diff --git a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
index d7d23d24e9..feae839517 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
@@ -1553,9 +1553,9 @@ class VertexGeminiConfig(VertexAIBaseConfig, BaseConfig):
             for grounding_metadata_item in grounding_metadata:
                 web_search_queries = grounding_metadata_item.get("webSearchQueries")
                 if web_search_queries and web_search_requests:
-                    web_search_requests += len(web_search_queries)
+                    web_search_requests += len([q for q in web_search_queries if q])
                 elif web_search_queries:
-                    web_search_requests = len(grounding_metadata)
+                    web_search_requests = len([q for q in web_search_queries if q])
         return web_search_requests
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/test_vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/test_vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
index 7d45ce4091..c209b27bc9 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/test_vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/vertex_ai/gemini/test_vertex_and_google_ai_studio_gemini.py
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ def test_vertex_ai_streaming_usage_web_search_calculation():
             {
                 "content": {"parts": [{"text": "Hello"}]},
                 "groundingMetadata": [
-                    {"webSearchQueries": ["What is the capital of France?"]}
+                    {"webSearchQueries": ["", "What is the capital of France?", "Capital of France"]}
                 ],
             }
         ],
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ def test_vertex_ai_streaming_usage_web_search_calculation():
 
     usage: Usage = completed_response.usage
     assert usage.prompt_tokens_details.web_search_requests is not None
-    assert usage.prompt_tokens_details.web_search_requests == 1
+    assert usage.prompt_tokens_details.web_search_requests == 2
 
 
 def test_vertex_ai_transform_parts():