diff --git a/litellm/identity/adapter.py b/litellm/identity/adapter.py
index 478c7f9a77a..2b8ee777c8d 100644
--- a/litellm/identity/adapter.py
+++ b/litellm/identity/adapter.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def identity_context_to_user_api_key_auth(
     kwargs: dict = {
         "end_user_id": ctx.end_user_id,
         "access_group_ids": (
-            list(ctx.access_group_ids) if ctx.access_group_ids else None
+            list(ctx.access_group_ids) if ctx.access_group_ids is not None else None
         ),
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/identity/test_adapter.py b/tests/test_litellm/identity/test_adapter.py
index 9f8d2d8ee6a..fd5c5dbf4d9 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/identity/test_adapter.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/identity/test_adapter.py
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ def test_roundtrip_preserves_api_key_identity_fields():
     assert back.token == uak.token
 
 
+def test_access_group_ids_empty_list_survives_roundtrip():
+    uak = UserAPIKeyAuth(api_key="sk-x", user_id="u", access_group_ids=[])
+    ctx = user_api_key_auth_to_identity_context(uak)
+    assert ctx.access_group_ids == []
+
+    back = identity_context_to_user_api_key_auth(ctx)
+    assert back.access_group_ids == []
+
+
 def test_token_hash_not_double_hashed():
     ctx = IdentityContext(principal=ApiKeyPrincipal(token_hash="abc123"))
     back = identity_context_to_user_api_key_auth(ctx)