diff --git a/litellm/integrations/custom_guardrail.py b/litellm/integrations/custom_guardrail.py
index f639ad49d5e..fc62a7ad59c 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/custom_guardrail.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/custom_guardrail.py
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ from typing import (
 )
 
 from litellm._logging import verbose_logger
-from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import redact_nested_match_and_regex_keys
+from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+    get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
+    get_or_create_metadata_bucket,
+    redact_nested_match_and_regex_keys,
+)
 from litellm.caching import DualCache
 from litellm.integrations.custom_logger import CustomLogger
 from litellm.secret_managers.main import str_to_bool
@@ -954,17 +958,8 @@ class CustomGuardrail(CustomLogger):
                 # should not happen
                 container[key] = [existing, slg]
 
-        if "metadata" in request_data:
-            if request_data["metadata"] is None:
-                request_data["metadata"] = {}
-            _append_guardrail_info(request_data["metadata"])
-        elif "litellm_metadata" in request_data:
-            _append_guardrail_info(request_data["litellm_metadata"])
-        else:
-            # Ensure guardrail info is always logged (e.g. proxy may not have set
-            # metadata yet). Attach to "metadata" so spend log / standard logging see it.
-            request_data["metadata"] = {}
-            _append_guardrail_info(request_data["metadata"])
+        _, metadata_bucket = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+        _append_guardrail_info(metadata_bucket)
 
         _guardrail_self_recorded.set(True)
 
@@ -1223,7 +1218,7 @@ def _sync_guardrail_info_to_logging_obj(request_data: dict, logging_obj: object)
     """
     if logging_obj is None:
         return
-    meta_src = request_data.get("metadata") or request_data.get("litellm_metadata") or {}
+    meta_src = request_data.get(get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)) or {}
     slg_info = meta_src.get("standard_logging_guardrail_information")
     if not slg_info:
         return
diff --git a/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py b/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
index fea55cd1db4..12465377b51 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
@@ -883,8 +883,8 @@ class OpenTelemetry(OTELGenAISemconvMixin, CustomLogger):
         request_data: dict,
         parent_span: Optional[Any],
     ) -> None:
-        """Emit ``guardrail`` spans from ``request_data["metadata"]
-        ["standard_logging_guardrail_information"]``.
+        """Emit ``guardrail`` spans from the request's proxy-internal metadata bucket
+        (``standard_logging_guardrail_information``).
 
         Routed through ``_create_guardrail_span`` so the dedupe state in
         ``_otel_internal`` is honoured — if ``_handle_failure`` already
@@ -892,7 +892,12 @@ class OpenTelemetry(OTELGenAISemconvMixin, CustomLogger):
         """
         from opentelemetry import trace as _trace
 
-        metadata = (request_data or {}).get("metadata") or {}
+        from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+            get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
+        )
+
+        request_data = request_data or {}
+        metadata = request_data.get(get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)) or {}
         guardrail_information = metadata.get("standard_logging_guardrail_information")
         if not guardrail_information:
             return
diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
index 88dddb59cc7..cecc35ee1c1 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/core_helpers.py
@@ -195,6 +195,25 @@ def get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(
     return "litellm_metadata" if "litellm_metadata" in kwargs else "metadata"
 
 
+def get_or_create_metadata_bucket(
+    request_data: dict,
+) -> tuple[Literal["metadata", "litellm_metadata"], dict]:
+    """
+    Return the proxy-internal metadata bucket for this request, creating it if absent.
+
+    Batch/file routes store proxy state in ``litellm_metadata`` so the OpenAI
+    ``metadata`` field can remain provider-safe (string values only). Every writer and
+    reader of proxy-internal metadata resolves the bucket through here, so a caller that
+    supplies its own ``metadata`` field cannot split them across two dicts.
+    """
+    metadata_key = get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)
+    metadata_bucket = request_data.get(metadata_key)
+    if not isinstance(metadata_bucket, dict):
+        metadata_bucket = {}
+        request_data[metadata_key] = metadata_bucket
+    return metadata_key, metadata_bucket
+
+
 def get_litellm_metadata_from_kwargs(kwargs: dict):
     """
     Helper to get litellm metadata from all litellm request kwargs
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/common_utils/callback_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/common_utils/callback_utils.py
index a9c2a12aff7..33bca782e0b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/common_utils/callback_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/common_utils/callback_utils.py
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 import copy
 import os
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Dict, Iterable, List, Literal, Optional
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Dict, Iterable, List, Optional
 
