diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/get_model_cost_map.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/get_model_cost_map.py
index f81ddbfee2e..a75aa3a9cc2 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/get_model_cost_map.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/get_model_cost_map.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Pulls the cost + context window + provider route for known models from https://github.com/BerriAI/litellm/blob/main/model_prices_and_context_window.json
 
 This can be disabled by setting the LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP environment variable to True.
+The ``lite`` and ``litellm-proxy`` CLI entry points also use the bundled map without fetching.
 
 ```
 export LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP=True
@@ -13,12 +14,14 @@ import hashlib
 import json
 import os
 import random
+import sys
 import threading
 import time
 from collections.abc import Awaitable, Callable
 from dataclasses import dataclass, replace
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from importlib.resources import files
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Final, Protocol
 
 import httpx
@@ -34,6 +37,12 @@ from litellm.litellm_core_utils.fallback_generalizations import (
 )
 
 FALLBACK_GENERALIZATIONS_KEY: Final = "fallback_generalizations"
+_CLI_ENTRYPOINT_NAMES: Final = frozenset({"lite", "litellm-proxy"})
+
+
+def _is_cli_process() -> bool:
+    return Path(sys.argv[0]).stem in _CLI_ENTRYPOINT_NAMES
+
 
 # Reserved top-level keys that are not model entries. They must be excluded
 # from the model-count integrity check so a real upstream shrink can't be masked.
@@ -600,8 +609,12 @@ def get_model_cost_map(
     """
     Public entry point — returns the model cost map dict.
 
-    1. If ``LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP`` is set, uses the local backup only.
-    2. Otherwise fetches from ``url``, retrying transient errors in a background thread.
+    1. If ``LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP`` is set or this is a ``lite`` /
+       ``litellm-proxy`` CLI process, uses the local backup only.
+    2. Otherwise fetches from ``url``, retrying transient HTTP errors
+       (429/5xx/transport) with Retry-After-aware backoff in a background
+       thread, validates integrity, and falls back to the local backup on any
+       failure.
 
     Only the backup model count is cached (a single int) for validation.
     The full backup dict is only parsed when it must be *returned* as a
@@ -610,7 +623,7 @@ def get_model_cost_map(
     _cost_map_source_info.loaded_at = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
     # Note: can't use get_secret_bool here — this runs during litellm.__init__
     # before litellm._key_management_settings is set.
-    if os.getenv("LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP", "").lower() == "true":
+    if os.getenv("LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP", "").lower() == "true" or _is_cli_process():
         _cost_map_source_info.source = "local"
         _cost_map_source_info.url = None
         _cost_map_source_info.is_env_forced = True
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_get_model_cost_map.py b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_get_model_cost_map.py
index 266c2ca1465..c509c8399c9 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_get_model_cost_map.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_get_model_cost_map.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ count actual model entries, not reserved meta keys) and the extraction of the
 
 import json
 import os
+import sys
 import threading
 
 import pytest
@@ -749,3 +750,29 @@ def test_boot_load_that_fails_the_integrity_check_reports_the_backup_not_the_rej
     assert source["etag"] is None
     assert source["source_revision"] == _bundled_blob_id()
     assert source["source_revision"] != git_blob_id(shrunk_body)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("argv0", "request_count"),
+    [
+        ("/some/venv/bin/lite", 0),
+        ("/some/venv/bin/lite.exe", 0),
+        ("/some/venv/bin/python", 1),
+    ],
+)
+def test_boot_load_skips_remote_fetch_for_cli_processes(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, argv0: str, request_count: int
+) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", [argv0, "--version"])
+    monkeypatch.delenv("LITELLM_LOCAL_MODEL_COST_MAP", raising=False)
+    client, calls = _mock_client([httpx.Response(200, content=_real_map_bytes())], client_cls=httpx.Client)
+
+    cost_map = get_model_cost_map(url=_URL, client=client)
+
+    assert calls["count"] == request_count
+    assert cost_map
+    source = get_model_cost_map_source_info()
+    if request_count == 0:
+        assert source["source"] == "local"
+    else:
+        assert source["source"] == "remote"
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/client/cli/test_global_options.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/client/cli/test_global_options.py
index 0dd388919a5..b73d1acc6e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/client/cli/test_global_options.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/client/cli/test_global_options.py
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
 import pytest
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 
-
-
 import litellm.proxy.client.cli
 from litellm._version import version as litellm_version
 from litellm.proxy.client.cli import cli