diff --git a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/fallback_management_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/fallback_management_endpoints.py
index 1aa8ae9ac41..f06d98aaa7a 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/fallback_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/fallback_management_endpoints.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ async def create_fallback(
         existing_fallbacks: Final[list[dict[str, list[str]]]] = (
             list(  # mutable-ok: copy so edits stay off the frozen config
                 cast(  # cast-ok: entries are model -> fallback models maps
-                    "list[dict[str, list[str]]]", router_settings.get(fallback_key)
+                    "list[dict[str, list[str]]]", router_settings.get(fallback_key) or ()
                 )
             )
         )
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ async def delete_fallback(
         existing_fallbacks: Final[list[dict[str, list[str]]]] = (
             list(  # mutable-ok: copy so edits stay off the frozen config
                 cast(  # cast-ok: entries are model -> fallback models maps
-                    "list[dict[str, list[str]]]", router_settings.get(fallback_key)
+                    "list[dict[str, list[str]]]", router_settings.get(fallback_key) or ()
                 )
             )
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/search_endpoints/test_search_tool_management.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/search_endpoints/test_search_tool_management.py
index a30c6ca002e..89a5c13e664 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/search_endpoints/test_search_tool_management.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/search_endpoints/test_search_tool_management.py
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ def _live_router_and_db(db_rows: list):
     from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import ProxyConfig
 
     proxy_config = ProxyConfig()
-    proxy_config.update_config_state({})
+    proxy_config.update_config_state(ProxyRuntimeConfig())
     fake_router = MagicMock()
     fake_router.search_tools = list(db_rows)