diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
index 161ff2fdfcd..c3e5a7e07fc 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
@@ -2346,6 +2346,16 @@ def get_model_from_request(
         if vertex_match:
             model = vertex_match.group(1)
 
+    # Watsonx routes carry the deployment name under "model_id" (the native
+    # Watsonx ML API shape). The generic "model" body key can also be set by
+    # the caller, but Watsonx executes model_id; both must be authorized,
+    # so model_id is checked whenever present on a /watsonx route,
+    # regardless of whether "model" already resolved.
+    if route.lower().startswith("/watsonx"):
+        watsonx_model: Final = request_data.get("model_id")
+        if isinstance(watsonx_model, str) and watsonx_model:
+            return watsonx_model
+
     if route.lower().startswith("/bedrock"):
         bedrock_model: Final = _model_from_bedrock_route(route)
         return model if bedrock_model is None else bedrock_model