diff --git a/litellm/llms/openai/responses/guardrail_translation/handler.py b/litellm/llms/openai/responses/guardrail_translation/handler.py
index c119e490ecd..145ca05d6e5 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/openai/responses/guardrail_translation/handler.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/openai/responses/guardrail_translation/handler.py
@@ -233,8 +233,28 @@ class OpenAIResponsesHandler(BaseTranslation):
             return str(server_label) if server_label else None
         return str(tool_type) if tool_type else None
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _tools_nested_in_input_item(item: object) -> tuple[object, ...]:
+        """Tools declared inside an ``additional_tools`` input item. Codex's responses-lite wire
+        mode ships tool definitions there instead of in top-level ``tools``, and providers hoist
+        them back out before dispatch, so reading only ``tools`` would miss them."""
+        if not isinstance(item, dict) or item.get("type") != "additional_tools":
+            return ()
+        tools: Final = item.get("tools")
+        return tuple(tools) if isinstance(tools, list) else ()
+
     def extract_request_tool_names(self, data: dict) -> list[str]:
-        return [name for tool in data.get("tools") or [] if (name := self._request_tool_name(tool)) is not None]
+        input_items: Final = data.get("input")
+        nested: Final = (
+            tuple(tool for item in input_items for tool in self._tools_nested_in_input_item(item))
+            if isinstance(input_items, list)
+            else ()
+        )
+        return [
+            name
+            for tool in (*(data.get("tools") or []), *nested)
+            if (name := self._request_tool_name(tool)) is not None
+        ]
 
     def _extract_and_transform_tools(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_tools_allowlist_enforcement.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_tools_allowlist_enforcement.py
index 431cc4dc3cd..85358417494 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_tools_allowlist_enforcement.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_tools_allowlist_enforcement.py
@@ -105,6 +105,41 @@ class TestExtractRequestToolNames:
             "dmcp",
         ]
 
+    def test_openai_responses_tools_nested_in_additional_tools_input_item(self):
+        """Codex's responses-lite wire mode declares tools inside an `additional_tools` input
+        item, and providers hoist them into top-level `tools` before dispatch. Reading only
+        `tools` would let a restricted key smuggle any tool through `input`
+        (VERIA finding on PR #37995)."""
+        data = {
+            "input": [
+                {"type": "message", "role": "user", "content": "hi"},
+                {
+                    "type": "additional_tools",
+                    "role": "developer",
+                    "tools": [{"type": "web_search"}, {"type": "function", "name": "run_sql"}],
+                },
+            ],
+            "tools": [{"type": "function", "name": "declared_up_front"}],
+        }
+        assert extract_request_tool_names("/v1/responses", data) == [
+            "declared_up_front",
+            "web_search",
+            "run_sql",
+        ]
+
+    def test_openai_responses_malformed_additional_tools_yields_no_name(self):
+        """An `additional_tools` item with a missing or non-list `tools` slot, and a plain string
+        input, must not raise on the auth hot path."""
+        data = {
+            "input": [
+                {"type": "additional_tools"},
+                {"type": "additional_tools", "tools": "not-a-list"},
+                "junk",
+            ]
+        }
+        assert extract_request_tool_names("/v1/responses", data) == []
+        assert extract_request_tool_names("/v1/responses", {"input": "plain string"}) == []
+
     def test_openai_responses_unnamed_tool_yields_no_name(self):
         """A function or custom tool missing its name must not fall back to the bare type:
         that would let "function" satisfy an allowlist that never granted the real tool."""
@@ -280,6 +315,24 @@ class TestCheckToolsAllowlist:
         )
         assert body["tools"] == tools
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_disallowed_tool_nested_in_input_raises_on_responses_route(self):
+        token = _token(metadata={"allowed_tools": ["run_sql"]})
+        body = {
+            "input": [
+                {"type": "additional_tools", "role": "developer", "tools": [{"type": "web_search"}]},
+            ]
+        }
+        with pytest.raises(ProxyException) as exc_info:
+            await check_tools_allowlist(
+                request_body=body,
+                valid_token=token,
+                team_object=None,
+                route="/v1/responses",
+            )
+        assert exc_info.value.type == ProxyErrorTypes.tool_access_denied
+        assert "web_search" in str(exc_info.value.message)
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_team_allowlist_used_when_key_empty(self):
         token = _token(