diff --git a/litellm/constants.py b/litellm/constants.py
index 32b47bc6b46..aa132a1c51e 100644
--- a/litellm/constants.py
+++ b/litellm/constants.py
@@ -1749,6 +1749,7 @@ INVALID_VIRTUAL_KEY_ERROR_MARKER: Final = "_litellm_invalid_virtual_key_error"
 # Python garbage collection threshold configuration
 # Format: "gen0,gen1,gen2" e.g., "1000,50,50"
 PYTHON_GC_THRESHOLD: Final = os.getenv("PYTHON_GC_THRESHOLD")
+LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP: Final = os.getenv("LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP", "true").lower() == "true"
 
 # pass through route constansts
 BEDROCK_AGENT_RUNTIME_PASS_THROUGH_ROUTES: Final = [
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/common_utils/debug_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/common_utils/debug_utils.py
index 884aacb9fe1..8b1c1a53af1 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/common_utils/debug_utils.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/common_utils/debug_utils.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from typing_extensions import ReadOnly
 
 from litellm import get_secret_str
 from litellm._logging import verbose_proxy_logger
-from litellm.constants import PYTHON_GC_THRESHOLD
+from litellm.constants import LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP, PYTHON_GC_THRESHOLD
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.bug_report import EnvironmentReport
 from litellm.litellm_core_utils.core_helpers import as_str_mapping
 from litellm.proxy._types import UserAPIKeyAuth
@@ -63,6 +63,21 @@ def configure_gc_thresholds():
 configure_gc_thresholds()
 
 
+def freeze_gc_after_startup() -> None:
+    """Freeze the objects that exist once startup is done (LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP).
+
+    Full collections are stop-the-world and walk every tracked object; the startup heap
+    (modules, typing/Pydantic metadata, cost map, config) never becomes garbage, so moving
+    it to the permanent generation shortens those pauses. Startup garbage is collected first
+    so it is not frozen with the rest.
+    """
+    if not LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP:
+        return
+    gc.collect()
+    gc.freeze()
+    verbose_proxy_logger.info("GC: froze %s objects after startup", gc.get_freeze_count())
+
+
 @router.get(
     "/debug/asyncio-tasks",
     dependencies=[Depends(user_api_key_auth)],
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index 698c1e6e752..eb294d47afe 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import asyncio
 import copy
 import enum
-import gc
 import importlib
 import inspect
 import io
@@ -518,7 +517,7 @@ from litellm.proxy.common_utils.config_includes import resolve_include_file_path
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.config_sync_pubsub import ConfigSyncSubscriber
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.credential_hydration import decrypted_or_stored
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.custom_openapi_spec import JsonObject
-from litellm.proxy.common_utils.debug_utils import init_verbose_loggers
+from litellm.proxy.common_utils.debug_utils import freeze_gc_after_startup, init_verbose_loggers
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.debug_utils import router as debugging_endpoints_router
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.discoverable_model_filter import (
     discoverable_rows,
@@ -1971,8 +1970,7 @@ async def _proxy_lifespan(app: FastAPI, resources: AsyncExitStack) -> AsyncGener
             async with AsyncExitStack() as admin_mcp_stack:
                 try:
                     await admin_mcp_stack.enter_async_context(admin_mcp_lifespan(app))
-                    gc.freeze()
-                    verbose_proxy_logger.warning("gc.freeze pinned %d startup objects", gc.get_freeze_count())
+                    freeze_gc_after_startup()
                     yield state
                 finally:
                     if model_info_scheduler is not None and model_info_scheduler.running:
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/common_utils/test_debug_utils.py b/tests/unit/proxy/common_utils/test_debug_utils.py
index 456be4e8c00..d635091a6ff 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/common_utils/test_debug_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/common_utils/test_debug_utils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import gc
 import json
 import os
 import socket
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ from litellm.proxy import proxy_server
 from litellm.proxy._types import LitellmUserRoles, UserAPIKeyAuth
 from litellm.proxy.auth.user_api_key_auth import user_api_key_auth
 from litellm.proxy.bug_report_config import build_proxy_bug_report
+from litellm.proxy.common_utils import debug_utils
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.debug_utils import (
     PSUTIL_MISSING_ERROR,
     _ProcFilesystemProcess,
@@ -198,3 +200,28 @@ def test_memory_routes_count_prompt_caching_pins(
 
     assert response.status_code == 200
     assert pin_count(response.json()) == expected
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def unfrozen_gc() -> Iterator[None]:
+    gc.unfreeze()
+    yield
+    gc.unfreeze()
+
+
+def test_freeze_gc_after_startup_freezes_existing_objects(unfrozen_gc: None, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(debug_utils, "LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP", True)
+    startup_object = {"loaded": "at startup"}
+
+    debug_utils.freeze_gc_after_startup()
+
+    assert gc.get_freeze_count() > 0
+    assert not any(obj is startup_object for obj in gc.get_objects())
+
+
+def test_freeze_gc_after_startup_does_nothing_when_disabled(unfrozen_gc: None, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    monkeypatch.setattr(debug_utils, "LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP", False)
+
+    debug_utils.freeze_gc_after_startup()
+
+    assert gc.get_freeze_count() == 0
diff --git a/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_lifecycle.py b/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_lifecycle.py
index db5be07fb6f..fd5b72cbe64 100644
--- a/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_lifecycle.py
+++ b/tests/unit/proxy/proxy_server/test_lifecycle.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Pins covered:
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import asyncio
+import gc
 import inspect
 import json
 import logging
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel
 from typing_extensions import TypedDict
 
 import litellm.proxy.proxy_server as ps
+from litellm.proxy.common_utils import debug_utils
 from litellm.proxy.management_helpers.audit_logs import track_audit_task
 from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import (
     ProxyStartupEvent,
@@ -1022,6 +1024,32 @@ async def test_proxy_startup_event_honors_disable_model_info_refresh(
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("enabled", [True, False])
+async def test_proxy_startup_event_freezes_gc_before_serving(enabled: bool) -> None:
+    """With LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP (#46517) the startup heap is already frozen
+    when the proxy starts serving."""
+    scheduler = AsyncIOScheduler()
+    clean_env = {k: v for k, v in os.environ.items() if k not in ("DATABASE_URL", "DIRECT_URL")} | {
+        "LITELLM_DANGEROUSLY_PERMIT_WEAK_OR_UNSET_MASTER_KEY": "true"
+    }
+    gc.unfreeze()
+    with (
+        patch.dict(os.environ, clean_env, clear=True),
+        patch.object(ps, "scheduler", scheduler),
+        patch.object(debug_utils, "LITELLM_GC_FREEZE_AFTER_STARTUP", enabled),
+    ):
+        try:
+            async with proxy_startup_event(app=None):
+                frozen_while_serving = gc.get_freeze_count()
+        finally:
+            gc.unfreeze()
+            if scheduler.running:
+                scheduler.shutdown(wait=False)
+
+    assert (frozen_while_serving > 0) is enabled
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_proxy_shutdown_commits_spend_before_waiting_on_a_slow_logging_task_and_again_after_it() -> None:
     """A worker killed while shutdown waits on a slow logging task keeps the spend it had already counted,