diff --git a/docs/my-website/docs/completion/input.md b/docs/my-website/docs/completion/input.md
index cc058935221..78bf0b60f8c 100644
--- a/docs/my-website/docs/completion/input.md
+++ b/docs/my-website/docs/completion/input.md
@@ -264,7 +264,9 @@ messages=[{"role": "user", "content": [
 
 - `api_version`: *string (optional)* - (Azure-specific) the api version for the call
 
-- `num_retries`: *int (optional)* - The number of times to retry the API call if an APIError, TimeoutError or ServiceUnavailableError occurs 
+- `num_retries`: *int (optional)* - The number of times litellm retries the API call (with backoff) if an APIError, TimeoutError or ServiceUnavailableError occurs. **Note:** This is independent of `max_retries`, which controls the underlying SDK client's own retry loop (default 2 for OpenAI/Azure, i.e. 3 attempts per request). When both are active they **multiply** — e.g. `num_retries=3` with the default `max_retries=2` produces up to 12 HTTP requests. Set `max_retries=0` when using `num_retries` to get predictable retry counts.
+
+- `max_retries`: *int (optional)* - The number of retries the underlying SDK client (e.g. openai-python) makes per request before returning an error to litellm. Default is **2** (3 total attempts). Set to `0` to disable SDK-level retries and let `num_retries` be the sole retry layer.
 
 - `context_window_fallback_dict`: *dict (optional)* - A mapping of model to use if call fails due to context window error
 
diff --git a/docs/my-website/docs/completion/reliable_completions.md b/docs/my-website/docs/completion/reliable_completions.md
index f38917fe53d..90502341cf3 100644
--- a/docs/my-website/docs/completion/reliable_completions.md
+++ b/docs/my-website/docs/completion/reliable_completions.md
@@ -31,6 +31,27 @@ response = completion(
         )
 ```
 
+### Avoiding retry amplification
+
+`num_retries` controls litellm's retry loop, but the underlying SDK client (e.g. openai-python) has its **own** retry loop via `max_retries` (default **2**, i.e. 3 total attempts per request). When both are active they multiply:
+
+| `num_retries` | `max_retries` (SDK) | Total HTTP requests (worst case) |
+|---|---|---|
+| 3 | 2 (default) | **12** (4 × 3) |
+| 3 | 0 | **4** |
+| 0 | 2 (default) | **3** |
+
+To use only litellm-level retries and get predictable retry counts, set `max_retries=0`:
+
+```python
+response = completion(
+    model="gpt-3.5-turbo",
+    messages=messages,
+    num_retries=2,
+    max_retries=0,  # disable SDK-level retries
+)
+```
+
 ## Fallbacks (SDK)
 
 :::info
diff --git a/litellm/main.py b/litellm/main.py
index 9de91057300..d794cae5816 100644
--- a/litellm/main.py
+++ b/litellm/main.py
@@ -1136,8 +1136,8 @@ def completion(  # type: ignore # noqa: PLR0915
         LITELLM Specific Params
         mock_response (str, optional): If provided, return a mock completion response for testing or debugging purposes (default is None).
         custom_llm_provider (str, optional): Used for Non-OpenAI LLMs, Example usage for bedrock, set model="amazon.titan-tg1-large" and custom_llm_provider="bedrock"
-        max_retries (int, optional): The number of retries the underlying SDK client makes per request (default is 2, i.e. 3 total attempts). This is independent of ``num_retries``, which controls litellm's own retry loop. When both are set they multiply: e.g. ``num_retries=3`` with the default ``max_retries=2`` produces up to 12 HTTP requests (4 litellm attempts × 3 SDK attempts each). Set ``max_retries=0`` when using ``num_retries`` to avoid compounding retries.
-        num_retries (int, optional): The number of times litellm retries the call on transient errors (429, 5xx, timeout) with backoff. Unlike ``max_retries`` (which controls the SDK client), this wraps the entire completion call. See ``max_retries`` note above about interaction between the two.
+        max_retries (int, optional): The number of retries the underlying SDK client makes per request (default is 2, i.e. 3 total attempts). In ``completion()``, ``num_retries`` overwrites this value. In ``completion_with_retries()`` and the Router, they are independent and multiply — e.g. ``num_retries=3`` with ``max_retries=2`` produces up to 12 HTTP requests. Set ``max_retries=0`` when using ``num_retries`` via the Router or ``completion_with_retries()`` to avoid compounding.
+        num_retries (int, optional): In ``completion()``, this is an alias for ``max_retries`` (overwrites it). In ``completion_with_retries()`` and the Router, this drives a separate tenacity retry loop around the full call. See ``max_retries`` note above about the interaction.
     Returns:
         ModelResponse: A response object containing the generated completion and associated metadata.
 
@@ -1263,12 +1263,15 @@ def completion(  # type: ignore # noqa: PLR0915
             verbose_logger.warning(f"Failed to get proxy auth headers: {e}")
     num_retries = kwargs.get(
         "num_retries", None
-    )  ## alt. param for 'max_retries'. Use this to pass retries w/ instructor.
-    # NOTE: max_retries controls the *SDK-level* retry loop (default 2 in
-    # openai-python, i.e. 3 total attempts per request).  num_retries controls
-    # litellm's *own* retry loop.  When both are active they multiply — e.g.
-    # num_retries=3 + max_retries=2 → up to 12 HTTP requests.  If you rely on
-    # num_retries for retry logic, pass max_retries=0 to avoid compounding.
+    )  ## litellm-level retry loop (wraps full completion call); distinct from max_retries (SDK-level). See NOTE below.
+    # NOTE: In completion(), num_retries is aliased to max_retries (line ~1351)
+    # and passed to the SDK client.  In completion_with_retries(), they are
+    # independent: num_retries drives a tenacity loop while max_retries is
+    # reset to 0.  When calling completion() directly with num_retries, the
+    # SDK default of max_retries=2 is overwritten, so there is no
+    # multiplication.  But when using the Router or completion_with_retries(),
+    # both layers can be active — e.g. num_retries=3 + max_retries=2 → up to
+    # 12 HTTP requests.  Pass max_retries=0 to avoid compounding.
     max_retries = kwargs.get("max_retries", None)
     cooldown_time = kwargs.get("cooldown_time", None)
     context_window_fallback_dict = kwargs.get("context_window_fallback_dict", None)