diff --git a/litellm/router.py b/litellm/router.py
index caab343143..f932e5e186 100644
--- a/litellm/router.py
+++ b/litellm/router.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class Cache:
         if cache_config["type"] == "redis":
             pass
         elif cache_config["type"] == "local": 
-            self.usage_dict = {} 
+            self.usage_dict: Dict = {} 
     def get(self, key: str):
         return self.usage_dict.get(key, 0)
     
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class Router:
                   is_async: Optional[bool] = False,
                   **kwargs) -> Union[List[float], None]:
         # pick the one that is available (lowest TPM/RPM)
-        deployment = self.get_available_deployment(model=model)
+        deployment = self.get_available_deployment(model=model, input=input)
 
         data = deployment["litellm_params"]
         data["input"] = input
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ class Router:
 
     def get_available_deployment(self, 
                                model: str, 
-                               messages: List[Dict[str, str]]): 
+                               messages: Optional[List[Dict[str, str]]]=None,
+                               input: Optional[Union[str, List]]=None): 
         """
         Returns a deployment with the lowest TPM/RPM usage.
         """
@@ -131,8 +132,14 @@ class Router:
         current_tpm, current_rpm = self._get_deployment_usage(deployment_name=deployment["litellm_params"]["model"])
 
         # get encoding 
-        token_count = litellm.token_counter(model=deployment["model_name"], messages=messages)
-        
+        if messages:
+            token_count = litellm.token_counter(model=deployment["model_name"], messages=messages)
+        elif input:
+            if isinstance(input, List):
+                input_text = "".join(text for text in input)
+            else:
+                input_text = input
+            token_count = litellm.token_counter(model=deployment["model_name"], text=input_text)
         
         # if at model limit, return lowest used
         if current_tpm + token_count > tpm or current_rpm + 1 >= rpm: 
diff --git a/litellm/tests/test_proxy.py b/litellm/tests/test_proxy.py
index b8d19b065f..bd20cabb82 100644
--- a/litellm/tests/test_proxy.py
+++ b/litellm/tests/test_proxy.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_azure_call():
 ## test debug 
 def test_debug(): 
     try: 
-        initialize(model=None, alias=None, api_base=None, debug=True, temperature=None, max_tokens=None, max_budget=None, telemetry=None, drop_params=None, add_function_to_prompt=None, headers=None, save=None)
+        initialize(model=None, alias=None, api_base=None, debug=True, temperature=None, max_tokens=None, max_budget=None, telemetry=None, drop_params=None, add_function_to_prompt=None, headers=None, save=None, api_version=None)
         assert litellm.set_verbose == True
     except Exception as e: 
         pytest.fail(f"An error occurred: {e}")