diff --git a/litellm/models/model.py b/litellm/models/model.py
index 209f26d4837..a0c840341ab 100644
--- a/litellm/models/model.py
+++ b/litellm/models/model.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ class LiteLLM_ProxyModelTable(LiteLLMPydanticObjectBase):
     @model_validator(mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def check_potential_json_str(cls, values):
+        if not isinstance(values, dict):
+            return values
         if isinstance(values.get("litellm_params"), str):
             try:
                 values["litellm_params"] = json.loads(values["litellm_params"])
diff --git a/tests/e2e/management/test_model_tag_accessgroup_e2e.py b/tests/e2e/management/test_model_tag_accessgroup_e2e.py
index e6a187ae105..63e51e4abcb 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/management/test_model_tag_accessgroup_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/management/test_model_tag_accessgroup_e2e.py
@@ -180,6 +180,12 @@ class ModelBlockBody(BaseModel):
     model_id: str
 
 
+class ModelBlockResponse(BaseModel):
+    model_config = ConfigDict(protected_namespaces=())
+    model_id: str
+    blocked: bool
+
+
 class ModelInfoBlockDetail(BaseModel):
     id: str | None = None
     blocked: bool | None = None
@@ -245,11 +251,6 @@ class TestModelRoutes:
     def test_block_then_unblock_persists_to_model_info(
         self, client: ManagementClient, resources: ResourceManager
     ) -> None:
-        """The blocked flag's persistence is read back from /model/info, not from the
-        /model/block response: that route currently returns a non-2xx serialization
-        envelope even though the DB write lands, so the /model/info read-back is the
-        authoritative persistence contract and keeps this test valid once the
-        response shape is fixed."""
         model_name = f"e2e-mgmt-model-block-{unique_marker()}"
         model_id = _create_db_model(client, resources, model_name)
 
@@ -257,27 +258,25 @@ class TestModelRoutes:
             f"{model_name!r} already reports blocked in /model/info before /model/block ran"
         )
 
-        _ = client.proxy.transport.send(
-            "/model/block",
-            headers=client.proxy.transport.master,
-            json=ModelBlockBody(model_id=model_id),
-        )
-        _ = _poll(
-            client.proxy,
-            lambda: True if _model_blocked_flag(client, model_id) is True else None,
-            f"/model/info never reported {model_name!r} blocked after /model/block",
-        )
-
-        _ = client.proxy.transport.send(
-            "/model/unblock",
-            headers=client.proxy.transport.master,
-            json=ModelBlockBody(model_id=model_id),
-        )
-        _ = _poll(
-            client.proxy,
-            lambda: True if _model_blocked_flag(client, model_id) is not True else None,
-            f"/model/info never cleared blocked for {model_name!r} after /model/unblock",
-        )
+        for action, expected in (("block", True), ("unblock", False)):
+            response = unwrap(
+                client.proxy.transport.post(
+                    f"/model/{action}",
+                    headers=client.proxy.transport.master,
+                    json=ModelBlockBody(model_id=model_id),
+                    response_type=ModelBlockResponse,
+                )
+            )
+            assert response.model_id == model_id
+            assert response.blocked is expected
+            _ = _poll(
+                client.proxy,
+                lambda: True
+                if _model_blocked_flag(client, model_id) is expected
+                else None,
+                f"/model/info never reported blocked={expected} for {model_name!r} "
+                f"after /model/{action}",
+            )
 
 
 class TestTagRoutes:
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/models/test_models.py b/tests/test_litellm/models/test_models.py
index 669dba8e466..9ae9b732066 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/models/test_models.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/models/test_models.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Tests for backend domain models.
 from datetime import datetime
 
 import pytest
+from pydantic import BaseModel, TypeAdapter
 
 from litellm.models.access_group import LiteLLM_AccessGroupTable
 from litellm.models.budget import (
@@ -130,6 +131,33 @@ class TestModel:
         assert model.litellm_params == {"model": "gpt-4"}
         assert model.model_info == {"team_id": "t1"}
 
+    def test_response_type_adapter_accepts_pydantic_row(self):
+        class PrismaModelRow(BaseModel):
+            model_id: str
+            model_name: str
+            litellm_params: dict[str, str]
+            model_info: dict[str, str] | None = None
+            blocked: bool = False
+
+        row = PrismaModelRow(
+            model_id="m1",
+            model_name="gpt-4",
+            litellm_params={"model": "gpt-4"},
+            model_info={"team_id": "t1"},
+            blocked=True,
+        )
+
+        model = TypeAdapter(LiteLLM_ProxyModelTable | None).validate_python(
+            row,
+            from_attributes=True,
+        )
+
+        assert model is not None
+        assert model.model_id == "m1"
+        assert model.litellm_params == {"model": "gpt-4"}
+        assert model.model_info == {"team_id": "t1"}
+        assert model.blocked is True
+
     def test_team_helpers_none_when_no_model_info(self):
         model = LiteLLM_ProxyModelTable(
             model_id="m1", model_name="gpt-4", litellm_params={}, model_info=None