diff --git a/litellm/__init__.py b/litellm/__init__.py
index 1447e05fdf7..d274a4bfc1b 100644
--- a/litellm/__init__.py
+++ b/litellm/__init__.py
@@ -26,7 +26,14 @@ def _dev_env_hot_reload_enabled() -> bool:
     return os.getenv("LITELLM_DEV_ENV_HOT_RELOAD") == "True"
 
 
-if os.getenv("LITELLM_MODE", "DEV") == "DEV":
+def _should_load_dotenv() -> bool:
+    """Check if dotenv should be implicitly loaded (skipped in PRODUCTION or when LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV is set)."""
+    if os.getenv("LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV", "").lower() in ("1", "true", "t", "yes", "y"):
+        return False
+    return os.getenv("LITELLM_MODE", "DEV") == "DEV"
+
+
+if _should_load_dotenv():
     _dotenv.load_dotenv(override=_dev_env_hot_reload_enabled())
 
 from collections.abc import Sequence
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index 8ac63ba25c9..42b21620068 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ sys.path.append(os.getcwd())
 config_filename: Final = "litellm.secrets"
 
 litellm_mode: Final = os.getenv("LITELLM_MODE", "DEV")  # "PRODUCTION", "DEV"
-if litellm_mode == "DEV":
+disable_dotenv: Final = os.getenv("LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV", "").lower() in ("1", "true", "t", "yes", "y")
+if litellm_mode == "DEV" and not disable_dotenv:
     load_dotenv()
 from enum import Enum
 
diff --git a/tests/test_dotenv_opt_out.py b/tests/test_dotenv_opt_out.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3b98947538e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_dotenv_opt_out.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import os
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from litellm import _should_load_dotenv
+
+
+def test_should_load_dotenv_defaults():
+    """By default in DEV mode, dotenv should load."""
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_MODE": "DEV", "LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV": ""}, clear=True):
+        assert _should_load_dotenv() is True
+
+
+def test_should_load_dotenv_production():
+    """In PRODUCTION mode, dotenv should not load."""
+    with patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_MODE": "PRODUCTION", "LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV": ""}, clear=True):
+        assert _should_load_dotenv() is False
+
+
+def test_should_load_dotenv_disabled():
+    """When LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV is truthy, dotenv should not load even in DEV mode."""
+    for truthy_val in ("1", "true", "True", "t", "T", "yes", "YES", "y", "Y"):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_MODE": "DEV", "LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV": truthy_val}, clear=True):
+            assert _should_load_dotenv() is False, f"Failed for LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV={truthy_val}"
+
+
+def test_should_load_dotenv_falsy():
+    """When LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV is explicitly false, dotenv should load in DEV mode."""
+    for falsy_val in ("0", "false", "False", "no", "NO"):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"LITELLM_MODE": "DEV", "LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV": falsy_val}, clear=True):
+            assert _should_load_dotenv() is True, f"Failed for LITELLM_DISABLE_DOTENV={falsy_val}"