diff --git a/litellm/proxy/hooks/batch_rate_limiter.py b/litellm/proxy/hooks/batch_rate_limiter.py
index 6b8dca3e8c4..38d4209499e 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/hooks/batch_rate_limiter.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/hooks/batch_rate_limiter.py
@@ -145,23 +145,25 @@ class _PROXY_BatchRateLimiter(CustomLogger):
         """
         Skip downloading batch input files when configured or when there is
         nothing to enforce (no applicable rate limits and no model allowlist).
+
+        When the caller's key has a model allowlist to enforce, no skip path
+        is honored: the JSONL must still be downloaded so
+        ``_enforce_batch_file_model_access`` can validate every ``body.model``
+        entry. Otherwise a restricted key could smuggle unauthorized models
+        into the file via an admin-configured skip (global disable,
+        per-model, per-provider) or via the user-controlled
+        ``custom_llm_provider`` field.
         """
+        if self._key_requires_batch_model_access_check(user_api_key_dict):
+            return False
+
         from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import general_settings
 
         if general_settings.get("disable_batch_input_file_rate_limiting") is True:
             return True
 
-        # Only honor the metadata-based skip when the key has no model
-        # allowlist to enforce. Otherwise a caller could set this flag in
-        # the request body (it lands in ``litellm_metadata`` for batch
-        # routes) and skip ``_enforce_batch_file_model_access``, smuggling
-        # restricted models into the JSONL.
         litellm_metadata = data.get("litellm_metadata") or {}
-        if litellm_metadata.get(
-            "skip_batch_input_file_rate_limiting"
-        ) is True and not self._key_requires_batch_model_access_check(
-            user_api_key_dict
-        ):
+        if litellm_metadata.get("skip_batch_input_file_rate_limiting") is True:
             return True
 
         batch_model = self._get_batch_routing_model(data)
@@ -189,19 +191,18 @@ class _PROXY_BatchRateLimiter(CustomLogger):
             )
             return True
 
-        if not self._key_requires_batch_model_access_check(user_api_key_dict):
-            descriptors = self.parallel_request_limiter._create_rate_limit_descriptors(
-                user_api_key_dict=user_api_key_dict,
-                data=data,
-                rpm_limit_type=None,
-                tpm_limit_type=None,
-                model_has_failures=False,
+        descriptors = self.parallel_request_limiter._create_rate_limit_descriptors(
+            user_api_key_dict=user_api_key_dict,
+            data=data,
+            rpm_limit_type=None,
+            tpm_limit_type=None,
+            model_has_failures=False,
+        )
+        if not self._has_applicable_batch_rate_limits(descriptors):
+            verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
+                "Skipping batch input file processing: no rate limits configured"
             )
-            if not self._has_applicable_batch_rate_limits(descriptors):
-                verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
-                    "Skipping batch input file processing: no rate limits configured"
-                )
-                return True
+            return True
 
         return False
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/hooks/test_batch_file_validation.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/hooks/test_batch_file_validation.py
index 4a1fe1a37dd..fdaaee381f7 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/hooks/test_batch_file_validation.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/hooks/test_batch_file_validation.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ from fastapi import HTTPException
 
 from litellm.proxy._types import LitellmUserRoles, UserAPIKeyAuth
 
-
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Token counter — covers all three batch payload shapes
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -268,7 +267,7 @@ async def test_pre_call_skips_file_fetch_when_disabled_in_general_settings():
         internal_usage_cache=MagicMock(),
         parallel_request_limiter=MagicMock(),
     )
-    user = UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-ok", user_id="alice", models=["gpt-4o"])
+    user = UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-ok", user_id="alice", models=["*"])
 
     with patch(
         "litellm.proxy.proxy_server.general_settings",
@@ -293,7 +292,7 @@ async def test_pre_call_skips_file_fetch_for_configured_provider():
         internal_usage_cache=MagicMock(),
         parallel_request_limiter=MagicMock(),
     )
-    user = UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-ok", user_id="alice", models=["gpt-4o"])
+    user = UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-ok", user_id="alice", models=["*"])
 
     with patch(
         "litellm.proxy.proxy_server.general_settings",