 import litellm
 from litellm import get_secret
 from litellm._logging import verbose_proxy_logger
 from litellm.constants import PRE_CALL_EXECUTED_GUARDRAILS_KEY
 from litellm.integrations.custom_logger import CustomLogger
+from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+    get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
+    get_or_create_metadata_bucket,
+)
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.sensitive_data_masker import SensitiveDataMasker
 from litellm.proxy._types import CommonProxyErrors, LiteLLMPromptInjectionParams
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.encrypt_decrypt_utils import (
@@ -406,23 +410,6 @@ def get_logging_caching_headers(request_data: Dict) -> Optional[Dict]:
     return headers
 
 
-def get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(
-    kwargs: dict,
-) -> Literal["metadata", "litellm_metadata"]:
-    """
-    Helper to return what the "metadata" field should be called in the request data
-
-    - New endpoints return `litellm_metadata`
-    - Old endpoints return `metadata`
-
-    Context:
-    - LiteLLM used `metadata` as an internal field for storing metadata
-    - OpenAI then started using this field for their metadata
-    - LiteLLM is now moving to using `litellm_metadata` for our metadata
-    """
-    return "litellm_metadata" if "litellm_metadata" in kwargs else "metadata"
-
-
 LITELLM_PROXY_INTERNAL_METADATA_KEYS = frozenset(
     {
         "applied_policies",
@@ -450,23 +437,6 @@ LITELLM_PROXY_INTERNAL_METADATA_KEYS = frozenset(
 )
 
 
-def _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket(
-    request_data: Dict,
-) -> tuple[Literal["metadata", "litellm_metadata"], dict]:
-    """
-    Return the proxy-internal metadata bucket for this request.
-
-    Batch/file routes store proxy state in ``litellm_metadata`` so the OpenAI
-    ``metadata`` field can remain provider-safe (string values only).
-    """
-    metadata_key = get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)
-    metadata_bucket = request_data.get(metadata_key)
-    if not isinstance(metadata_bucket, dict):
-        metadata_bucket = {}
-        request_data[metadata_key] = metadata_bucket
-    return metadata_key, metadata_bucket
-
-
 def sanitize_openai_provider_metadata(
     metadata: Optional[Dict[str, Any]],
 ) -> Optional[Dict[str, str]]:
@@ -496,7 +466,7 @@ def sanitize_openai_provider_metadata(
 def add_guardrail_to_applied_guardrails_header(request_data: Dict, guardrail_name: Optional[str]):
     if guardrail_name is None:
         return
-    _, _metadata = _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+    _, _metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
     if "applied_guardrails" in _metadata:
         if guardrail_name not in _metadata["applied_guardrails"]:
             _metadata["applied_guardrails"].append(guardrail_name)
@@ -513,7 +483,7 @@ def add_policy_to_applied_policies_header(request_data: Dict, policy_name: Optio
     """
     if policy_name is None:
         return
-    _, _metadata = _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+    _, _metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
     if "applied_policies" in _metadata:
         if policy_name not in _metadata["applied_policies"]:
             _metadata["applied_policies"].append(policy_name)
@@ -531,7 +501,7 @@ def add_policy_sources_to_metadata(request_data: Dict, policy_sources: Dict[str,
     """
     if not policy_sources:
         return
-    _, _metadata = _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+    _, _metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
     existing = _metadata.get("policy_sources", {})
     if not isinstance(existing, dict):
         existing = {}
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/model_armor/model_armor.py b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/model_armor/model_armor.py
index 28b9dec100f..f2c5a95202b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/model_armor/model_armor.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/model_armor/model_armor.py
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ from litellm.llms.custom_httpx.http_handler import (
     get_async_httpx_client,
     httpxSpecialProvider,
 )
+from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+    get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
+    get_or_create_metadata_bucket,
+)
 from litellm.llms.vertex_ai.vertex_llm_base import VertexBase
 from litellm.proxy._types import UserAPIKeyAuth
 from litellm.proxy.guardrails.guardrail_hooks.model_armor.file_scanning import (
@@ -432,7 +436,11 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
         Override to store only the Model Armor API response, not the entire data dict.
         This prevents circular references in logging.
         """
-        metadata = (request_data.get("metadata") or {}) if isinstance(request_data, dict) else {}
+        metadata = (
+            request_data.get(get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)) or {}
+            if isinstance(request_data, dict)
+            else {}
+        )
         guardrail_response = metadata.get("_model_armor_response", {})
 
