diff --git a/llama_stack/distribution/datatypes.py b/llama_stack/distribution/datatypes.py
index 3a60a057d..619b5b078 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distribution/datatypes.py
+++ b/llama_stack/distribution/datatypes.py
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ class GenericProviderConfig(BaseModel):
     config: Dict[str, Any]
 
 
+class PlaceholderProviderConfig(BaseModel):
+    """Placeholder provider config for API whose provider are defined in routing_table"""
+
+    providers: List[str]
+
+
 class RoutableProviderConfig(GenericProviderConfig):
     routing_key: str
 
@@ -263,7 +269,9 @@ this could be just a hash
 The list of APIs to serve. If not specified, all APIs specified in the provider_map will be served""",
     )
 
-    api_providers: Dict[str, GenericProviderConfig] = Field(
+    api_providers: Dict[
+        str, Union[GenericProviderConfig, PlaceholderProviderConfig]
+    ] = Field(
         description="""
 Provider configurations for each of the APIs provided by this package.
 """,
diff --git a/llama_stack/distribution/server/server.py b/llama_stack/distribution/server/server.py
index 4f9ef7ea6..098beb502 100644
--- a/llama_stack/distribution/server/server.py
+++ b/llama_stack/distribution/server/server.py
@@ -307,6 +307,10 @@ async def resolve_impls_with_routing(run_config: StackRunConfig) -> Dict[Api, An
         # TODO: check that these APIs are not in the routing table part of the config
         providers = all_providers[api]
 
+        # skip checks for API whose provider config is specified in routing_table
+        if isinstance(config, PlaceholderProviderConfig):
+            continue
+
         if config.provider_id not in providers:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"Unknown provider `{config.provider_id}` is not available for API `{api}`"
diff --git a/tests/examples/router-local-run.yaml b/tests/examples/router-local-run.yaml
index 774b4c266..589566cd2 100644
--- a/tests/examples/router-local-run.yaml
+++ b/tests/examples/router-local-run.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,17 @@ apis_to_serve:
 - safety
 - models
 api_providers:
+  inference:
+    providers:
+      - meta-reference
+      - remote::ollama
+  memory:
+    providers:
+      - meta-reference
+      - remote::pgvector
+  safety:
+    providers:
+      - meta-reference
   telemetry:
     provider_id: meta-reference
     config: {}