diff --git a/litellm/router.py b/litellm/router.py
index 9f770b23608..64db136a791 100644
--- a/litellm/router.py
+++ b/litellm/router.py
@@ -422,6 +422,9 @@ def _stream_chunks_have_generated_content(chunks: Sequence[ModelResponseStream])
 
 _NO_SESSION_KWARGS: Final[Mapping[str, Mapping[str, object]]] = MappingProxyType({})
 _SESSION_ADAPTER: Final = TypeAdapter(Mapping[str, object])
+# The only response_format that leaves a stream continuation-eligible: the rest
+# ask for structured output that cannot resume from an arbitrary cut point.
+_UNCONSTRAINED_RESPONSE_FORMAT: Final[Mapping[str, str]] = MappingProxyType({"type": "text"})
 
 
 def _as_retry_skipped_deployment_ids(value: object) -> tuple[str, ...]:
@@ -3060,7 +3063,7 @@ class Router:
         # Structured output cannot be resumed from an arbitrary cut point;
         # `{"type": "text"}` is the unconstrained default and stays eligible.
         response_format: Final = request_kwargs.get("response_format")
-        if response_format is not None and response_format != {"type": "text"}:
+        if response_format is not None and response_format != _UNCONSTRAINED_RESPONSE_FORMAT:
             return False
         tool_choice: Final = request_kwargs.get("tool_choice")
         if tool_choice == "required" or isinstance(tool_choice, Mapping):
@@ -3071,17 +3074,17 @@ class Router:
 
     @staticmethod
     def _build_completion_continuation_input(
-        messages: list[dict[str, str]],
+        messages: Sequence[Mapping[str, str]],
         generated_content: str,
     ) -> Sequence[Mapping[str, object]]:
         """Append the partial output as an assistant prefill for a prefill-capable
         fallback to continue. A nested break folds the new partial into an
         existing trailing prefill rather than appending a second assistant turn."""
-        if messages and messages[-1].get("role") == "assistant" and messages[-1].get("prefix"):
-            last: Final = messages[-1]
-            merged: dict[str, object] = {**last, "content": str(last.get("content") or "") + generated_content}
+        last: Final = messages[-1] if messages else None
+        if last is not None and last.get("role") == "assistant" and last.get("prefix"):
+            merged: Final = {**last, "content": str(last.get("content") or "") + generated_content}
             return [*messages[:-1], merged]
-        prefill: dict[str, object] = {"role": "assistant", "content": generated_content, "prefix": True}
+        prefill: Final = {"role": "assistant", "content": generated_content, "prefix": True}
         return [*messages, prefill]
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/litellm/router_utils/pre_call_checks/continuation_prefill_check.py b/litellm/router_utils/pre_call_checks/continuation_prefill_check.py
index 2a527c8b249..688470b2b77 100644
--- a/litellm/router_utils/pre_call_checks/continuation_prefill_check.py
+++ b/litellm/router_utils/pre_call_checks/continuation_prefill_check.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ assistant prefill are dropped, so the partial text is continued rather than
 regenerated or rejected. Requests without the marker pass through untouched.
 """
 
+from collections.abc import Mapping, Sequence
 from typing import Final
 
 from pydantic import TypeAdapter, ValidationError
@@ -32,11 +33,12 @@ class ContinuationPrefillDeploymentCheck(CustomLogger):
     async def async_filter_deployments(
         self,
         model: str,
-        healthy_deployments: list[dict[str, object]],
-        messages: list[AllMessageValues] | None,
-        request_kwargs: dict[str, object] | None = None,
+        healthy_deployments: list[dict[str, object]],  # mutable-ok: CustomLogger deployment-list contract
+        messages: Sequence[AllMessageValues] | None,
+        request_kwargs: Mapping[str, object] | None = None,
         parent_otel_span: Span | None = None,
-    ) -> list[dict[str, object]]:
+    ) -> list[dict[str, object]]:  # mutable-ok: returns a mutable deployment list
         if not (request_kwargs or {}).get(MID_STREAM_CONTINUATION_KWARG):
             return healthy_deployments
-        return [deployment for deployment in healthy_deployments if _deployment_supports_prefill(deployment)]
+        eligible: Final = (deployment for deployment in healthy_deployments if _deployment_supports_prefill(deployment))
+        return list(eligible)  # mutable-ok: downstream deployment selection consumes a mutable list
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_handler.py b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_handler.py
index 7aa244a8433..f5cc8fb6b03 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_handler.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/litellm_core_utils/test_streaming_handler.py
@@ -4966,7 +4966,6 @@ class TestContinuationDisqualifiers:
 
         wrapper._accumulate_streamed_delta({"content": "Hi"})
         wrapper._accumulate_streamed_delta({"tool_calls": [{"index": 0}]})
-        # a later plain-text delta must not clear the latch
         wrapper._accumulate_streamed_delta({"content": "there"})
 
         assert wrapper.response_uptil_now == "Hithere"