diff --git a/docs/my-website/docs/proxy/reliability.md b/docs/my-website/docs/proxy/reliability.md
index 51e90fe39..bd04216dd 100644
--- a/docs/my-website/docs/proxy/reliability.md
+++ b/docs/my-website/docs/proxy/reliability.md
@@ -136,6 +136,21 @@ curl --location 'http://0.0.0.0:4000/chat/completions' \
 '
 ```
 
+### Test it!
+
+
+```bash
+curl --location 'http://0.0.0.0:4000/chat/completions' \
+     --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
+     --data-raw '{
+        "model": "zephyr-beta", # 👈 MODEL NAME to fallback from
+        "messages": [
+            {"role": "user", "content": "what color is red"}
+        ],
+        "mock_testing_fallbacks": true
+     }'
+```
+
 ## Advanced - Context Window Fallbacks 
 
 **Before call is made** check if a call is within model context window with  **`enable_pre_call_checks: true`**.
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index d840b29c0..9bcc280b3 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -2521,9 +2521,10 @@ class ProxyConfig:
                         # decode base64
                         decoded_b64 = base64.b64decode(v)
                         # decrypt value
-                        _litellm_params[k] = decrypt_value(
-                            value=decoded_b64, master_key=master_key
-                        )
+                        _value = decrypt_value(value=decoded_b64, master_key=master_key)
+                        # sanity check if string > size 0
+                        if len(_value) > 0:
+                            _litellm_params[k] = _value
                 _litellm_params = LiteLLM_Params(**_litellm_params)
             else:
                 verbose_proxy_logger.error(
diff --git a/litellm/router.py b/litellm/router.py
index e6db92397..672eb097d 100644
--- a/litellm/router.py
+++ b/litellm/router.py
@@ -1309,7 +1309,7 @@ class Router:
         Try calling the function_with_retries
         If it fails after num_retries, fall back to another model group
         """
-        mock_testing_fallbacks = kwargs.get("mock_testing_fallbacks", None)
+        mock_testing_fallbacks = kwargs.pop("mock_testing_fallbacks", None)
         model_group = kwargs.get("model")
         fallbacks = kwargs.get("fallbacks", self.fallbacks)
         context_window_fallbacks = kwargs.get(
@@ -1369,7 +1369,10 @@ class Router:
                 elif fallbacks is not None:
                     verbose_router_logger.debug(f"inside model fallbacks: {fallbacks}")
                     for item in fallbacks:
-                        if list(item.keys())[0] == model_group:
+                        key_list = list(item.keys())
+                        if len(key_list) == 0:
+                            continue
+                        if key_list[0] == model_group:
                             fallback_model_group = item[model_group]
                             break
                     if fallback_model_group is None:
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/general_settings.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/general_settings.tsx
index cc88bb1ee..f43730610 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/general_settings.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/general_settings.tsx
@@ -57,11 +57,12 @@ async function testFallbackModelResponse(
           content: "Hi, this is a test message",
         },
       ],
+      mock_testing_fallbacks: true
     });
 
     message.success(
       <span>
-        Test model=<strong>{selectedModel}</strong>, received model=<strong>{responseModel}</strong>. 
+        Test model=<strong>{selectedModel}</strong>, received model=<strong>{response.model}</strong>. 
         See <a href="#" onClick={() => window.open('https://docs.litellm.ai/docs/proxy/reliability', '_blank')} style={{ textDecoration: 'underline', color: 'blue' }}>curl</a>
       </span>
     );
@@ -154,14 +155,12 @@ const GeneralSettings: React.FC<GeneralSettingsPageProps> = ({
 
     const updatedVariables = Object.fromEntries(
       Object.entries(router_settings).map(([key, value]) => {
-        if (key === 'routing_strategy_args' && typeof value === 'string') {
-          return [key, JSON.parse(value as string)];
-        } else {
+        if (key !== 'routing_strategy_args') {
           return [key, (document.querySelector(`input[name="${key}"]`) as HTMLInputElement)?.value || value];
         }
-      })
+        return null;
+      }).filter(entry => entry !== null) as Iterable<[string, unknown]>
     );
-
     console.log("updatedVariables", updatedVariables);
 
     const payload = {
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/model_dashboard.tsx b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/model_dashboard.tsx
index 89b573f77..c3ea6f5aa 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/model_dashboard.tsx
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/components/model_dashboard.tsx
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ const handleSubmit = async (formValues: Record<string, any>, accessToken: string
       litellmParamsObj["model"] = litellm_model
       let modelName: string  = "";
       for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(formValues)) {
+        if (value === '') {
+          continue;
+        }
         if (key == "model_name") {
           modelName = modelName + value
         }