         # Determine status – default to "success" but prefer the explicit value if present.
@@ -471,7 +479,6 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
         blocking, while fail_on_error still governs real Model Armor API errors.
         """
         from litellm.proxy.common_utils.callback_utils import (
-            _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket,
             add_guardrail_to_applied_guardrails_header,
         )
 
@@ -491,7 +498,7 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
         add_guardrail_to_applied_guardrails_header(request_data=data, guardrail_name=self.guardrail_name)
         # Use the same metadata bucket the header helper writes to, so the logged Model Armor
         # payload and status land where _process_response reads them on every route.
-        _, metadata = _get_or_create_proxy_metadata_bucket(data)
+        _, metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(data)
         fail_on_error = bool(self.optional_params.get("fail_on_error", True))
 
         if unscannable_references > 0:
@@ -607,7 +614,7 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
             #   overwritten by another coroutine.
             blocked = self._should_block_content(armor_response, allow_sanitization=self.mask_request_content)
             if isinstance(data, dict):
-                metadata = data.setdefault("metadata", {})  # ensures metadata exists and is unique per request
+                _, metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(data)  # ensures metadata exists and is unique per request
                 # Accumulate so a prior file scan on the same request is not overwritten by this text scan.
                 metadata["_model_armor_response"] = self._append_armor_response(
                     metadata.get("_model_armor_response"),
@@ -702,7 +709,7 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
             blocked = self._should_block_content(armor_response, allow_sanitization=self.mask_request_content)
             # Store the armor response for logging
             if isinstance(data, dict):
-                metadata = data.setdefault("metadata", {})
+                _, metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(data)
                 # Accumulate so a prior file scan on the same request is not overwritten by this text scan.
                 metadata["_model_armor_response"] = self._append_armor_response(
                     metadata.get("_model_armor_response"),
@@ -868,7 +875,7 @@ class ModelArmorGuardrail(CustomGuardrail, VertexBase):
 
                     # Attach Model Armor response & status to this request's metadata to avoid race conditions
                     if isinstance(request_data, dict):
-                        metadata = request_data.setdefault("metadata", {})
+                        _, metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
                         metadata["_model_armor_response"] = self._build_logging_response(armor_response)
                         metadata["_model_armor_status"] = (
                             "blocked" if self._should_block_content(armor_response) else "success"
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/pass_through_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/pass_through_endpoints.py
index acb2e50c79b..9364d7eae3a 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/pass_through_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/pass_through_endpoints/pass_through_endpoints.py
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ from litellm._uuid import uuid
 from litellm.constants import MAXIMUM_TRACEBACK_LINES_TO_LOG
 from litellm.integrations.custom_guardrail import CustomGuardrail
 from litellm.integrations.custom_logger import CustomLogger
+from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+    get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
+    get_or_create_metadata_bucket,
+)
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.litellm_logging import Logging as LiteLLMLoggingObj
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.logging_worker import GLOBAL_LOGGING_WORKER
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.safe_json_dumps import safe_dumps
@@ -668,16 +672,13 @@ def _carry_guardrail_logging_info(request_data: dict, guardrail_data: Optional[d
     """
     if guardrail_data is None:
         return
-    source_metadata = guardrail_data.get("metadata")
-    if not isinstance(source_metadata, dict):
-        return
+    source_key = get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(guardrail_data)
+    source_metadata = guardrail_data.get(source_key) or {}
     entries = source_metadata.get("standard_logging_guardrail_information")
     if not entries:
         return
 
