diff --git a/litellm-rust/crates/python-bridge/src/gil.rs b/litellm-rust/crates/python-bridge/src/gil.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dc1b591735c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/litellm-rust/crates/python-bridge/src/gil.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//! GIL accounting.
+//!
+//! A single chokepoint for releasing the GIL around blocking work. Every
+//! blocking call in the bridge goes through [`release_gil`] instead of calling
+//! `Python::allow_threads` directly, so the release count stays accurate and we
+//! have one place to extend later (timing histograms, per-call labels, etc.).
+
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+
+use pyo3::prelude::*;
+
+/// Number of times the bridge has released the GIL since process start.
+static GIL_RELEASES: AtomicU64 = AtomicU64::new(0);
+
+/// Release the GIL around `f`, recording the release.
+///
+/// `f` must not touch any Python state — that is what makes releasing the GIL
+/// safe. Returning the value back to Python re-acquires the GIL at the call
+/// site, after `f` has finished.
+pub fn release_gil<T, F>(py: Python<'_>, f: F) -> T
+where
+    F: FnOnce() -> T + Send,
+    T: Send,
+{
+    GIL_RELEASES.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+    py.allow_threads(f)
+}
+
+/// Total GIL releases performed by the bridge so far.
+pub fn release_count() -> u64 {
+    GIL_RELEASES.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
+}