diff --git a/litellm/proxy/_types.py b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
index 3d8d701d15b..41a9341c6cf 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/_types.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/_types.py
@@ -2856,6 +2856,14 @@ class ConfigGeneralSettings(LiteLLMPydanticObjectBase):
             "hidden model can still be called."
         ),
     )
+    model_list_return_wildcard_routes: bool | None = Field(
+        None,
+        description=(
+            "When true, `/models` lists wildcard routes such as `openai/*` next to the models they "
+            "expand to, for every caller, without needing `return_wildcard_routes=true` per request. "
+            "A request can still pass `return_wildcard_routes=false` to leave them out."
+        ),
+    )
     alerting: list | None = Field(
         None,
         description="List of alerting integrations - e.g. `alerting: ['slack', 'webhook', 'email']`. 'slack' posts Slack-format messages to any Slack-compatible webhook (Slack, Rocket.Chat, Mattermost); 'webhook' posts structured JSON budget alerts to WEBHOOK_URL",
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index ae559f30857..9c45fd23b7a 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -11349,7 +11349,7 @@ async def _deployment_hidden_by_listing_callbacks(deployment: Deployment, user_a
 async def model_list(
     request: Request = None,  # pyright: ignore[reportArgumentType]  # FastAPI always injects the Request; the None default only serves direct in-process callers
     user_api_key_dict: UserAPIKeyAuth = Depends(user_api_key_auth),
-    return_wildcard_routes: bool | None = False,
+    return_wildcard_routes: bool | None = None,
     team_id: str | None = None,
     include_model_access_groups: bool | None = False,
     only_model_access_groups: bool | None = False,
@@ -11364,6 +11364,10 @@ async def model_list(
     This is just for compatibility with openai projects like aider.
 
     Query Parameters:
+    - return_wildcard_routes: When true, also list wildcard routes (e.g. `openai/*`)
+                    next to the models they expand to. Defaults to
+                    `general_settings.model_list_return_wildcard_routes`, which is
+                    false unless set; pass `false` to leave them out regardless.
     - include_metadata: Include additional metadata in the response with fallback information
     - fallback_type: Type of fallbacks to include ("general", "context_window", "content_policy")
                     Defaults to "general" when include_metadata=true
@@ -11452,6 +11456,12 @@ async def model_list(
 
