diff --git a/litellm/router.py b/litellm/router.py
index adf8f4897..251c9eebc 100644
--- a/litellm/router.py
+++ b/litellm/router.py
@@ -2056,15 +2056,15 @@ class Router:
                     verbose_router_logger.debug(f"inside model fallbacks: {fallbacks}")
                     generic_fallback_idx: Optional[int] = None
                     ## check for specific model group-specific fallbacks
-                    if isinstance(fallbacks, list):
-                        fallback_model_group = fallbacks
-                    elif isinstance(fallbacks, dict):
-                        for idx, item in enumerate(fallbacks):
+                    for idx, item in enumerate(fallbacks):
+                        if isinstance(item, dict):
                             if list(item.keys())[0] == model_group:
                                 fallback_model_group = item[model_group]
                                 break
                             elif list(item.keys())[0] == "*":
                                 generic_fallback_idx = idx
+                        elif isinstance(item, str):
+                            fallback_model_group = [fallbacks.pop(idx)]
                     ## if none, check for generic fallback
                     if (
                         fallback_model_group is None
@@ -2313,16 +2313,15 @@ class Router:
                     verbose_router_logger.debug(f"inside model fallbacks: {fallbacks}")
                     fallback_model_group = None
                     generic_fallback_idx: Optional[int] = None
-                    if isinstance(fallbacks, list):
-                        fallback_model_group = fallbacks
-                    elif isinstance(fallbacks, dict):
-                        ## check for specific model group-specific fallbacks
-                        for idx, item in enumerate(fallbacks):
+                    for idx, item in enumerate(fallbacks):
+                        if isinstance(item, dict):
                             if list(item.keys())[0] == model_group:
                                 fallback_model_group = item[model_group]
                                 break
                             elif list(item.keys())[0] == "*":
                                 generic_fallback_idx = idx
+                        elif isinstance(item, str):
+                            fallback_model_group = [fallbacks.pop(idx)]
                     ## if none, check for generic fallback
                     if (
                         fallback_model_group is None