diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index ddb02508c1f..464d1141f8d 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -754,6 +754,14 @@ class ProxyInitializationHelpers:
     type=float,
     help="Set max budget for API calls - works for hosted models like OpenAI, TogetherAI, Anthropic, etc.`",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--telemetry",
+    default=None,
+    type=bool,
+    hidden=True,
+    expose_value=False,
+    help="Deprecated no-op kept so existing start commands still parse",
+)
 @click.option(
     "--log_config",
     default=None,
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
index c806725d594..8095930bbef 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_proxy_cli.py
@@ -617,6 +617,16 @@ class TestProxyInitializationHelpers:
             assert "Skipping server startup" in result.output
             mock_uvicorn_run.assert_not_called()
 
+            # --- legacy --telemetry flag is accepted, ignored and hidden ---
+            result = runner.invoke(
+                run_server, ["--local", "--skip_server_startup", "--telemetry", "False"]
+            )
+            assert (
+                result.exit_code == 0
+            ), f"exit_code={result.exit_code}, output={result.output}"
+            assert "Skipping server startup" in result.output
+            assert "telemetry" not in runner.invoke(run_server, ["--help"]).output
+
             # --- normal startup ---
             mock_uvicorn_run.reset_mock()