diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
index e51df68da..bba511514 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_server.py
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ server_settings: dict = {}
 log_file = "api_log.json"
 worker_config = None
 master_key = None
+prisma_client = None
 #### HELPER FUNCTIONS ####
 def print_verbose(print_statement):
     global user_debug
@@ -151,21 +152,36 @@ def usage_telemetry(
         ).start()
 
 async def user_api_key_auth(request: Request): 
-    global master_key
+    global master_key, prisma_client
     if master_key is None:
         return 
     try: 
         api_key = await oauth2_scheme(request=request)
         if api_key == master_key: 
             return
-    except: 
-        pass
+        print(f"prisma_client: {prisma_client}")
+        if prisma_client: 
+            await prisma_client.connect()
+            valid_token = await prisma_client.litellm_verificationtoken.find_first(
+                where={
+                    "token": api_key,
+                    "expires": {"gte": datetime.utcnow()}  # Check if the token is not expired
+                }
+            )
+            print(f"valid_token: {valid_token}")
+            if valid_token:
+                return
+            else: 
+                raise Exception
+    except Exception as e: 
+        print(e)
     raise HTTPException(
         status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
         detail={"error": "invalid user key"},
     )
 
 def add_keys_to_config(key, value):
+    #### DEPRECATED #### - this uses the older .toml config approach, which has been deprecated for config.yaml
     # Check if file exists
     if os.path.exists(user_config_path):
         # Load existing file
@@ -184,6 +200,7 @@ def add_keys_to_config(key, value):
 
 
 def save_params_to_config(data: dict):
+    #### DEPRECATED #### - this uses the older .toml config approach, which has been deprecated for config.yaml
     # Check if file exists
     if os.path.exists(user_config_path):
         # Load existing file
@@ -215,13 +232,14 @@ def save_params_to_config(data: dict):
     with open(user_config_path, "wb") as f:
         tomli_w.dump(config, f)
 
-def prisma_setup(database_url: Optional[str]): 
-    if database_url:
-        subprocess.run(['pip', 'install', 'prisma'])
-        subprocess.run(['python3', '-m', 'pip', 'install', 'prisma'])
-        subprocess.run(['prisma', 'db', 'push'])
-        # Now you can import the Prisma Client
-        from prisma import Client
+def prisma_setup(): 
+    global prisma_client
+    subprocess.run(['pip', 'install', 'prisma'])
+    subprocess.run(['python3', '-m', 'pip', 'install', 'prisma'])
+    subprocess.run(['prisma', 'db', 'push'])
+    # Now you can import the Prisma Client
+    from prisma import Client
+    prisma_client = Client()
 
 
 def load_router_config(router: Optional[litellm.Router], config_file_path: str):
@@ -244,6 +262,9 @@ def load_router_config(router: Optional[litellm.Router], config_file_path: str):
     if environment_variables: 
         for key, value in environment_variables.items(): 
             os.environ[key] = value
+            ### CONNECT TO DATABASE ###
+            if key == "DATABASE_URL": 
+                prisma_setup()
 
 
     ## GENERAL SERVER SETTINGS (e.g. master key,..)
@@ -251,9 +272,6 @@ def load_router_config(router: Optional[litellm.Router], config_file_path: str):
     if general_settings: 
         ### MASTER KEY ###
         master_key = general_settings.get("master_key", None)
-        ### CONNECT TO DATABASE ###
-        database_url = general_settings.get("database_url", None)
-        prisma_setup(database_url=database_url)
         
 
     ## LITELLM MODULE SETTINGS (e.g. litellm.drop_params=True,..)
@@ -493,7 +511,13 @@ def startup_event():
     import json
     worker_config = json.loads(os.getenv("WORKER_CONFIG"))
     initialize(**worker_config)
-    # print(f"\033[32mWorker Initialized\033[0m\n")
+
+@app.on_event("shutdown")
+async def shutdown_event():
+    global prisma_client
+    if prisma_client:
+        print("Disconnecting from Prisma")
+        await prisma_client.disconnect()
 
 #### API ENDPOINTS ####
 @router.get("/v1/models", dependencies=[Depends(user_api_key_auth)])
@@ -629,8 +653,7 @@ async def generate_key(request: Request):
     duration = _duration_in_seconds(duration=duration_str)
     expires = datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(seconds=duration)
     try:
-        from prisma import Client
-        db = Client()
+        db = prisma_client
         await db.connect()
         # Create a new verification token (you may want to enhance this logic based on your needs)
         print(dir(db))