diff --git a/litellm/__init__.py b/litellm/__init__.py
index 7900d04dfa..22af55ee73 100644
--- a/litellm/__init__.py
+++ b/litellm/__init__.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ _current_cost = 0 # private variable, used if max budget is set
 error_logs: Dict = {}
 add_function_to_prompt: bool = False # if function calling not supported by api, append function call details to system prompt
 client_session: Optional[requests.Session] = None
+model_fallbacks: Optional[List] = None
 #############################################
 
 def get_model_cost_map():
diff --git a/litellm/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-311.pyc b/litellm/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-311.pyc
index 9469b88891..a76cace80f 100644
Binary files a/litellm/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-311.pyc and b/litellm/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-311.pyc differ
diff --git a/litellm/__pycache__/main.cpython-311.pyc b/litellm/__pycache__/main.cpython-311.pyc
index 0ad93e0a4c..f8579b5238 100644
Binary files a/litellm/__pycache__/main.cpython-311.pyc and b/litellm/__pycache__/main.cpython-311.pyc differ
diff --git a/litellm/main.py b/litellm/main.py
index aebb273ce8..656fca89c4 100644
--- a/litellm/main.py
+++ b/litellm/main.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def completion(
     litellm_logging_obj = kwargs.get('litellm_logging_obj', None)
     id = kwargs.get('id', None)
     metadata = kwargs.get('metadata', None)
-    fallbacks = kwargs.get('fallbacks', [])
+    fallbacks = kwargs.get('fallbacks', None)
     ######## end of unpacking kwargs ###########
     openai_params = ["functions", "function_call", "temperature", "temperature", "top_p", "n", "stream", "stop", "max_tokens", "presence_penalty", "frequency_penalty", "logit_bias", "user", "request_timeout", "api_base", "api_version", "api_key"]
     litellm_params = ["metadata", "acompletion", "caching", "return_async", "mock_response", "api_key", "api_version", "api_base", "force_timeout", "logger_fn", "verbose", "custom_llm_provider", "litellm_logging_obj", "litellm_call_id", "use_client", "id", "metadata", "fallbacks", "azure"]
@@ -239,7 +239,11 @@ def completion(
         return mock_completion(model, messages, stream=stream, mock_response=mock_response)
     try:
         logging = litellm_logging_obj
-        if fallbacks != []:
+        fallbacks = (
+            fallbacks
+            or litellm.model_fallbacks
+        )
+        if fallbacks is not None:
             return completion_with_fallbacks(**args)
         if litellm.model_alias_map and model in litellm.model_alias_map:
             args["model_alias_map"] = litellm.model_alias_map
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index 9312522986..18f31133e8 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@ def load_config():
         ## settings 
         litellm.add_function_to_prompt = user_config["general"].get("add_function_to_prompt", True) # by default add function to prompt if unsupported by provider
         litellm.drop_params = user_config["general"].get("drop_params", True) # by default drop params if unsupported by provider
+        litellm.model_fallbacks = user_config["general"].get("fallbacks", None) # fallback models in case initial completion call fails 
+        default_model = user_config["general"].get("default_model", None) # route all requests to this model. 
+
+        if user_model is None: # `litellm --model <model-name>`` > default_model.
+            user_model = default_model
 
         ## load model config - to set this run `litellm --config`
         model_config = None
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/secrets_template.toml b/litellm/proxy/secrets_template.toml
index 3297ce724a..ef22330b1b 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/secrets_template.toml
+++ b/litellm/proxy/secrets_template.toml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 [general]
 # add_function_to_prompt = True # e.g: Ollama doesn't support functions, so add it to the prompt instead
 # drop_params = True # drop any params not supported by the provider (e.g. Ollama)
+# default_model = None # route all requests to this model
+# fallbacks = ["gpt-3.5-turbo", "gpt-4"] # models you want to fallback to in case completion call fails (remember: add relevant keys) 
 
 [model."ollama/llama2"] # run via `litellm --model ollama/llama2`
 # max_tokens = "" # set max tokens for the model