diff --git a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/ocr/deepseek_transformation.py b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/ocr/deepseek_transformation.py
index 2603552152d..b57a87c3325 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/ocr/deepseek_transformation.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/ocr/deepseek_transformation.py
@@ -177,8 +177,9 @@ class VertexAIDeepSeekOCRConfig(BaseOCRConfig):
             content_item = {"type": "image_url", "image_url": document_url}
 
         # Build DeepSeek OCR request
+        provider_model: Final = model if model.startswith("deepseek-ai/") else f"deepseek-ai/{model}"
         data: Final = {
-            "model": "deepseek-ai/" + model,
+            "model": provider_model,
             "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": [content_item]}],
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/ocr_tests/test_ocr_vertex_ai.py b/tests/ocr_tests/test_ocr_vertex_ai.py
index 1ba5b9d0883..1842eb063a5 100644
--- a/tests/ocr_tests/test_ocr_vertex_ai.py
+++ b/tests/ocr_tests/test_ocr_vertex_ai.py
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@ Note: Vertex AI OCR automatically converts URLs to base64 data URIs since
 the Vertex AI endpoint doesn't have internet access.
 """
 
-import os
 import json
+import os
 import tempfile
+from typing import Final
+
 import pytest
 from base_ocr_unit_tests import BaseOCRTest
 
@@ -139,3 +141,19 @@ def test_vertex_ai_ocr_routing():
     assert isinstance(
         deepseek_variant, VertexAIDeepSeekOCRConfig
     ), "DeepSeek variant should route to VertexAIDeepSeekOCRConfig"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("model", ("deepseek-ocr-maas", "deepseek-ai/deepseek-ocr-maas"))
+def test_deepseek_request_uses_single_provider_namespace(model: str) -> None:
+    from litellm.llms.vertex_ai.ocr.deepseek_transformation import (
+        VertexAIDeepSeekOCRConfig,
+    )
+
+    request: Final = VertexAIDeepSeekOCRConfig().transform_ocr_request(
+        model=model,
+        document={"type": "image_url", "image_url": "data:image/png;base64,AA=="},
+        optional_params={},
+        headers={},
+    )
+
+    assert request.data["model"] == "deepseek-ai/deepseek-ocr-maas"