diff --git a/litellm/realtime_api/main.py b/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
index b824a5928c6..5310efba1c4 100644
--- a/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
+++ b/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from litellm.constants import (
     request_timeout,
 )
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.get_llm_provider_logic import get_llm_provider
+from litellm.litellm_core_utils.realtime_streaming import client_sent_openai_beta_realtime_header
 from litellm.llms.base_llm.realtime.transformation import BaseRealtimeConfig
 from litellm.llms.custom_httpx.llm_http_handler import BaseLLMHTTPHandler
 from litellm.llms.xai.common_utils import XAIModelInfo
@@ -413,14 +414,14 @@ async def _arealtime(
 
         api_version = api_version or litellm_params.api_version or "2024-10-01-preview"
 
-        realtime_protocol = (
+        configured_realtime_protocol: Final = (
             kwargs.get("realtime_protocol")
             or litellm_params.get("realtime_protocol")
             or os.environ.get("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL")
         )
-        if realtime_protocol is None and (query_params or {}).get("intent") == "transcription":
-            realtime_protocol = "GA"
-        realtime_protocol = realtime_protocol or "beta"
+        realtime_protocol: Final = _azure_realtime_protocol_for_client(
+            configured_realtime_protocol, query_params=query_params, websocket=websocket
+        )
         resolved_azure_ad_token: Final = (
             None if api_key else get_azure_ad_token(GenericLiteLLMParams(**kwargs, azure_ad_token=azure_ad_token))
         )
@@ -576,6 +577,19 @@ def _is_transcription_only_realtime_model(model: str, custom_llm_provider: str)
 _TRANSCRIPTION_QUERY_PARAMS: Final[RealtimeQueryParams] = {"intent": "transcription"}
 
 
+def _azure_realtime_protocol_for_client(
+    configured_protocol: object,
+    *,
+    query_params: RealtimeQueryParams | None,
+    websocket: "WebSocket",
+) -> str:
+    if isinstance(configured_protocol, str) and configured_protocol:
+        return configured_protocol
+    if (query_params or {}).get("intent") == "transcription":
+        return "GA"
+    return "beta" if client_sent_openai_beta_realtime_header(websocket) else "GA"
+
+
 def _azure_realtime_health_protocol(
     model: str, realtime_protocol: str | None, model_params: Mapping[str, object]
 ) -> tuple[str, RealtimeQueryParams | None]:
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/realtime_api/test_main.py b/tests/test_litellm/realtime_api/test_main.py
index 761e87ac764..8a9abe819e5 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/realtime_api/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/realtime_api/test_main.py
@@ -327,7 +327,60 @@ async def test_arealtime_azure_ai_on_a_foundry_host_connects_to_the_azure_openai
             api_key="fake-key",
             litellm_logging_obj=FakeLogging(),
         )
-    assert connect.url == (
-        "wss://my-project.services.ai.azure.com/openai/realtime"
-        "?api-version=2024-10-01-preview&deployment=gpt-realtime-mini"
+    assert connect.url == "wss://my-project.services.ai.azure.com/openai/v1/realtime?model=gpt-realtime-mini"
+
+
+class _ClientWebSocketWithHeaders:
+    def __init__(self, headers: tuple[tuple[bytes, bytes], ...]) -> None:
+        self.scope: Final = {"headers": headers}
+
+
+_GA_CLIENT: Final = _ClientWebSocketWithHeaders(headers=())
+_BETA_CLIENT: Final = _ClientWebSocketWithHeaders(headers=((b"openai-beta", b"realtime=v1"),))
+
+
+async def _azure_backend_url_dialed_for(websocket: _ClientWebSocketWithHeaders, **kwargs: object) -> str | None:
+    connect: Final = _ConnectThatStopsAfterCapturingTheUrl()
+    with patch("websockets.connect", connect):
+        await realtime_main._arealtime.__wrapped__(
+            model="azure/gpt-realtime",
+            websocket=websocket,
+            api_base="https://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com",
+            api_key="fake-key",
+            litellm_logging_obj=FakeLogging(),
+            **kwargs,
+        )
+    return connect.url
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_arealtime_azure_ga_client_without_beta_header_dials_the_ga_upstream(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL", raising=False)
+    assert (
+        await _azure_backend_url_dialed_for(_GA_CLIENT)
+        == "wss://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com/openai/v1/realtime?model=gpt-realtime"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_arealtime_azure_beta_header_client_keeps_the_beta_upstream(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL", raising=False)
+    assert await _azure_backend_url_dialed_for(_BETA_CLIENT) == (
+        "wss://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com/openai/realtime?api-version=2024-10-01-preview&deployment=gpt-realtime"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_arealtime_azure_explicit_beta_protocol_wins_over_a_ga_client(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL", raising=False)
+    assert await _azure_backend_url_dialed_for(_GA_CLIENT, realtime_protocol="beta") == (
+        "wss://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com/openai/realtime?api-version=2024-10-01-preview&deployment=gpt-realtime"
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_arealtime_azure_env_beta_protocol_wins_over_a_ga_client(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL", "beta")
+    assert await _azure_backend_url_dialed_for(_GA_CLIENT) == (
+        "wss://my-endpoint.openai.azure.com/openai/realtime?api-version=2024-10-01-preview&deployment=gpt-realtime"
     )