diff --git a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/key_management_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/key_management_endpoints.py
index 719ed503ec8..fca38834d72 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/key_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/key_management_endpoints.py
@@ -747,7 +747,24 @@ async def _common_key_generation_helper(
     )
     # Session tokens (lite login) carry max_budget=None to avoid a per-session
     # LLM spend cap, but that None must not be read as "unlimited delegation
-    # authority". Use the team budget as the effective ceiling instead.
+    # authority". A personal key (no team) has no team-budget enforcement at
+    # request time, so a session token cannot delegate any budget for one.
+    if (
+        user_api_key_dict.is_session_token
+        and user_api_key_dict.user_role != LitellmUserRoles.PROXY_ADMIN.value
+        and not is_ui_session_team_key
+        and _requested_max_budget is not None
+        and team_table is None
+    ):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=400,
+            detail={
+                "error": (
+                    f"max_budget ({_requested_max_budget}) cannot be set without "
+                    "specifying team_id when using a CLI session token."
+                )
+            },
+        )
     delegation_ceiling = (
         user_api_key_dict.max_budget
         if user_api_key_dict.max_budget is not None
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_key_management_endpoints.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_key_management_endpoints.py
index a3725e55075..7ff064e659e 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_key_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/test_key_management_endpoints.py
@@ -12636,3 +12636,44 @@ async def test_regular_unlimited_user_delegation_ceiling_not_applied():
             team_table=team,
         )
     assert result is not None
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_cli_session_token_personal_key_with_budget_blocked():
+    caller = UserAPIKeyAuth(
+        user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER,
+        user_id="user-1",
+        team_id="team-1",
+        is_session_token=True,
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(HTTPException) as exc_info:
+        await _common_key_generation_helper(
+            data=GenerateKeyRequest(max_budget=1000.0),
+            user_api_key_dict=caller,
+            litellm_changed_by=None,
+            team_table=None,  # no team in request = personal key
+        )
+    assert exc_info.value.status_code == 400
+    assert "team_id" in str(exc_info.value.detail)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_cli_session_token_personal_key_without_budget_allowed():
+    caller = UserAPIKeyAuth(
+        user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER,
+        user_id="user-1",
+        team_id="team-1",
+        is_session_token=True,
+    )
+    with patch(
+        "litellm.proxy.management_endpoints.key_management_endpoints.generate_key_helper_fn",
+        new_callable=AsyncMock,
+        return_value={"key": "sk-test", "expires": None, "user_id": "user-1"},
+    ):
+        result = await _common_key_generation_helper(
+            data=GenerateKeyRequest(max_budget=None),
+            user_api_key_dict=caller,
+            litellm_changed_by=None,
+            team_table=None,  # no team in request = personal key, but no explicit budget
+        )
+    assert result is not None