diff --git a/litellm/proxy/db/db_transaction_queue/spend_log_cleanup.py b/litellm/proxy/db/db_transaction_queue/spend_log_cleanup.py
index 04f67d38a0b..cbc90c81559 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/db/db_transaction_queue/spend_log_cleanup.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/db/db_transaction_queue/spend_log_cleanup.py
@@ -108,16 +108,24 @@ def first_cleanup_run_kwargs(settings: Mapping[str, object], now: datetime) -> F
     """
     Extra ``add_job`` kwargs for the interval cleanup job. Empty unless
     ``maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_run_on_startup`` is true, so the first run otherwise stays one interval out.
+    The startup delay is capped at the configured interval so opting in never makes the first run later.
     """
     if (
         settings.get("maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_cron")
         or settings.get("maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_run_on_startup") is not True
     ):
         return {}
-    delay_seconds: Final = SPEND_LOG_CLEANUP_STARTUP_DELAY_SECONDS + random.randint(
+    retention_interval: Final = settings.get("maximum_spend_logs_retention_interval", "1d")
+    if not isinstance(retention_interval, str):
+        return {}
+    try:
+        interval_seconds: Final = duration_in_seconds(retention_interval)
+    except (ValueError, OverflowError):
+        return {}
+    startup_delay_seconds: Final = SPEND_LOG_CLEANUP_STARTUP_DELAY_SECONDS + random.randint(
         0, SPEND_LOG_CLEANUP_STARTUP_JITTER_SECONDS
     )
-    return {"next_run_time": now + timedelta(seconds=delay_seconds)}
+    return {"next_run_time": now + timedelta(seconds=min(startup_delay_seconds, interval_seconds))}
 
 
 class SpendLogCleanup:
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_proxy_config.py b/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_proxy_config.py
index 95a1879bffa..10db1f121ff 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_proxy_config.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_proxy_config.py
@@ -4259,6 +4259,28 @@ async def test_ProxyConfig__reschedule_spend_log_cleanup_job_first_run_only_move
         real_scheduler.shutdown(wait=False)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_ProxyConfig__reschedule_spend_log_cleanup_job_opt_in_never_delays_a_short_interval(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+):
+    real_scheduler: Final = _paused_scheduler(monkeypatch)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "litellm.proxy.proxy_server.general_settings",
+        {
+            "maximum_health_check_retention_period": "90d",
+            "maximum_spend_logs_retention_interval": "30s",
+            "maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_run_on_startup": True,
+        },
+    )
+    before: Final = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    try:
+        await ProxyConfig()._reschedule_spend_log_cleanup_job()
+        delay: Final = (real_scheduler.get_job("spend_log_cleanup_job").next_run_time - before).total_seconds()
+        assert delay <= 30 + 1, delay
+    finally:
+        real_scheduler.shutdown(wait=False)
+
+
 def _scheduler_whose_first_add_job_raises(monkeypatch):
     from apscheduler.schedulers.asyncio import AsyncIOScheduler
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/test_spend_log_cleanup.py b/tests/unit/proxy/test_spend_log_cleanup.py
index 87249a4af4a..34966733c31 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/test_spend_log_cleanup.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/test_spend_log_cleanup.py
@@ -61,6 +61,29 @@ def test_first_cleanup_run_kwargs_runs_soon_after_startup_when_opted_in():
     assert len(delays) > 1
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("interval, interval_seconds", [("30s", 30), ("2m", 120)])
+def test_first_cleanup_run_kwargs_never_runs_later_than_a_short_interval(interval: str, interval_seconds: int):
+    now: Final = datetime(2026, 1, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    settings: Final = {
+        "maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_run_on_startup": True,
+        "maximum_spend_logs_retention_interval": interval,
+    }
+    delays: Final = {
+        (first_cleanup_run_kwargs(settings, now)["next_run_time"] - now).total_seconds() for _ in range(200)
+    }
+    assert max(delays) <= interval_seconds, delays
+    assert min(delays) >= min(SPEND_LOG_CLEANUP_STARTUP_DELAY_SECONDS, interval_seconds), delays
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("interval", ["not-a-duration", 3600])
+def test_first_cleanup_run_kwargs_leaves_an_invalid_interval_to_the_caller(interval: object):
+    settings: Final = {
+        "maximum_spend_logs_cleanup_run_on_startup": True,
+        "maximum_spend_logs_retention_interval": interval,
+    }
+    assert dict(first_cleanup_run_kwargs(settings, datetime(2026, 1, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc))) == {}
+
+
 def _far_deadline() -> float:
     """A run deadline far enough out that only the other bounds can stop a batch loop."""
     return time.monotonic() + 3600