diff --git a/enterprise/litellm_enterprise/proxy/hooks/managed_files.py b/enterprise/litellm_enterprise/proxy/hooks/managed_files.py
index be37f648397..a70d85cf59c 100644
--- a/enterprise/litellm_enterprise/proxy/hooks/managed_files.py
+++ b/enterprise/litellm_enterprise/proxy/hooks/managed_files.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from litellm.proxy._types import (
     UserAPIKeyAuth,
 )
 from litellm.proxy.openai_files_endpoints.common_utils import (
+    FILE_LIST_CONTINUATION_CHUNK_SIZE,
     MAX_FILE_LIST_LIMIT,
     _is_base64_encoded_unified_file_id,
     apply_unified_file_ids,
@@ -1390,7 +1391,10 @@ class _PROXY_LiteLLMManagedFiles(CustomLogger, BaseFileEndpoints):
         yield fewer matches than the page holds. Successive chunks are read
         until the page is full or the caller's rows run out, which keeps
         ``data`` non-empty while matches remain and its last id usable as the
-        next cursor.
+        next cursor. A first chunk that fills the page costs one query; once a
+        scan has to continue past it, the chunk widens to
+        ``FILE_LIST_CONTINUATION_CHUNK_SIZE`` so a page whose matches sit far
+        behind the newest rows cannot degenerate into thousands of queries.
         """
         validate_file_list_limit(limit)
 
@@ -1412,9 +1416,9 @@ class _PROXY_LiteLLMManagedFiles(CustomLogger, BaseFileEndpoints):
                 )
 
         page_size: Final = min(limit or MAX_FILE_LIST_LIMIT, MAX_FILE_LIST_LIMIT)
-        chunk_size: Final = page_size + 1
         matches: Final[List[OpenAIFileObject]] = []
         cursor_id = after
+        chunk_size = page_size + 1
 
         while len(matches) <= page_size:
             cursor_args: _CursorPageArgs = {"cursor": {"unified_file_id": cursor_id}, "skip": 1} if cursor_id else {}
@@ -1433,6 +1437,7 @@ class _PROXY_LiteLLMManagedFiles(CustomLogger, BaseFileEndpoints):
             if len(chunk) < chunk_size:
                 break
             cursor_id = chunk[-1].unified_file_id
+            chunk_size = max(chunk_size, FILE_LIST_CONTINUATION_CHUNK_SIZE)
 
         return build_list_page(matches[:page_size], has_more=len(matches) > page_size)
 
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/openai_files_endpoints/common_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/openai_files_endpoints/common_utils.py
index 605da435848..837b4c43652 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/openai_files_endpoints/common_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/openai_files_endpoints/common_utils.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 MAX_FILE_LIST_LIMIT: Final = 10000
 
+FILE_LIST_CONTINUATION_CHUNK_SIZE: Final = 500
+
 
 def validate_file_list_limit(limit: int | None) -> None:
     """Reject a ``limit`` outside the range OpenAI documents for GET /v1/files."""
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/enterprise/proxy/test_managed_files_hook.py b/tests/test_litellm/enterprise/proxy/test_managed_files_hook.py
index 40abcac1008..0b81c1d23e3 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/enterprise/proxy/test_managed_files_hook.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/enterprise/proxy/test_managed_files_hook.py
@@ -441,6 +441,69 @@ async def test_afile_list_fills_a_page_past_rows_that_do_not_parse():
     assert page["has_more"] is False
 
 
+_DEEP_SCAN_ROW_COUNT = 2000
+_DEEP_SCAN_QUERY_BUDGET = 10
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_afile_list_bounds_the_queries_a_deep_purpose_match_costs():
+    """A tiny limit over rows the filter drops must not turn one request into thousands of queries."""
+    managed_files, table = _make_managed_files_over_rows(
+        [_make_managed_file_row(f"unified-{index:05d}") for index in range(_DEEP_SCAN_ROW_COUNT)]
+        + [_make_managed_file_row("unified-match", purpose="batch")]
+    )
+
+    page = await managed_files.afile_list(
+        purpose="batch",
+        litellm_parent_otel_span=None,
+        user_api_key_dict=_make_user_api_key_dict(),
+        limit=1,
+    )
+
+    assert [file.id for file in page["data"]] == ["unified-match"]
+    assert page["has_more"] is False
+    assert len(table.find_many_calls) <= _DEEP_SCAN_QUERY_BUDGET
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_afile_list_bounds_the_queries_a_deep_unparseable_run_costs():
+    """Rows that will not parse drop out like a filter does, so they get the same bound."""
+    managed_files, table = _make_managed_files_over_rows(
+        [_make_unparseable_managed_file_row(f"unified-{index:05d}") for index in range(_DEEP_SCAN_ROW_COUNT)]
+        + [_make_managed_file_row("unified-parses")]
+    )
+
+    page = await managed_files.afile_list(
+        purpose=None,
+        litellm_parent_otel_span=None,
+        user_api_key_dict=_make_user_api_key_dict(),
+        limit=1,
+    )
+
+    assert [file.id for file in page["data"]] == ["unified-parses"]
+    assert page["has_more"] is False
+    assert len(table.find_many_calls) <= _DEEP_SCAN_QUERY_BUDGET
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_afile_list_reads_one_chunk_when_the_first_one_fills_the_page():
+    """The widened chunk must stay off the common path, where the newest rows already fill the page."""
+    managed_files, table = _make_managed_files_over_rows(
+        [_make_managed_file_row(f"unified-{index:05d}") for index in range(_DEEP_SCAN_ROW_COUNT)]
+    )
+
+    page = await managed_files.afile_list(
+        purpose=None,
+        litellm_parent_otel_span=None,
+        user_api_key_dict=_make_user_api_key_dict(),
+        limit=2,
+    )
+
+    assert [file.id for file in page["data"]] == ["unified-00000", "unified-00001"]
+    assert page["has_more"] is True
+    assert [call["take"] for call in table.find_many_calls] == [3]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_afile_list_reports_no_more_pages_when_nothing_matches():
     managed_files, _ = _make_managed_files_over_rows(