diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/handle_jwt.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/handle_jwt.py
index bfad9f0c3c7..48bbd8e2150 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/handle_jwt.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/handle_jwt.py
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ class JWTHandler:
         self.leeway = leeway
 
     @staticmethod
-    def is_jwt(token: str):
+    def is_jwt(token: Optional[str]) -> bool:
+        if token is None:
+            return False
         parts = token.split(".")
         return len(parts) == 3
 
diff --git a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_jwt.py b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_jwt.py
index 24cf15a3214..a5be1a3a42d 100644
--- a/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_jwt.py
+++ b/tests/proxy_unit_tests/test_jwt.py
@@ -1331,6 +1331,9 @@ def test_jwt_handler_is_jwt_static_method():
     # Test with empty string
     assert JWTHandler.is_jwt("") == False
 
+    # Test with None (missing Authorization header)
+    assert JWTHandler.is_jwt(None) == False
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "requested_model, should_work",
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_user_api_key_auth.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_user_api_key_auth.py
index 81ca758983b..6e000f9c0e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_user_api_key_auth.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_user_api_key_auth.py
@@ -567,6 +567,10 @@ class TestJWTOAuth2Coexistence:
         assert JWTHandler.is_jwt("Bearer token") is False
         assert JWTHandler.is_jwt("two.parts") is False
 
+    def test_is_jwt_returns_false_for_none(self):
+        """None token (missing Authorization header) should not be treated as JWT."""
+        assert JWTHandler.is_jwt(None) is False
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_both_enabled_opaque_token_uses_oauth2(self):
         """