-    metadata = request_data.get("metadata")
-    if not isinstance(metadata, dict):
-        metadata = request_data["metadata"] = {}
+    _, metadata = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
     metadata.setdefault("standard_logging_guardrail_information", list(entries))
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_custom_guardrail.py b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_custom_guardrail.py
index 4ea79f9e2a4..0ef26c1c5f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_custom_guardrail.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_custom_guardrail.py
@@ -654,6 +654,53 @@ class TestGuardrailLoggingAggregation:
         assert len(info) == 2
         assert info[1]["guardrail_name"] == "test_guardrail"
 
+    def test_caller_metadata_does_not_divert_the_entry_from_the_reader(self):
+        """A caller-supplied `metadata` field must not send the entry to a bucket the
+        spend log never reads. Routes in LITELLM_METADATA_ROUTES (/v1/messages,
+        /v1/responses, batches, files) seed `litellm_metadata`, and Claude Code sends
+        `metadata.user_id`, so both keys are present on the same request."""
+        request_data = {
+            "metadata": {"user_id": "device-account-session"},
+            "litellm_metadata": {"user_api_key_hash": "abc"},
+        }
+
+        self._invoke_add_log(request_data)
+
+        assert (
+            "standard_logging_guardrail_information" not in request_data["metadata"]
+        ), "entry landed in the caller's metadata, where the spend log does not read it"
+        info = request_data["litellm_metadata"][
+            "standard_logging_guardrail_information"
+        ]
+        assert len(info) == 1
+        assert info[0]["guardrail_name"] == "test_guardrail"
+
+    def test_entry_and_applied_guardrails_header_share_one_bucket(self):
+        """The x-litellm-applied-guardrails writer and the guardrail-info writer must
+        resolve the same bucket, otherwise the response header and the spend log
+        disagree about whether the guardrail ran."""
+        from litellm.proxy.common_utils.callback_utils import (
+            add_guardrail_to_applied_guardrails_header,
+        )
+
+        request_data = {
+            "metadata": {"user_id": "device-account-session"},
+            "litellm_metadata": {},
+        }
+
+        self._invoke_add_log(request_data)
+        add_guardrail_to_applied_guardrails_header(
+            request_data=request_data, guardrail_name="test_guardrail"
+        )
+
+        buckets = {
+            key
+            for key in ("metadata", "litellm_metadata")
+            for field in ("standard_logging_guardrail_information", "applied_guardrails")
+            if field in request_data[key]
+        }
+        assert buckets == {"litellm_metadata"}
+
 
 class TestGuardrailOtelSpanEmission:
     """Recording a guardrail emits its otel span inline, so every guardrail
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_guardrail_logging_sync.py b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_guardrail_logging_sync.py
index 5dcd1114b3d..f9e1a3efbd0 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_guardrail_logging_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_guardrail_logging_sync.py
@@ -59,8 +59,11 @@ def test_syncs_from_metadata_key():
     assert result == [entry]
 
 
-def test_metadata_wins_over_litellm_metadata():
-    """metadata key takes precedence over litellm_metadata when both are present."""
+def test_litellm_metadata_wins_over_caller_metadata():
+    """When both keys are present the helper must read the bucket the writer used,
+    which get_or_create_metadata_bucket resolves to litellm_metadata. Reading the
+    caller's metadata instead is how a guardrail entry went missing from spend logs
+    on the routes that seed litellm_metadata."""
     entry_meta = _make_slg_entry("from-metadata")
     entry_lm = _make_slg_entry("from-litellm_metadata")
     request_data = {
@@ -74,7 +77,25 @@ def test_metadata_wins_over_litellm_metadata():
     result = logging_obj.litellm_params["metadata"].get(
         "standard_logging_guardrail_information"
     )
-    assert result == [entry_meta]
+    assert result == [entry_lm]
+
+
+def test_syncs_when_caller_sends_its_own_metadata():
+    """The Claude Code shape: caller metadata present, guardrail entry in the seeded
+    litellm_metadata bucket. The entry must still reach the spend-log payload."""
+    entry = _make_slg_entry()
+    request_data = {
+        "metadata": {"user_id": "device-account-session"},
+        "litellm_metadata": {"standard_logging_guardrail_information": [entry]},
+    }
+    logging_obj = _FakeLogging()
+
+    _sync_guardrail_info_to_logging_obj(request_data, logging_obj)
+
+    result = logging_obj.litellm_params["metadata"].get(
+        "standard_logging_guardrail_information"
+    )
+    assert result == [entry]
 