     hidden_names: Final = blocked_names | unhealthy_names
 
+    include_wildcard_routes: Final = (
+        settings.get("model_list_return_wildcard_routes") is True
+        if return_wildcard_routes is None
+        else return_wildcard_routes
+    )
+
     # If scope=expand and user has admin privileges, return all proxy models
     if should_expand_scope:
         # Get all proxy models as if user is a proxy admin
@@ -11475,7 +11485,7 @@ async def model_list(
             proxy_model_list=proxy_model_list,
             user_model=None,
             infer_model_from_keys=False,
-            return_wildcard_routes=return_wildcard_routes or False,
+            return_wildcard_routes=include_wildcard_routes,
             llm_router=llm_router,
             model_access_groups=model_access_groups,
             include_model_access_groups=include_model_access_groups or False,
@@ -11535,7 +11545,7 @@ async def model_list(
         team_id=team_id,
         include_model_access_groups=include_model_access_groups or False,
         only_model_access_groups=only_model_access_groups or False,
-        return_wildcard_routes=return_wildcard_routes or False,
+        return_wildcard_routes=include_wildcard_routes,
         user_api_key_cache=user_api_key_cache,
     )
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/test_proxy_server.py b/tests/unit/proxy/test_proxy_server.py
index 8947da4d9fc..8c676e97c99 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/test_proxy_server.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/test_proxy_server.py
@@ -3108,3 +3108,64 @@ def test_get_litellm_model_info(data):
     ):
         get_litellm_model_info(model=model)
         get_info_mock.assert_called_once_with(data["expected"])
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def openai_wildcard_router(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> litellm.Router:
+    router = litellm.Router(
+        model_list=[
+            {"model_name": "gpt-4o", "litellm_params": {"model": "openai/gpt-4o", "api_key": "sk-fake"}},
+            {"model_name": "openai/*", "litellm_params": {"model": "openai/*", "api_key": "sk-fake"}},
+        ]
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(litellm.proxy.proxy_server, "llm_router", router)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(litellm.proxy.proxy_server, "llm_model_list", router.model_list)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(litellm.proxy.proxy_server, "prisma_client", None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(litellm.proxy.proxy_server, "user_model", None)
+    return router
+
+
+async def _listed_model_ids(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    general_settings: dict[str, object],
+    user_role: LitellmUserRoles,
+    **query: str | bool,
+) -> list[str]:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(litellm.proxy.proxy_server, "general_settings", general_settings)
+    response = await litellm.proxy.proxy_server.model_list(
+        user_api_key_dict=UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-test", user_role=user_role), **query
+    )
+    return [model["id"] for model in response["data"]]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "user_role, query",
+    [(LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER, {}), (LitellmUserRoles.PROXY_ADMIN, {"scope": "expand"})],
+)
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_model_list_return_wildcard_routes_setting_matches_query_param(
+    openai_wildcard_router, monkeypatch, user_role, query
+):
+    requested = await _listed_model_ids(monkeypatch, {}, user_role, return_wildcard_routes=True, **query)
+    from_setting = await _listed_model_ids(monkeypatch, {"model_list_return_wildcard_routes": True}, user_role, **query)
+
+    assert "openai/*" in from_setting, from_setting
+    assert from_setting == requested
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "general_settings, query",
+    [
+        ({}, {}),
+        ({"model_list_return_wildcard_routes": "false"}, {}),
+        ({"model_list_return_wildcard_routes": True}, {"return_wildcard_routes": False}),
+    ],
+)
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_model_list_leaves_out_wildcard_routes_unless_enabled(
+    openai_wildcard_router, monkeypatch, general_settings, query
+):
+    listed = await _listed_model_ids(monkeypatch, general_settings, LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER, **query)
+
+    assert "gpt-4o" in listed, listed
+    assert "openai/*" not in listed, listed
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/lib/http/schema.d.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/lib/http/schema.d.ts
index 16325970ed1..d0becba1ba1 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/lib/http/schema.d.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/lib/http/schema.d.ts
@@ -9779,6 +9779,10 @@ export interface paths {
          *     This is just for compatibility with openai projects like aider.
          *
          *     Query Parameters:
+         *     - return_wildcard_routes: When true, also list wildcard routes (e.g. `openai/*`)
+         *                     next to the models they expand to. Defaults to
+         *                     `general_settings.model_list_return_wildcard_routes`, which is
+         *                     false unless set; pass `false` to leave them out regardless.
          *     - include_metadata: Include additional metadata in the response with fallback information
          *     - fallback_type: Type of fallbacks to include ("general", "context_window", "content_policy")
          *                     Defaults to "general" when include_metadata=true
@@ -20059,6 +20063,10 @@ export interface paths {
          *     This is just for compatibility with openai projects like aider.
          *
          *     Query Parameters:
+         *     - return_wildcard_routes: When true, also list wildcard routes (e.g. `openai/*`)
+         *                     next to the models they expand to. Defaults to
+         *                     `general_settings.model_list_return_wildcard_routes`, which is
+         *                     false unless set; pass `false` to leave them out regardless.
          *     - include_metadata: Include additional metadata in the response with fallback information
          *     - fallback_type: Type of fallbacks to include ("general", "context_window", "content_policy")
          *                     Defaults to "general" when include_metadata=true
@@ -28379,6 +28387,11 @@ export interface components {
              * @description When true, `/models`, `/v1/models/{id}` and `/model/info` hide models whose backing deployments are all unhealthy, for every caller, without needing `healthy_only=true` per request. Requires `background_health_checks: true`, and keeps deployment health state cached without turning on `enable_health_check_routing`, so routing is unaffected. With no health state nothing is hidden. Hiding is presentation-only, a hidden model can still be called.
              */
             model_list_healthy_only?: boolean | null;
+            /**
+             * Model List Return Wildcard Routes
+             * @description When true, `/models` lists wildcard routes such as `openai/*` next to the models they expand to, for every caller, without needing `return_wildcard_routes=true` per request. A request can still pass `return_wildcard_routes=false` to leave them out.
+             */
+            model_list_return_wildcard_routes?: boolean | null;
             /**
              * Otel
              * @description [BETA] OpenTelemetry support - this might change, use with caution.