diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60e59a5842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/auth_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+from litellm._logging import verbose_proxy_logger
+from litellm.proxy._types import LiteLLMRoutes
+from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import general_settings, premium_user
+
+
+def route_in_additonal_public_routes(current_route: str):
+    """
+    Helper to check if the user defined public_routes on config.yaml
+
+    Parameters:
+    - current_route: str - the route the user is trying to call
+
+    Returns:
+    - bool - True if the route is defined in public_routes
+    - bool - False if the route is not defined in public_routes
+
+
+    In order to use this the litellm config.yaml should have the following in general_settings:
+
+    ```yaml
+    general_settings:
+        master_key: sk-1234
+        public_routes: ["LiteLLMRoutes.public_routes", "/spend/calculate"]
+    ```
+    """
+
+    # check if user is premium_user - if not do nothing
+    try:
+        if premium_user is not True:
+            return False
+        # check if this is defined on the config
+        if general_settings is None:
+            return False
+
+        routes_defined = general_settings.get("public_routes", [])
+        if current_route in routes_defined:
+            return True
+
+        return False
+    except Exception as e:
+        verbose_proxy_logger.error(f"route_in_additonal_public_routes: {str(e)}")
+        return False
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/auth/user_api_key_auth.py b/litellm/proxy/auth/user_api_key_auth.py
index f6e3a0dfeb..d3e937734c 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/auth/user_api_key_auth.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/auth/user_api_key_auth.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ from litellm.proxy.auth.auth_checks import (
     get_user_object,
     log_to_opentelemetry,
 )
+from litellm.proxy.auth.auth_utils import route_in_additonal_public_routes
 from litellm.proxy.common_utils.http_parsing_utils import _read_request_body
 from litellm.proxy.utils import _to_ns
 
@@ -137,8 +138,9 @@ async def user_api_key_auth(
         """
         route: str = request.url.path
 
-        if route in LiteLLMRoutes.public_routes.value or route in general_settings.get(
-            "public_routes", []
+        if (
+            route in LiteLLMRoutes.public_routes.value
+            or route_in_additonal_public_routes(current_route=route)
         ):
             # check if public endpoint
             return UserAPIKeyAuth(user_role=LitellmUserRoles.INTERNAL_USER_VIEW_ONLY)