diff --git a/litellm/proxy/common_request_processing.py b/litellm/proxy/common_request_processing.py
index 9927320d795..255bf3ebda2 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/common_request_processing.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/common_request_processing.py
@@ -2121,14 +2121,14 @@ class ProxyBaseLLMRequestProcessing:
 
         fallbacks = None
 
-        key_router_settings: Final = getattr(user_api_key_dict, "router_settings", None)
+        key_router_settings: Final = user_api_key_dict.router_settings
         if isinstance(key_router_settings, dict) and "fallbacks" in key_router_settings:
             fallbacks = key_router_settings["fallbacks"]
 
         if fallbacks is None:
             fallbacks = llm_router.fallbacks
 
-        if not isinstance(fallbacks, list) or not fallbacks:
+        if not fallbacks:
             return None
 
         fallback_model_group, generic_fallback_idx = get_fallback_model_group(
diff --git a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_response_polling_pre_call_checks.py b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_response_polling_pre_call_checks.py
index 459834d0fd2..38f087f51ca 100644
--- a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_response_polling_pre_call_checks.py
+++ b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_response_polling_pre_call_checks.py
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ class TestSkipPreCallLogic:
                 await processor.base_process_llm_request(
                     request=MagicMock(spec=Request),
                     fastapi_response=MagicMock(spec=Response),
-                    user_api_key_dict=MagicMock(spec=UserAPIKeyAuth),
+                    user_api_key_dict=MagicMock(spec=UserAPIKeyAuth, router_settings=None),
                     route_type="aresponses",
                     proxy_logging_obj=mock_proxy_logging,
-                    llm_router=MagicMock(),
+                    llm_router=MagicMock(fallbacks=None),
                     general_settings={},
                     proxy_config=MagicMock(),
                     skip_pre_call_logic=True,
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ class TestSkipPreCallLogic:
                 await processor.base_process_llm_request(
                     request=MagicMock(spec=Request),
                     fastapi_response=MagicMock(spec=Response),
-                    user_api_key_dict=MagicMock(spec=UserAPIKeyAuth),
+                    user_api_key_dict=MagicMock(spec=UserAPIKeyAuth, router_settings=None),
                     route_type="aresponses",
                     proxy_logging_obj=mock_proxy_logging,
-                    llm_router=MagicMock(),
+                    llm_router=MagicMock(fallbacks=None),
                     general_settings={},
                     proxy_config=MagicMock(),
                 )