diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_batch_x_litellm_model_encoding.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_batch_x_litellm_model_encoding.py
index 101dc48603a..3d1831bb4cd 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_batch_x_litellm_model_encoding.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_batch_x_litellm_model_encoding.py
@@ -287,13 +287,15 @@ async def test_create_batch_with_x_litellm_model_encodes_output_and_error_file_i
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_create_batch_without_x_litellm_model_returns_raw_ids():
+async def test_create_batch_without_x_litellm_model_returns_raw_ids(monkeypatch):
     """
     Without x-litellm-model header, create_batch should NOT encode batch IDs
     (falls through to Scenario 3 / custom_llm_provider fallback).
     """
     from litellm.proxy.batches_endpoints.endpoints import create_batch
 
+    monkeypatch.setenv("OPENAI_API_KEY", "sk-env-openai")
+
     raw_batch_id = "batch_abc123"
     mock_response = _make_batch_response(batch_id=raw_batch_id)
     mock_request = _make_mock_request(headers={})