diff --git a/litellm/router.py b/litellm/router.py
index c800db39b2..9b4d28a4e9 100644
--- a/litellm/router.py
+++ b/litellm/router.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class Router:
                  redis_host: Optional[str] = None,
                  redis_port: Optional[int] = None,
                  redis_password: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
+        self.model_names = []
         if model_list:
             self.model_list = model_list
             self.model_names = [m["model_name"] for m in model_list]