diff --git a/litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/handler.py b/litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/handler.py
index 95a4aa854ad..d0d26d5959f 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/handler.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/handler.py
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ def embedding(
             custom_endpoint=custom_endpoint,
         )
         model = model
-        data = {"model": model, "input": input, **optional_params}
+        filtered_optional_params = {k: v for k, v in optional_params.items() if v not in (None, '')}
+        data = {"model": model, "input": input, **filtered_optional_params}
 
         ## LOGGING
         logging_obj.pre_call(
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/__init__.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2cb77227ed0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Test module for OpenAI-like embedding handler
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/test_openai_like_embedding.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/test_openai_like_embedding.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a82fe776e1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/openai_like/embedding/test_openai_like_embedding.py
@@ -0,0 +1,378 @@
+"""
+Test cases for OpenAI-like embedding handler
+"""
+
+import json
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, Mock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from litellm.llms.openai_like.embedding.handler import OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler
+from litellm.types.utils import EmbeddingResponse
+
+
+class TestOpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler:
+    """Test OpenAI-like embedding handler functionality"""
+
+    def test_encoding_format_none_filtered_out(self):
+        """
+        Test that encoding_format=None is filtered out from the request payload.
+        
+        According to OpenAI API spec, encoding_format should be omitted if not specified,
+        not sent as None or empty string. This prevents errors with providers like VLLM
+        that reject empty encoding_format values.
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with encoding_format=None
+        optional_params = {"encoding_format": None}
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that encoding_format is NOT in the sent data
+        assert "encoding_format" not in sent_data, (
+            "encoding_format=None should be filtered out from the request payload"
+        )
+        
+        # Assert that model and input are still present
+        assert sent_data["model"] == "test-model"
+        assert sent_data["input"] == ["test input"]
+
+    def test_encoding_format_empty_string_filtered_out(self):
+        """
+        Test that encoding_format="" (empty string) is filtered out from the request payload.
+        
+        This is the specific case mentioned in the issue where VLLM rejects empty string
+        encoding_format values with error: "unknown variant ``, expected float or base64"
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with encoding_format="" (empty string)
+        optional_params = {"encoding_format": ""}
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that encoding_format is NOT in the sent data
+        assert "encoding_format" not in sent_data, (
+            "encoding_format='' (empty string) should be filtered out from the request payload"
+        )
+
+    def test_encoding_format_float_preserved(self):
+        """
+        Test that encoding_format="float" is preserved in the request payload.
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with encoding_format="float"
+        optional_params = {"encoding_format": "float"}
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that encoding_format IS in the sent data with correct value
+        assert "encoding_format" in sent_data, (
+            "encoding_format='float' should be preserved in the request payload"
+        )
+        assert sent_data["encoding_format"] == "float"
+
+    def test_encoding_format_base64_preserved(self):
+        """
+        Test that encoding_format="base64" is preserved in the request payload.
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with encoding_format="base64"
+        optional_params = {"encoding_format": "base64"}
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that encoding_format IS in the sent data with correct value
+        assert "encoding_format" in sent_data, (
+            "encoding_format='base64' should be preserved in the request payload"
+        )
+        assert sent_data["encoding_format"] == "base64"
+
+    def test_other_optional_params_preserved(self):
+        """
+        Test that other optional parameters are preserved when encoding_format is filtered.
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with encoding_format=None and other params
+        optional_params = {
+            "encoding_format": None,
+            "dimensions": 512,
+            "user": "test-user"
+        }
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that encoding_format is NOT in the sent data
+        assert "encoding_format" not in sent_data
+        
+        # Assert that other parameters ARE preserved
+        assert sent_data["dimensions"] == 512
+        assert sent_data["user"] == "test-user"
+        assert sent_data["model"] == "test-model"
+        assert sent_data["input"] == ["test input"]
+
+    def test_no_optional_params(self):
+        """
+        Test that the handler works correctly when no optional params are provided.
+        """
+        handler = OpenAILikeEmbeddingHandler()
+        
+        # Mock the HTTP client
+        mock_client = MagicMock()
+        mock_response = Mock()
+        mock_response.json.return_value = {
+            "object": "list",
+            "data": [
+                {
+                    "object": "embedding",
+                    "embedding": [0.1, 0.2, 0.3],
+                    "index": 0
+                }
+            ],
+            "model": "test-model",
+            "usage": {
+                "prompt_tokens": 5,
+                "total_tokens": 5
+            }
+        }
+        mock_response.raise_for_status = Mock()
+        mock_client.post.return_value = mock_response
+        
+        # Mock logging object
+        mock_logging = MagicMock()
+        
+        # Call embedding with empty optional_params
+        optional_params = {}
+        
+        with patch.object(handler, '_validate_environment', return_value=("http://test.com/v1/embeddings", {})):
+            response = handler.embedding(
+                model="test-model",
+                input=["test input"],
+                timeout=60.0,
+                logging_obj=mock_logging,
+                api_key="test-key",
+                api_base="http://test.com",
+                optional_params=optional_params,
+                client=mock_client
+            )
+        
+        # Verify the request was made
+        assert mock_client.post.called
+        
+        # Get the data that was sent in the request
+        call_args = mock_client.post.call_args
+        sent_data = json.loads(call_args[1]['data'])
+        
+        # Assert that only model and input are in the sent data
+        assert sent_data["model"] == "test-model"
+        assert sent_data["input"] == ["test input"]
+        assert "encoding_format" not in sent_data