunkProcessor._get_model_from_chunks(chunks, first_chunk_model)
         system_fingerprint: Final = chunk.get("system_fingerprint", None)
 
-        first_chunk_with_choices: Final = next((c for c in chunks if c.get("choices")), chunk)
-        role: Final = first_chunk_with_choices["choices"][0]["delta"]["role"]
+        role: Final = ChunkProcessor._get_role_from_chunks(chunks)
         finish_reason = "stop"
         for chunk in chunks:
             if "choices" in chunk and len(chunk["choices"]) > 0:
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
index bacbcbf132b..626b8a63b20 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_chunk_builder_utils.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import json
+from collections.abc import Mapping, Sequence
+from typing import Final
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -1476,3 +1478,79 @@ def test_calculate_usage_fills_unknown_split_from_reasoning_estimate(
     assert usage.completion_tokens == 100
     assert usage.completion_tokens_details.reasoning_tokens == expected_reasoning_tokens
     assert usage.completion_tokens_details.text_tokens == expected_text_tokens
+
+
+def _openai_chunk(
+    choices: Sequence[Mapping[str, object]], usage: Mapping[str, int] | None = None
+) -> dict[str, object]:
+    base: Final = {
+        "id": "chatcmpl-lit6552",
+        "object": "chat.completion.chunk",
+        "created": 1,
+        "model": "gpt-5.4-mini",
+        "choices": list(choices),
+    }
+    return base if usage is None else {**base, "usage": dict(usage)}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "chunks",
+    [
+        pytest.param([_openai_chunk(choices=[]), _openai_chunk(choices=[])], id="all_empty_choices_dicts"),
+        pytest.param(
+            [ModelResponseStream(model="gpt-5.4-mini", choices=[]) for _ in range(2)],
+            id="all_empty_choices_objects",
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_stream_chunk_builder_survives_all_empty_choices(chunks: Sequence[object]) -> None:
+    response: Final = stream_chunk_builder(chunks=list(chunks))
+
+    assert response is not None
+    assert response.choices[0].message.role == "assistant"
+    assert response.choices[0].finish_reason == "stop"
+
+
+def test_stream_chunk_builder_keeps_usage_from_usage_only_frames() -> None:
+    usage_frame: Final = _openai_chunk(
+        choices=[], usage={"prompt_tokens": 10, "completion_tokens": 0, "total_tokens": 10}
+    )
+
+    response: Final = stream_chunk_builder(chunks=[usage_frame])
+
+    assert response is not None
+    assert response.choices[0].message.role == "assistant"
+    assert response.usage.prompt_tokens == 10
+    assert response.usage.total_tokens == 10
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "delta",
+    [pytest.param({"content": "Hi"}, id="delta_without_role"), pytest.param({}, id="empty_delta")],
+)
+def test_stream_chunk_builder_defaults_role_when_delta_omits_it(delta: Mapping[str, str]) -> None:
+    chunks: Final = [
+        _openai_chunk(choices=[{"index": 0, "delta": dict(delta), "finish_reason": None}]),
+        _openai_chunk(choices=[{"index": 0, "delta": {"content": "!"}, "finish_reason": "stop"}]),
+    ]
+
+    response: Final = stream_chunk_builder(chunks=chunks)
+
+    assert response is not None
+    assert response.choices[0].message.role == "assistant"
+    assert response.choices[0].message.content == delta.get("content", "") + "!"
+    assert response.choices[0].finish_reason == "stop"
+
+
+def test_stream_chunk_builder_reads_role_from_first_frame_with_choices() -> None:
+    chunks: Final = [
+        _openai_chunk(choices=[]),
+        _openai_chunk(choices=[{"index": 0, "delta": {"role": "user", "content": "Hi"}, "finish_reason": None}]),
+        _openai_chunk(choices=[{"index": 0, "delta": {}, "finish_reason": "stop"}]),
+    ]
+
+    response: Final = stream_chunk_builder(chunks=chunks)
+
+    assert response is not None
+    assert response.choices[0].message.role == "user"
+    assert response.choices[0].message.content == "Hi"