diff --git a/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/platform_mcp.py b/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/platform_mcp.py
index 66ea264e577..6eae8b02d35 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/platform_mcp.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/platform_mcp.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ async def get_platform_mcp_settings() -> tuple[bool, int]:
         if isinstance(param_value, dict):
             settings.update(param_value)
 
-    enabled = settings.get("platform_mcp_enabled") is True
+    enabled = _coerce_enabled(settings.get("platform_mcp_enabled"))
     threshold = _coerce_positive_threshold(settings.get("platform_mcp_tool_threshold"))
     return enabled, threshold
 
@@ -201,11 +201,27 @@ def serialize_tool(tool: Any) -> dict[str, Any]:
 
 
 def _coerce_positive_threshold(value: Any) -> int:
+    if isinstance(value, bool):
+        return DEFAULT_PLATFORM_MCP_TOOL_THRESHOLD
     if isinstance(value, int) and value > 0:
         return value
+    if isinstance(value, str):
+        value = value.strip()
+        if value.isdigit():
+            threshold = int(value)
+            if threshold > 0:
+                return threshold
     return DEFAULT_PLATFORM_MCP_TOOL_THRESHOLD
 
 
+def _coerce_enabled(value: Any) -> bool:
+    if isinstance(value, bool):
+        return value
+    if isinstance(value, str):
+        return value.strip().lower() in {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
+    return False
+
+
 def _server_match_name(server: MCPServer) -> str:
     return server.alias or server.server_name or server.name
 
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/server.py b/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/server.py
index ffae2e169a1..5af1aac1463 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/_experimental/mcp_server/server.py
@@ -2182,6 +2182,7 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
         raw_headers: Optional[Dict[str, str]] = None,
         log_list_tools_to_spendlogs: bool = False,
         list_tools_log_source: Optional[str] = None,
+        enable_platform_mcp_compression: bool = True,
     ) -> List[MCPTool]:
         """
         List all available MCP tools.
@@ -2212,6 +2213,9 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
         platform_mcp_enabled, platform_mcp_threshold = (
             await get_platform_mcp_settings()
         )
+        platform_mcp_enabled = (
+            platform_mcp_enabled and enable_platform_mcp_compression
+        )
         enabled_server_names = get_enabled_server_names_for_session(
             get_active_mcp_session()
         )
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
index e86982307e7..416d275ad24 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/management_endpoints/mcp_management_endpoints.py
@@ -734,6 +734,7 @@ if MCP_AVAILABLE:
             mcp_auth_header=None,
             mcp_servers=None,
             mcp_server_auth_headers=None,
+            enable_platform_mcp_compression=False,
         )
         dumped_tools = [dict(tool) for tool in tools]
 
diff --git a/tests/mcp_tests/test_platform_mcp.py b/tests/mcp_tests/test_platform_mcp.py
index b5b46325f22..96359ac1194 100644
--- a/tests/mcp_tests/test_platform_mcp.py
+++ b/tests/mcp_tests/test_platform_mcp.py
@@ -99,6 +99,43 @@ def test_platform_mcp_advertises_tool_list_changed_capability():
     assert options.capabilities.tools.listChanged is True
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_platform_mcp_settings_accept_config_field_string_values(monkeypatch):
+    from litellm.proxy import proxy_server
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        proxy_server,
+        "general_settings",
+        {
+            "platform_mcp_enabled": "true",
+            "platform_mcp_tool_threshold": "12",
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(proxy_server, "prisma_client", None)
+
+    assert await platform_mcp.get_platform_mcp_settings() == (True, 12)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_platform_mcp_threshold_ignores_bool_values(monkeypatch):
+    from litellm.proxy import proxy_server
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        proxy_server,
+        "general_settings",
+        {
+            "platform_mcp_enabled": True,
+            "platform_mcp_tool_threshold": True,
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(proxy_server, "prisma_client", None)
+
+    assert await platform_mcp.get_platform_mcp_settings() == (
+        True,
+        platform_mcp.DEFAULT_PLATFORM_MCP_TOOL_THRESHOLD,
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_platform_mcp_compresses_aggregate_tools_over_threshold(monkeypatch):
     normal_tools = [_tool(f"tool_{idx}") for idx in range(11)]
@@ -127,6 +164,36 @@ async def test_platform_mcp_compresses_aggregate_tools_over_threshold(monkeypatc
     assert [tool.name for tool in tools] == ["list_servers", "enable_server"]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_platform_mcp_catalog_call_can_bypass_compression(monkeypatch):
+    normal_tools = [_tool(f"tool_{idx}") for idx in range(11)]
+
+    async def fake_get_tools(**kwargs):
+        return normal_tools
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mcp_server_module,
+        "_merge_toolset_permissions",
+        _merge_toolset_permissions,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        mcp_server_module,
+        "_get_tools_from_mcp_servers",
+        fake_get_tools,
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        platform_mcp,
+        "get_platform_mcp_settings",
+        _enabled_platform_settings,
+    )
+
+    tools = await mcp_server_module._list_mcp_tools(
+        enable_platform_mcp_compression=False
+    )
+
+    assert tools == normal_tools
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_platform_mcp_does_not_compress_scoped_server_tools(monkeypatch):
     normal_tools = [_tool(f"tool_{idx}") for idx in range(11)]