diff --git a/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py b/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
index a6d86f73479..9f9c26ae15c 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/slack_alerting.py
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ Model Info:
         )
         return True
 
-    async def _run_scheduled_deprecation_check(
+    async def run_scheduled_deprecation_check(
         self, get_llm_router: Callable[[], Router | None] = _proxy_llm_router
     ) -> None:
         """Alert once the router is loaded and the alert is on, then daily, re-reading both each pass"""
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/utils.py b/litellm/proxy/utils.py
index 3a40d688883..bc73e4d3e5b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/utils.py
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ class ProxyLogging:
 
     def _ensure_deprecation_check_scheduled(self) -> None:
         """Alerting can be configured at startup or by a later config reload, so schedule from either path"""
-        if self.alerting is None or self.slack_alerting_instance is None or self.deprecation_check_started:
+        if self.alerting is None or self.deprecation_check_started:
             return
 
         try:
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ class ProxyLogging:
         except RuntimeError:
             return
 
-        asyncio.create_task(self.slack_alerting_instance._run_scheduled_deprecation_check())
+        asyncio.create_task(self.slack_alerting_instance.run_scheduled_deprecation_check())
         self.deprecation_check_started = True
 
     def update_values(
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_model_deprecation_alert.py b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_model_deprecation_alert.py
index 6dfdf831fa7..f475a6d454e 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_model_deprecation_alert.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/integrations/SlackAlerting/test_model_deprecation_alert.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ async def test_should_alert_once_the_alert_type_and_router_arrive_after_startup(
         ),
         pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError),
     ):
-        await alerting._run_scheduled_deprecation_check(get_llm_router=lambda: router)
+        await alerting.run_scheduled_deprecation_check(get_llm_router=lambda: router)
 
     assert slept == [
         DEPRECATION_IDLE_POLL_SECONDS,
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ async def test_should_wait_for_the_router_instead_of_sleeping_a_full_day(monkeyp
         ),
         pytest.raises(asyncio.CancelledError),
     ):
-        await alerting._run_scheduled_deprecation_check(
+        await alerting.run_scheduled_deprecation_check(
             get_llm_router=lambda: next(routers)
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/utils/proxy_logging/test_lifecycle.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/utils/proxy_logging/test_lifecycle.py
index 5382f367f42..e45345877f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/utils/proxy_logging/test_lifecycle.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/utils/proxy_logging/test_lifecycle.py
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ async def test_startup_event_schedules_deprecation_check_before_its_alert_type_i
     proxy_logging.alerting = ["slack"]
     proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance = MagicMock()
     proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.alert_types = []
-    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance._run_scheduled_deprecation_check = AsyncMock()
+    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.run_scheduled_deprecation_check = AsyncMock()
     proxy_logging._init_litellm_callbacks = MagicMock()
 
     proxy_logging.startup_event(llm_router=None, redis_usage_cache=None)
 
     assert proxy_logging.deprecation_check_started is True
-    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance._run_scheduled_deprecation_check.assert_called_once_with()
+    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.run_scheduled_deprecation_check.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ async def test_update_values_schedules_deprecation_check_when_alerting_arrives_l
     """A proxy that boots without alerting still needs the loop once a config reload turns it on"""
     proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance = MagicMock()
     proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.alert_types = []
-    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance._run_scheduled_deprecation_check = AsyncMock()
+    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.run_scheduled_deprecation_check = AsyncMock()
     proxy_logging._init_litellm_callbacks = MagicMock()
 
     proxy_logging.startup_event(llm_router=None, redis_usage_cache=None)
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ async def test_update_values_schedules_deprecation_check_when_alerting_arrives_l
     proxy_logging.update_values(alerting=["slack"])
 
     assert proxy_logging.deprecation_check_started is True
-    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance._run_scheduled_deprecation_check.assert_called_once_with()
+    proxy_logging.slack_alerting_instance.run_scheduled_deprecation_check.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
 def test_startup_event_propagates_init_callbacks_failure_raises(proxy_logging):