diff --git a/litellm/llms/azure/realtime/handler.py b/litellm/llms/azure/realtime/handler.py
index e9913f0108d..88813c21cd9 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/azure/realtime/handler.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/azure/realtime/handler.py
@@ -6,17 +6,23 @@ This requires websockets, and is currently only supported on LiteLLM Proxy.
 
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from types import MappingProxyType
-from typing import Any, Final, Protocol, cast
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Final, Protocol, cast
 
 from litellm._logging import _redact_string, verbose_proxy_logger
 from litellm.constants import REALTIME_WEBSOCKET_MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE_BYTES
 from litellm.types.realtime import RealtimeQueryParams
 
 from ....litellm_core_utils.litellm_logging import Logging as LiteLLMLogging
-from ....litellm_core_utils.realtime_streaming import RealTimeStreaming
+from ....litellm_core_utils.realtime_streaming import (
+    RealTimeStreaming,
+    client_sent_openai_beta_realtime_header,
+)
 from ....llms.custom_httpx.http_handler import get_shared_realtime_ssl_context
 from ..azure import AzureChatCompletion
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from fastapi import WebSocket
+
 # BACKEND_WS_URL = "ws://localhost:8080/v1/realtime?model=gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-10-01"
 
 
@@ -31,6 +37,19 @@ async def forward_messages(client_ws: Any, backend_ws: Any):
         pass
 
 
+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"
+
+
 class _ProxyClientWebSocket(Protocol):
     """Client-facing websocket handle: this path only closes it after a failed handshake."""
 
diff --git a/litellm/realtime_api/main.py b/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
index 5310efba1c4..d42e7e18b75 100644
--- a/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
+++ b/litellm/realtime_api/main.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ 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
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ from litellm.utils import ProviderConfigManager
 from ..litellm_core_utils.get_litellm_params import get_litellm_params
 from ..litellm_core_utils.litellm_logging import Logging as LiteLLMLogging
 from ..llms.azure.common_utils import get_azure_ad_token
-from ..llms.azure.realtime.handler import AzureOpenAIRealtime
+from ..llms.azure.realtime.handler import AzureOpenAIRealtime, azure_realtime_protocol_for_client
 from ..llms.bedrock.realtime.handler import BedrockRealtime
 from ..llms.custom_httpx.http_handler import get_shared_realtime_ssl_context
 from ..llms.openai.realtime.handler import OpenAIRealtime
@@ -419,7 +418,7 @@ async def _arealtime(
             or litellm_params.get("realtime_protocol")
             or os.environ.get("LITELLM_AZURE_REALTIME_PROTOCOL")
         )
-        realtime_protocol: Final = _azure_realtime_protocol_for_client(
+        realtime_protocol: Final = azure_realtime_protocol_for_client(
             configured_realtime_protocol, query_params=query_params, websocket=websocket
         )
         resolved_azure_ad_token: Final = (
@@ -577,19 +576,6 @@ 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]: