diff --git a/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py b/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
index 7e7aa4d370e..16305061ec8 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ class SlackAlerting(CustomBatchLogger):
         self.alerting_args = SlackAlertingArgs(**alerting_args)
         self.default_webhook_url = default_webhook_url
         self.flush_lock = asyncio.Lock()
+        self.periodic_started = False
         super().__init__(**kwargs, flush_lock=self.flush_lock)
 
     def update_values(
@@ -99,12 +100,17 @@ class SlackAlerting(CustomBatchLogger):
         if alerting is not None:
             self.alerting = alerting
             asyncio.create_task(self.periodic_flush())
+            self.periodic_started = True
         if alerting_threshold is not None:
             self.alerting_threshold = alerting_threshold
         if alert_types is not None:
             self.alert_types = alert_types
         if alerting_args is not None:
             self.alerting_args = SlackAlertingArgs(**alerting_args)
+            if not self.periodic_started: 
+                asyncio.create_task(self.periodic_flush())
+                self.periodic_started = True
+                
         if alert_to_webhook_url is not None:
             # update the dict
             if self.alert_to_webhook_url is None:
diff --git a/tests/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_slack_alerting.py b/tests/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_slack_alerting.py
index 425bf8b6a58..b9d0328c5f1 100644
--- a/tests/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_slack_alerting.py
+++ b/tests/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_slack_alerting.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import os
 import sys
 import unittest
 from typing import List, Optional, Tuple
-from unittest.mock import ANY, MagicMock, Mock, patch
+from unittest.mock import ANY, AsyncMock, MagicMock, Mock, patch
 
 sys.path.insert(
     0, os.path.abspath("../../..")
@@ -161,3 +161,14 @@ class TestSlackAlerting(unittest.TestCase):
         )
         self.assertEqual(event, "soft_budget_crossed")
         self.assertTrue("Total Soft Budget" in event_message)
+
+    # Calling update_values with alerting args should try to start the periodic task 
+    @patch("asyncio.create_task")
+    def test_update_values_starts_periodic_task(self, mock_create_task):
+        # Make it do nothing (or return a dummy future)
+        mock_create_task.return_value = AsyncMock()  # prevents awaiting errors
+
+        assert(self.slack_alerting.periodic_started == False)
+
+        self.slack_alerting.update_values(alerting_args={"slack_alerting": "True"})
+        assert(self.slack_alerting.periodic_started == True)