diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 9ad9ab31b65..00a0856a69a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache bash openssl tzdata nodejs npm python3 libsndfile && \
     { apk del --no-cache npm 2>/dev/null || true; }
 
 WORKDIR /app
-ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}"
+ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}" \
+    UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE=16
 
 COPY --from=builder /app /app
 # Prisma binaries live in $HOME/.cache (default prisma-python location),
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.database b/docker/Dockerfile.database
index c84003a065f..49caa27e461 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.database
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.database
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ RUN apk add --no-cache bash openssl tzdata nodejs npm python3 libsndfile && \
     { apk del --no-cache npm 2>/dev/null || true; }
 
 WORKDIR /app
-ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}"
+ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}" \
+    UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE=16
 
 COPY --from=builder /app /app
 # Prisma binaries live in $HOME/.cache (default prisma-python location),
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.non_root b/docker/Dockerfile.non_root
index 8717e5b3fcd..9187a3b0f6a 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.non_root
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.non_root
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ ENV PATH="/app/.venv/bin:${PATH}" \
     PRISMA_SKIP_POSTINSTALL_GENERATE=1 \
     PRISMA_HIDE_UPDATE_MESSAGE=1 \
     PRISMA_ENGINES_CHECKSUM_IGNORE_MISSING=1 \
-    PRISMA_OFFLINE_MODE=true
+    PRISMA_OFFLINE_MODE=true \
+    UV_THREADPOOL_SIZE=16
 
 RUN mkdir -p /nonexistent /var/lib/litellm/assets /var/lib/litellm/ui && \
     chown -R nobody:nogroup /app /var/lib/litellm/ui /var/lib/litellm/assets /nonexistent && \
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index c0246f234a8..38e177eaf00 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -479,9 +479,14 @@ class ProxyInitializationHelpers:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _get_loop_type():
-        """Helper function to determine the event loop type based on platform"""
         if sys.platform in ("win32", "cygwin", "cli"):
-            return None  # Let uvicorn choose the default loop on Windows
+            return None
+        if os.environ.get("LITELLM_DISABLE_UVLOOP", "").strip().lower() in (
+            "1",
+            "true",
+            "yes",
+        ):
+            return "asyncio"
         return "uvloop"
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
index 580ed95062b..7988628e5a9 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
@@ -354,11 +354,29 @@ class TestProxyInitializationHelpers:
         assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._is_port_in_use(8000) is False
 
     def test_get_loop_type(self):
-        # Test on Windows
         with patch("sys.platform", "win32"):
             assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() is None
 
-        # Test on Linux
+        with patch("sys.platform", "linux"):
+            assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() == "uvloop"
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_DISABLE_UVLOOP": "1"})
+    def test_get_loop_type_disable_uvloop_numeric(self):
+        with patch("sys.platform", "linux"):
+            assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() == "asyncio"
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_DISABLE_UVLOOP": "true"})
+    def test_get_loop_type_disable_uvloop_string(self):
+        with patch("sys.platform", "linux"):
+            assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() == "asyncio"
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_DISABLE_UVLOOP": "yes"})
+    def test_get_loop_type_disable_uvloop_yes(self):
+        with patch("sys.platform", "linux"):
+            assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() == "asyncio"
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_DISABLE_UVLOOP": "0"})
+    def test_get_loop_type_disable_uvloop_false(self):
         with patch("sys.platform", "linux"):
             assert ProxyInitializationHelpers._get_loop_type() == "uvloop"