diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_checks.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_checks.py
index 00f6d44e25a..e8ecf253112 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_checks.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_checks.py
@@ -3605,34 +3605,46 @@ async def _virtual_key_soft_budget_check(
     Triggers a budget alert if the token is over it's soft budget.
 
     """
+    if valid_token.soft_budget is None:
+        return
 
-    if valid_token.soft_budget and valid_token.spend >= valid_token.soft_budget:
-        verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
-            "Crossed Soft Budget for token %s, spend %s, soft_budget %s",
-            valid_token.token,
-            valid_token.spend,
-            valid_token.soft_budget,
-        )
-        call_info = CallInfo(
-            token=valid_token.token,
-            spend=valid_token.spend,
-            max_budget=valid_token.max_budget,
-            soft_budget=valid_token.soft_budget,
-            user_id=valid_token.user_id,
-            team_id=valid_token.team_id,
-            team_alias=valid_token.team_alias,
-            organization_id=valid_token.org_id,
-            user_email=user_obj.user_email if user_obj else None,
-            key_alias=valid_token.key_alias,
-            event_group=Litellm_EntityType.KEY,
-        )
+    from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import get_current_spend
 
-        asyncio.create_task(
-            proxy_logging_obj.budget_alerts(
-                type="soft_budget",
-                user_info=call_info,
-            )
+    spend = await get_current_spend(
+        counter_key=f"spend:key:{valid_token.token}",
+        fallback_spend=valid_token.spend or 0.0,
+        max_budget=valid_token.soft_budget,
+    )
+
+    if spend < valid_token.soft_budget:
+        return
+
+    verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
+        "Crossed Soft Budget for token %s, spend %s, soft_budget %s",
+        valid_token.token,
+        spend,
+        valid_token.soft_budget,
+    )
+    call_info = CallInfo(
+        token=valid_token.token,
+        spend=spend,
+        max_budget=valid_token.max_budget,
+        soft_budget=valid_token.soft_budget,
+        user_id=valid_token.user_id,
+        team_id=valid_token.team_id,
+        team_alias=valid_token.team_alias,
+        organization_id=valid_token.org_id,
+        user_email=user_obj.user_email if user_obj else None,
+        key_alias=valid_token.key_alias,
+        event_group=Litellm_EntityType.KEY,
+    )
+
+    asyncio.create_task(
+        proxy_logging_obj.budget_alerts(
+            type="soft_budget",
+            user_info=call_info,
         )
+    )
 
 
 def _parse_email_list(raw: Any) -> List[str]:
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_auth_checks.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_auth_checks.py
index 27f43c4948f..7d9b4dbf4de 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_auth_checks.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/auth/test_auth_checks.py
@@ -2106,6 +2106,8 @@ async def test_virtual_key_soft_budget_check_without_user_obj():
         (50.0, 50.0, True),  # At soft budget
         (25.0, 50.0, False),  # Under soft budget
         (100.0, None, False),  # No soft budget set
+        (0.0, 0.0, True),  # Zero soft budget is enforced, not treated as disabled
+        (100.0, 0.0, True),  # Any spend crosses a zero soft budget
     ],
 )
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -2113,6 +2115,10 @@ async def test_virtual_key_soft_budget_check_scenarios(
     spend, soft_budget, expect_alert
 ):
     """Test _virtual_key_soft_budget_check with various spend and soft_budget scenarios"""
+    from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import spend_counter_cache
+
+    spend_counter_cache.in_memory_cache.flush_cache()
+
     alert_triggered = False
 
     class MockProxyLogging:
@@ -2145,6 +2151,49 @@ async def test_virtual_key_soft_budget_check_scenarios(
     ), f"Expected alert_triggered to be {expect_alert} for spend={spend}, soft_budget={soft_budget}"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_virtual_key_soft_budget_check_uses_fresh_cross_pod_spend():
+    """Regression: the soft budget check must read the live cross-pod spend
+    counter, not the stale ``valid_token.spend`` snapshot loaded at auth time.
+
+    The cached token spend (10.0) is below the soft budget, so relying on it
+    would suppress the alert; the fresh counter (100.0) is over it and must
+    trigger the alert with the fresh value.
+    """
+    from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import spend_counter_cache
+
+    captured_call_info = None
+
+    class MockProxyLogging:
+        async def budget_alerts(self, type, user_info):
+            nonlocal captured_call_info
+            captured_call_info = user_info
+
+    valid_token = UserAPIKeyAuth(
+        token="stale-spend-token",
+        spend=10.0,
+        soft_budget=50.0,
+        user_id="test-user",
+        key_alias="test-key",
+    )
+
+    spend_counter_cache.in_memory_cache.flush_cache()
+    spend_counter_cache.in_memory_cache.set_cache(
+        key=f"spend:key:{valid_token.token}", value=100.0
+    )
+
+    await _virtual_key_soft_budget_check(
+        valid_token=valid_token,
+        proxy_logging_obj=MockProxyLogging(),
+        user_obj=None,
+    )
+
+    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+
+    assert captured_call_info is not None
+    assert captured_call_info.spend == 100.0
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_virtual_key_max_budget_alert_check_with_user_obj():
     """Test _virtual_key_max_budget_alert_check includes user_email when user_obj is provided"""