diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.test.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.test.tsx
index 6da2f82a2f..a57b7e2095 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.test.tsx
@@ -535,6 +535,21 @@ describe("ModelSelect", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("should not render an empty optgroup when includeSpecialOptions is omitted", async () => {
+    renderWithProviders(<ModelSelect onChange={mockOnChange} context="global" />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByTestId("model-select")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    const optgroups = document.querySelectorAll("optgroup");
+    // Wildcard Options + Models — no blank leading group
+    expect(optgroups.length).toBe(2);
+    optgroups.forEach((g) => {
+      expect(g.getAttribute("label")).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+  });
+
   it("should render maxTagPlaceholder when many items are selected", async () => {
     // Create many models to trigger maxTagCount responsive behavior
     const manyModels: ProxyModel[] = Array.from({ length: 20 }, (_, i) => ({
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.tsx
index 74b2619f7f..800fa86b16 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/ModelSelect/ModelSelect.tsx
@@ -141,36 +141,38 @@ export const ModelSelect = (props: ModelSelectProps) => {
       onChange={handleChange}
       style={style}
       options={[
-        includeSpecialOptions
-          ? {
-            label: <span>Special Options</span>,
-            title: "Special Options",
-            options: [
-              ...(shouldShowAllProxyModels
-                ? [
-                  {
-                    label: <span>All Proxy Models</span>,
-                    value: MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
-                    disabled:
-                      value.length > 0 &&
-                      value.some(
-                        (v) => isSpecialOption(v) && v !== MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
-                      ),
-                    key: MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
-                  },
-                ]
-                : []),
-              {
-                label: <span>No Default Models</span>,
-                value: MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
-                disabled:
-                  value.length > 0 &&
-                  value.some((v) => isSpecialOption(v) && v !== MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value),
-                key: MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
-              },
-            ],
-          }
-          : [],
+        ...(includeSpecialOptions
+          ? [
+            {
+              label: <span>Special Options</span>,
+              title: "Special Options",
+              options: [
+                ...(shouldShowAllProxyModels
+                  ? [
+                    {
+                      label: <span>All Proxy Models</span>,
+                      value: MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
+                      disabled:
+                        value.length > 0 &&
+                        value.some(
+                          (v) => isSpecialOption(v) && v !== MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
+                        ),
+                      key: MODEL_SELECT_ALL_PROXY_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
+                    },
+                  ]
+                  : []),
+                {
+                  label: <span>No Default Models</span>,
+                  value: MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
+                  disabled:
+                    value.length > 0 &&
+                    value.some((v) => isSpecialOption(v) && v !== MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value),
+                  key: MODEL_SELECT_NO_DEFAULT_MODELS_SPECIAL_VALUE.value,
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+          ]
+          : []),
         ...(wildcard.length > 0
           ? [
             {