diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 3139bd3cb2..38fdaf3609 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -2477,10 +2477,15 @@ jobs:
             DISABLE_SCHEMA_UPDATE: "true"
             SERVER_ROOT_PATH: ""
             PROXY_LOGOUT_URL: ""
+          # LITELLM_LICENSE is forwarded from the project env so premium-gated
+          # UI flows can be exercised. license.spec.ts asserts the resulting
+          # JWT carries premium_user=true; if it ever stops being passed, that
+          # test fails loudly rather than silently regressing premium coverage.
           command: |
-            uv run --no-sync python -m litellm.proxy.proxy_cli \
-              --config ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/fixtures/config.yml \
-              --port 4000
+            LITELLM_LICENSE="$LITELLM_LICENSE" \
+              uv run --no-sync python -m litellm.proxy.proxy_cli \
+                --config ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/fixtures/config.yml \
+                --port 4000
           background: true
       - run:
           name: Wait for proxy to be ready
@@ -2497,9 +2502,12 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
       - run:
           name: Run Playwright E2E tests
+          # Forward LITELLM_LICENSE so license.spec.ts can detect that the
+          # proxy was launched with a license and assert premium_user=true.
           command: |
             cd ui/litellm-dashboard
-            npx playwright test --config e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts
+            LITELLM_LICENSE="$LITELLM_LICENSE" \
+              npx playwright test --config e2e_tests/playwright.config.ts
           no_output_timeout: 10m
       - store_artifacts:
           path: ui/litellm-dashboard/test-results
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/run_e2e.sh b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/run_e2e.sh
index f8f570cda8..36619dce9b 100755
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/run_e2e.sh
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/run_e2e.sh
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ export DISABLE_SCHEMA_UPDATE="true"
 export SERVER_ROOT_PATH=""
 # Prevent logout from redirecting to an external URL
 export PROXY_LOGOUT_URL=""
+# Forward LITELLM_LICENSE if set in the outer env so premium-gated UI flows
+# (e.g. Team-BYOK Model switch) can be exercised. Tests that depend on a
+# premium proxy gate themselves on process.env.LITELLM_LICENSE.
+export LITELLM_LICENSE="${LITELLM_LICENSE:-}"
 
 # --- Rebuild UI from source ---
 echo "=== Building UI from source ==="
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/tests/proxy-admin/license.spec.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/tests/proxy-admin/license.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..579b3cede7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/e2e_tests/tests/proxy-admin/license.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+import * as fs from "fs";
+import { ADMIN_STORAGE_PATH } from "../../constants";
+
+/**
+ * Sanity check that LITELLM_LICENSE is being forwarded to the proxy when set
+ * in the environment (e.g. CircleCI's `e2e_ui_testing` job). The login JWT's
+ * `premium_user` claim is the same value the dashboard reads to enable
+ * premium-gated UI surfaces (Team-BYOK switch, etc.), so asserting it here
+ * catches any future regression where the env var stops being plumbed
+ * through `run_e2e.sh` / `.circleci/config.yml`.
+ *
+ * Skips locally when no license is configured.
+ */
+test.describe("Premium license wiring", () => {
+  test("admin session JWT carries premium_user=true when LITELLM_LICENSE is set", () => {
+    test.skip(
+      !process.env.LITELLM_LICENSE,
+      "LITELLM_LICENSE not set in test env — proxy is running unlicensed",
+    );
+
+    const storage = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(ADMIN_STORAGE_PATH, "utf-8"));
+    const tokenCookie = storage.cookies?.find((c: { name: string }) => c.name === "token");
+    expect(tokenCookie, "token cookie missing from admin storage state").toBeDefined();
+
+    // Decode the JWT payload (no signature check — we trust globalSetup ran
+    // against our own proxy). Payload is the middle base64url segment.
+    const jwtParts = tokenCookie.value.split(".");
+    expect(jwtParts.length, "token cookie is not a 3-part JWT").toBe(3);
+    const [, payloadB64] = jwtParts;
+    const payload = JSON.parse(
+      Buffer.from(payloadB64, "base64url").toString("utf-8"),
+    );
+
+    expect(payload.premium_user).toBe(true);
+  });
+});