diff --git a/litellm/llms/gemini/common_utils.py b/litellm/llms/gemini/common_utils.py
index f20f904596d..0ad95ee57db 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/gemini/common_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/gemini/common_utils.py
@@ -511,11 +511,15 @@ class GoogleAIStudioTokenCounter(BaseTokenCounter):
             "model": model_to_use,
             "contents": payload.contents if payload is not None else contents,
             **(
-                {"system_instruction": payload.system_instruction}
+                {"system_instruction": payload.system_instruction}  # mutable-ok: kwargs dict for acount_tokens
                 if payload is not None and payload.system_instruction is not None
-                else {}
+                else {}  # mutable-ok: kwargs dict for acount_tokens
+            ),
+            **(
+                {"tools": payload.tools}  # mutable-ok: kwargs dict for acount_tokens
+                if payload is not None and payload.tools is not None
+                else {}  # mutable-ok: kwargs dict for acount_tokens
             ),
-            **({"tools": payload.tools} if payload is not None and payload.tools is not None else {}),
         }
         count_tokens_params_request.update(count_tokens_params)
         try:
diff --git a/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/handler.py b/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/handler.py
index d055b7ce5ff..ed75c9d5507 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/handler.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/handler.py
@@ -135,14 +135,16 @@ class GoogleAIStudioTokenCounter:
         # Prepare request body - clean up contents to remove unsupported fields
         cleaned_contents: Final = self._clean_contents_for_gemini_api(contents)
         request_body: Final = (
-            {"contents": cleaned_contents}
+            {"contents": cleaned_contents}  # mutable-ok: httpx json body takes a plain dict
             if system_instruction is None and tools is None
-            else {
-                "generateContentRequest": {
+            else {  # mutable-ok: httpx json body takes a plain dict
+                "generateContentRequest": {  # mutable-ok: httpx json body takes a plain dict
                     "model": f"models/{model}",
                     "contents": cleaned_contents,
-                    **({"systemInstruction": system_instruction} if system_instruction is not None else {}),
-                    **({"tools": tools} if tools is not None else {}),
+                    **(  # mutable-ok: httpx json body takes a plain dict
+                        {"systemInstruction": system_instruction} if system_instruction is not None else {}
+                    ),
+                    **({"tools": tools} if tools is not None else {}),  # mutable-ok: httpx json body takes a plain dict
                 }
             }
         )
diff --git a/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/transformation.py b/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/transformation.py
index 25380ab625a..8e2c4a66ee2 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/transformation.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/gemini/count_tokens/transformation.py
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ def build_count_tokens_payload(
     system: object | None,
     tools: Sequence[Mapping[str, object]] | None,
 ) -> GeminiCountTokensPayload:
-    anthropic_request: Final[AnthropicMessagesRequest] = cast(
-        AnthropicMessagesRequest,  # cast-ok: untrusted client payload, adapter reads the anthropic-shape keys only
-        {
+    anthropic_request: Final[AnthropicMessagesRequest] = cast(  # cast-ok: adapter reads only the keys supplied
+        AnthropicMessagesRequest,
+        {  # mutable-ok: transient request dict for the anthropic adapter
             "model": model,
-            "messages": list(messages),
-            **({"system": system} if system else {}),
-            **({"tools": list(tools)} if tools else {}),
+            "messages": list(messages),  # mutable-ok: adapter contract takes a list of messages
+            **({"system": system} if system else {}),  # mutable-ok: transient request dict for the anthropic adapter
+            **({"tools": list(tools)} if tools else {}),  # mutable-ok: transient request dict for the anthropic adapter
         },
     )
     openai_request, _ = LiteLLMAnthropicMessagesAdapter().translate_anthropic_to_openai(
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def build_count_tokens_payload(
     )
     system_instruction, remaining_messages = _transform_system_message(
         supports_system_message=True,
-        messages=list(openai_request["messages"]),
+        messages=list(openai_request["messages"]),  # mutable-ok: helper pops the leading system message
     )
     contents: Final = _gemini_convert_messages_with_history(
         messages=remaining_messages,
@@ -52,10 +52,16 @@ def build_count_tokens_payload(
         custom_llm_provider="gemini",
     )
     openai_tools: Final = openai_request.get("tools")
+    gemini_tools: Final = (
+        VertexGeminiConfig()._map_function(
+            value=[dict(tool) for tool in openai_tools],  # mutable-ok: _map_function takes plain tool dicts
+            optional_params={},  # mutable-ok: _map_function signature takes a dict
+        )
+        if openai_tools
+        else None
+    )
     return GeminiCountTokensPayload(
         contents=contents,
         system_instruction=system_instruction,
-        tools=VertexGeminiConfig()._map_function(value=[dict(tool) for tool in openai_tools], optional_params={})
-        if openai_tools
-        else None,
+        tools=gemini_tools,
     )