diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index dcb846a177d..40c66d5894f 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -4063,7 +4063,13 @@ class ProxyConfig:
             ## URL VALIDATION SETTINGS ##
             _user_url_validation = general_settings.get("user_url_validation", None)
             if _user_url_validation is not None:
-                litellm.user_url_validation = bool(_user_url_validation)
+                if isinstance(_user_url_validation, str):
+                    litellm.user_url_validation = (
+                        _user_url_validation.strip().lower()
+                        not in ("false", "0", "no", "off")
+                    )
+                else:
+                    litellm.user_url_validation = bool(_user_url_validation)
             _user_url_allowed_hosts = general_settings.get(
                 "user_url_allowed_hosts", None
             )
diff --git a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_proxy_config_unit_test.py b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_proxy_config_unit_test.py
index faa60636886..08683c79eb1 100644
--- a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_proxy_config_unit_test.py
+++ b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_proxy_config_unit_test.py
@@ -360,13 +360,77 @@ async def test_general_settings_url_validation_wired_to_litellm():
             config_file_path=temp_file_path,
         )
 
-        assert litellm.user_url_validation is False, (
-            "user_url_validation from general_settings should set litellm.user_url_validation"
-        )
-        assert litellm.user_url_allowed_hosts == ["10.80.1.20", "internal.corp"], (
-            "user_url_allowed_hosts from general_settings should set litellm.user_url_allowed_hosts"
-        )
+        assert (
+            litellm.user_url_validation is False
+        ), "user_url_validation from general_settings should set litellm.user_url_validation"
+        assert litellm.user_url_allowed_hosts == [
+            "10.80.1.20",
+            "internal.corp",
+        ], "user_url_allowed_hosts from general_settings should set litellm.user_url_allowed_hosts"
     finally:
         os.unlink(temp_file_path)
         litellm.user_url_validation = original_validation
         litellm.user_url_allowed_hosts = original_hosts
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "raw_value,expected",
+    [
+        ("false", False),
+        ("False", False),
+        ("FALSE", False),
+        ("0", False),
+        ("no", False),
+        ("off", False),
+        ("true", True),
+        ("True", True),
+        ("1", True),
+        ("yes", True),
+    ],
+)
+async def test_general_settings_url_validation_string_value(raw_value, expected):
+    """
+    A quoted string value for user_url_validation in YAML must be interpreted
+    as a boolean rather than always coerced to True via bool(str). Otherwise
+    operators who write `user_url_validation: "false"` silently keep
+    validation enabled.
+    """
+    import tempfile
+
+    import yaml
+
+    config_content = {
+        "model_list": [
+            {
+                "model_name": "test-model",
+                "litellm_params": {"model": "openai/gpt-4", "api_key": "test-key"},
+            }
+        ],
+        "general_settings": {
+            "user_url_validation": raw_value,
+        },
+    }
+
+    with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
+        mode="w", suffix=".yaml", delete=False
+    ) as temp_file:
+        yaml.dump(config_content, temp_file)
+        temp_file_path = temp_file.name
+
+    original_validation = litellm.user_url_validation
+
+    try:
+        proxy_config = ProxyConfig()
+        await proxy_config.load_config(
+            router=None,
+            config_file_path=temp_file_path,
+        )
+
+        assert litellm.user_url_validation is expected, (
+            f"user_url_validation={raw_value!r} should resolve to {expected}, "
+            f"got {litellm.user_url_validation!r}"
+        )
+    finally:
+        os.unlink(temp_file_path)
+        litellm.user_url_validation = original_validation