 
 def test_noop_when_no_guardrail_info():
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_otel_guardrail_violation_spans.py b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_otel_guardrail_violation_spans.py
index ace9399cf53..c3e9d67ddad 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_otel_guardrail_violation_spans.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/test_otel_guardrail_violation_spans.py
@@ -279,6 +279,48 @@ class TestGuardrailSpanOnViolation(unittest.TestCase):
             parent_span.context.span_id,
         )
 
+    def test_post_call_failure_hook_emits_span_when_caller_sends_metadata(self):
+        """On routes that seed ``litellm_metadata`` the guardrail entry lives there,
+        not in the caller's own ``metadata`` field. Reading a hard-coded ``metadata``
+        key drops the span for exactly the requests that carry both."""
+        otel, provider, exporter = _make_otel()
+        parent_span = provider.get_tracer(__name__).start_span(PROXY_SPAN_NAME)
+
+        user_api_key_dict = UserAPIKeyAuth(
+            api_key="sk-test",
+            parent_otel_span=parent_span,
+            request_route="/v1/messages",
+        )
+
+        request_data = {
+            "model": "claude-haiku",
+            "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
+            "metadata": {"user_id": "device-account-session"},
+            "litellm_metadata": {
+                "standard_logging_guardrail_information": [
+                    _slg_entry("guardrail_intervened", _bedrock_block_response())
+                ],
+            },
+        }
+
+        _run(
+            otel.async_post_call_failure_hook(
+                request_data=request_data,
+                original_exception=Exception("guardrail blocked"),
+                user_api_key_dict=user_api_key_dict,
+            )
+        )
+
+        guardrail_spans = [
+            s for s in exporter.get_finished_spans() if s.name == GUARDRAIL_SPAN_NAME
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            len(guardrail_spans),
+            1,
+            "the guardrail span must be emitted from the resolved metadata bucket, "
+            "not from a hard-coded 'metadata' key",
+        )
+
     def test_handle_failure_and_post_call_failure_hook_dedupe(self):
         """When _handle_failure and async_post_call_failure_hook BOTH fire
         for the same request (the production flow on a guardrail block),
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_core_helpers.py b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_core_helpers.py
index b67ea91bb0b..b4f539da286 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_core_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_core_helpers.py
@@ -4,12 +4,53 @@ import pytest
 
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
     _FINISH_REASON_MAP,
+    get_or_create_metadata_bucket,
     map_finish_reason,
     reconstruct_model_name,
     redact_nested_match_and_regex_keys,
 )
 
 
+class TestGetOrCreateMetadataBucket:
+    """The single owner every guardrail writer and reader shares, so the response
+    header and the spend log can never disagree about which dict a record lives in."""
+
+    def test_prefers_litellm_metadata_when_both_present(self):
+        request_data = {"metadata": {"user_id": "caller"}, "litellm_metadata": {}}
+
+        key, bucket = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+
+        assert key == "litellm_metadata"
+        assert bucket is request_data["litellm_metadata"]
+
+    def test_uses_metadata_when_litellm_metadata_absent(self):
+        request_data = {"metadata": {"user_id": "caller"}}
+
+        key, bucket = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+
+        assert key == "metadata"
+        assert bucket is request_data["metadata"]
+
+    def test_creates_the_bucket_in_place_when_missing(self):
+        request_data: dict = {}
+
+        key, bucket = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+
+        assert key == "metadata"
+        assert request_data["metadata"] is bucket
+        bucket["k"] = "v"
+        assert request_data["metadata"]["k"] == "v"
+
+    def test_replaces_a_non_dict_bucket(self):
+        request_data = {"litellm_metadata": None}
+
+        key, bucket = get_or_create_metadata_bucket(request_data)
+
+        assert key == "litellm_metadata"
+        assert isinstance(request_data["litellm_metadata"], dict)
+        assert bucket is request_data["litellm_metadata"]
+
+
 def test_reconstruct_model_name_prefers_deployment_value():
     """Ensure deployment metadata wins when reconstructing the model name."""
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_moderations.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_moderations.py
index fe6cb98d1f5..9002d1f81a3 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_moderations.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_moderations.py
@@ -729,10 +729,15 @@ async def test_openai_moderation_post_call_request_data_passthrough():
 
         mock_make_request.assert_called_once()
 
