diff --git a/dashboard/backend/config.py b/dashboard/backend/config.py
index 8ce7d1f..46814f5 100644
--- a/dashboard/backend/config.py
+++ b/dashboard/backend/config.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ CHAT_SUMMARY_DB = os.environ.get("CHAT_SUMMARY_DB", "/app/data/chat-summarizer/c
 
 # LiteLLM
 LITELLM_URL = os.environ.get("LITELLM_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:4005")
+LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY = os.environ.get("LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY", "")
 
 # OpenClaw
 OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN = os.environ.get("OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN", "")
diff --git a/dashboard/backend/routers/litellm.py b/dashboard/backend/routers/litellm.py
index 8ec5e72..7bc9514 100644
--- a/dashboard/backend/routers/litellm.py
+++ b/dashboard/backend/routers/litellm.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import time
 import httpx
 from fastapi import APIRouter
-from config import LITELLM_URL
+from config import LITELLM_URL, LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY
 
 router = APIRouter()
 
@@ -11,14 +11,23 @@ async def litellm_health():
     timeout = httpx.Timeout(2.0)
     checks = ("/health", "/v1/models")
 
+    api_key = (LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY or "").strip()
+    headers = {}
+    if api_key:
+        headers = {
+            "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
+            "X-API-Key": api_key,
+        }
+
     last_error = None
     async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=timeout) as client:
         for path in checks:
             url = f"{LITELLM_URL.rstrip('/')}{path}"
             started = time.perf_counter()
             try:
-                response = await client.get(url)
+                response = await client.get(url, headers=headers)
                 latency_ms = round((time.perf_counter() - started) * 1000, 1)
+
                 if response.is_success:
                     return {
                         "ok": True,
@@ -27,7 +36,20 @@ async def litellm_health():
                         "endpoint": path,
                         "http_status": response.status_code,
                     }
-                last_error = f"{path} returned {response.status_code}"
+
+                if response.status_code == 401 and not api_key:
+                    return {
+                        "ok": True,
+                        "status": "auth_required",
+                        "latency_ms": latency_ms,
+                        "endpoint": path,
+                        "http_status": response.status_code,
+                    }
+
+                if response.status_code == 401 and api_key:
+                    last_error = f"{path} returned 401 with configured health auth"
+                else:
+                    last_error = f"{path} returned {response.status_code}"
             except Exception as exc:
                 last_error = str(exc)
 
diff --git a/dashboard/docker-compose.dev.yml b/dashboard/docker-compose.dev.yml
index 493b70c..025d1e3 100644
--- a/dashboard/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/dashboard/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ services:
       - TELEGRAM_PROXY=${TELEGRAM_PROXY:-}
       - CORS_ORIGINS=https://dev.nas.jimmygan.com,https://dev.nas.jimmygan.com:8443
       - LITELLM_URL=http://litellm:4005
+      - LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY=${LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY:-}
     volumes:
       - /volume1:/volume1
       - /volume1/docker/nas-dashboard/ssh/dashboard_terminal:/app/ssh/id_ed25519:ro
diff --git a/dashboard/docker-compose.yml b/dashboard/docker-compose.yml
index ca93f8e..3808068 100644
--- a/dashboard/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/dashboard/docker-compose.yml
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ services:
       - TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID=${TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID:-}
       - TELEGRAM_PROXY=${TELEGRAM_PROXY:-}
       - CORS_ORIGINS=https://nas.jimmygan.com
+      - LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY=${LITELLM_HEALTH_API_KEY:-}
     volumes:
       - /volume1:/volume1
       - /volume1/docker/nas-dashboard/ssh/dashboard_terminal:/app/ssh/id_ed25519:ro