diff --git a/litellm/router_strategy/auto_router/auto_router.py b/litellm/router_strategy/auto_router/auto_router.py
index c01e2f10d2c..cd1a00b4fab 100644
--- a/litellm/router_strategy/auto_router/auto_router.py
+++ b/litellm/router_strategy/auto_router/auto_router.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Auto-Routing Strategy that works with a Semantic Router Config
 """
 
+import asyncio
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
 from litellm._logging import verbose_router_logger
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class AutoRouter(CustomLogger):
         self.auto_sync_value = self.DEFAULT_AUTO_SYNC_VALUE
         self.loaded_routes: List[Route] = self._load_semantic_routing_routes()
         self.routelayer: Optional[SemanticRouter] = None
+        self._routelayer_lock = asyncio.Lock()
         self.default_model = default_model
         self.embedding_model: str = embedding_model
         self.litellm_router_instance: "Router" = litellm_router_instance
@@ -132,21 +134,24 @@ class AutoRouter(CustomLogger):
 
         routelayer = self.routelayer
         if routelayer is None:
-            #######################
-            # Create the route layer
-            #######################
-            routelayer = SemanticRouter(
-                routes=self.loaded_routes,
-                encoder=LiteLLMRouterEncoder(
-                    litellm_router_instance=self.litellm_router_instance,
-                    model_name=self.embedding_model,
-                ),
-                auto_sync=self.auto_sync_value,
-            )
-            self.routelayer = routelayer
+            async with self._routelayer_lock:
+                routelayer = self.routelayer
+                if routelayer is None:
+                    routelayer = await asyncio.to_thread(
+                        SemanticRouter,
+                        routes=self.loaded_routes,
+                        encoder=LiteLLMRouterEncoder(
+                            litellm_router_instance=self.litellm_router_instance,
+                            model_name=self.embedding_model,
+                        ),
+                        auto_sync=self.auto_sync_value,
+                    )
+                    self.routelayer = routelayer
 
         message_content = self._extract_text_from_messages(messages)
-        route_choice: Optional[Union[RouteChoice, List[RouteChoice]]] = routelayer(text=message_content)
+        route_choice: Optional[Union[RouteChoice, List[RouteChoice]]] = await asyncio.to_thread(
+            routelayer, text=message_content
+        )
         verbose_router_logger.debug(f"route_choice: {route_choice}")
         if isinstance(route_choice, RouteChoice):
             model = route_choice.name or self.default_model
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/router_strategy/test_auto_router.py b/tests/test_litellm/router_strategy/test_auto_router.py
index cb46a4ae553..3a5989b6790 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/router_strategy/test_auto_router.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/router_strategy/test_auto_router.py
@@ -316,3 +316,87 @@ class TestAutoRouter:
 
         # Assert
         assert result is None
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def async_auto_router(mock_router_instance):
+    class RouteChoice:
+        def __init__(self, name):
+            self.name = name
+
+    mock_semantic_router_class = MagicMock()
+    mock_semantic_router_class.from_json.return_value.routes = ["route1"]
+    mock_routelayer = MagicMock(return_value=RouteChoice(name="test-model"))
+    mock_semantic_router_class.return_value = mock_routelayer
+    modules = {
+        "semantic_router": MagicMock(),
+        "semantic_router.routers": MagicMock(SemanticRouter=mock_semantic_router_class),
+        "semantic_router.schema": MagicMock(RouteChoice=RouteChoice),
+        "litellm.router_strategy.auto_router.litellm_encoder": MagicMock(LiteLLMRouterEncoder=MagicMock()),
+    }
+
+    with patch.dict("sys.modules", modules):
+        auto_router = AutoRouter(
+            model_name="test-auto-router",
+            auto_router_config_path="test/path/router.json",
+            default_model="gpt-4o-mini",
+            embedding_model="text-embedding-model",
+            litellm_router_instance=mock_router_instance,
+        )
+        yield auto_router, mock_semantic_router_class, mock_routelayer
+
+
+class TestAutoRouterAsyncExecution:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_offloads_construction_and_route_call(self, async_auto_router):
+        auto_router, mock_semantic_router_class, mock_routelayer = async_auto_router
+
+        async def run_sync(function, *args, **kwargs):
+            return function(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch(
+            "litellm.router_strategy.auto_router.auto_router.asyncio.to_thread",
+            new=AsyncMock(side_effect=run_sync),
+        ) as mock_to_thread:
+            result = await auto_router.async_pre_routing_hook(
+                model="test-model",
+                request_kwargs={},
+                messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "test message"}],
+            )
+
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result.model == "test-model"
+        assert mock_to_thread.await_count == 2
+        assert mock_to_thread.await_args_list[0].args[0] is mock_semantic_router_class
+        assert mock_to_thread.await_args_list[1].args == (mock_routelayer,)
+        assert mock_to_thread.await_args_list[1].kwargs == {"text": "test message"}
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_concurrent_cold_start_constructs_routelayer_once(self, async_auto_router):
+        auto_router, mock_semantic_router_class, mock_routelayer = async_auto_router
+
+        async def run_sync(function, *args, **kwargs):
+            if function is mock_semantic_router_class:
+                await asyncio.sleep(0)
+            return function(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch(
+            "litellm.router_strategy.auto_router.auto_router.asyncio.to_thread",
+            new=AsyncMock(side_effect=run_sync),
+        ):
+            results = await asyncio.gather(
+                auto_router.async_pre_routing_hook(
+                    model="test-model",
+                    request_kwargs={},
+                    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "first message"}],
+                ),
+                auto_router.async_pre_routing_hook(
+                    model="test-model",
+                    request_kwargs={},
+                    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "second message"}],
+                ),
+            )
+
+        assert all(result is not None for result in results)
+        mock_semantic_router_class.assert_called_once()
+        assert mock_routelayer.call_count == 2