-        # Guardrail info in the REAL request_data (not a throwaway)
-        guardrail_info_list = request_data["metadata"].get(
-            "standard_logging_guardrail_information"
+        # Guardrail info in the REAL request_data (not a throwaway). The unified hook
+        # seeds litellm_metadata, so read the bucket the resolver names rather than
+        # assuming "metadata"; the spend log reads it the same way.
+        from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+            get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
         )
+
+        bucket = request_data[get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)]
+        guardrail_info_list = bucket.get("standard_logging_guardrail_information")
         assert guardrail_info_list is not None
         assert isinstance(guardrail_info_list[0]["guardrail_response"], dict)
         assert "results" in guardrail_info_list[0]["guardrail_response"]
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_openai_moderation_streaming.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_openai_moderation_streaming.py
index 0358ca998aa..914af0e2368 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_openai_moderation_streaming.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/openai/test_openai_moderation_streaming.py
@@ -259,10 +259,15 @@ async def test_openai_moderation_streaming_end_of_stream_request_data_passthroug
             ):
                 pass
 
-        # Verify guardrail info reached the REAL request_data (not a throwaway)
-        guardrail_info_list = request_data["metadata"].get(
-            "standard_logging_guardrail_information"
+        # Verify guardrail info reached the REAL request_data (not a throwaway). The
+        # unified hook seeds litellm_metadata, so read the bucket the resolver names
+        # rather than assuming "metadata"; the spend log reads it the same way.
+        from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import (
+            get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs,
         )
+
+        bucket = request_data[get_metadata_variable_name_from_kwargs(request_data)]
+        guardrail_info_list = bucket.get("standard_logging_guardrail_information")
         assert (
             guardrail_info_list is not None
         ), "Guardrail info should be in request_data after streaming"
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_model_armor.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_model_armor.py
index 18b5bd92411..89b6af27719 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_model_armor.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_model_armor.py
@@ -3502,6 +3502,44 @@ async def test_single_scan_response_stays_a_dict():
     assert isinstance(request_data["metadata"]["_model_armor_response"], dict)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_scan_result_reaches_the_logger_on_a_seeded_route():
+    """On routes that seed `litellm_metadata` the scan result must land in that bucket
+    and be found by `_process_response`. Writing the file-scan result through the shared
+    resolver while the text-scan writers and the reader used a hard-coded `metadata` key
+    split the record in two, so the logged guardrail payload came back empty."""
+    guardrail = _make_guardrail()
+    pdf_b64 = base64.b64encode(PDF_BYTES).decode("utf-8")
+    request_data = {
+        "model": "claude-haiku",
+        "messages": [_file_message(pdf_b64)],
+        "metadata": {"user_id": "device-account-session"},
+        "litellm_metadata": {"guardrails": ["model-armor-test"]},
+    }
+
+    with patch.object(
+        guardrail.async_handler,
+        "post",
+        AsyncMock(return_value=_armor_response(blocked=False)),
+    ):
+        await guardrail.async_pre_call_hook(
+            user_api_key_dict=UserAPIKeyAuth(),
+            cache=MagicMock(spec=DualCache),
+            data=request_data,
+            call_type="completion",
+        )
+
+    assert "_model_armor_response" not in request_data["metadata"]
+    assert "_model_armor_response" in request_data["litellm_metadata"]
+
+    before = len(request_data["litellm_metadata"].get("standard_logging_guardrail_information", []))
+    guardrail._process_response(response=None, request_data=request_data)
+
+    logged = request_data["litellm_metadata"]["standard_logging_guardrail_information"]
+    assert len(logged) == before + 1
+    assert logged[-1]["guardrail_response"], "the logger recorded an empty Model Armor payload"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_pre_call_blocks_supported_document_with_undecodable_base64():
     """A supported document whose inline base64 will not decode cannot be scanned, so it fails closed."""