diff --git a/litellm/proxy/prometheus_cleanup.py b/litellm/proxy/prometheus_cleanup.py
index 6d935a8dd90..6353588532a 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/prometheus_cleanup.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/prometheus_cleanup.py
@@ -28,3 +28,20 @@ def wipe_directory(directory: str) -> None:
         verbose_proxy_logger.info(
             f"Prometheus cleanup: wiped {deleted} stale .db files from {directory}"
         )
+
+
+def mark_worker_exit(worker_pid: int) -> None:
+    """Remove prometheus .db files for a dead worker. Called by gunicorn child_exit hook."""
+    if not os.environ.get("PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR"):
+        return
+    try:
+        from prometheus_client import multiprocess
+
+        multiprocess.mark_process_dead(worker_pid)
+        verbose_proxy_logger.info(
+            f"Prometheus cleanup: marked worker {worker_pid} as dead"
+        )
+    except Exception as e:
+        verbose_proxy_logger.warning(
+            f"Failed to mark prometheus worker {worker_pid} as dead: {e}"
+        )
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index f5163114983..921d86c35c1 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -277,6 +277,15 @@ def load(self):
         if max_requests_before_restart is not None:
             gunicorn_options["max_requests"] = max_requests_before_restart
 
+        # Clean up prometheus .db files when a worker exits (prevents ghost gauge values)
+        if os.environ.get("PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR"):
+            from litellm.proxy.prometheus_cleanup import mark_worker_exit
+
+            def child_exit(server, worker):
+                mark_worker_exit(worker.pid)
+
+            gunicorn_options["child_exit"] = child_exit
+
         if ssl_certfile_path is not None and ssl_keyfile_path is not None:
             print(  # noqa
                 f"\033[1;32mLiteLLM Proxy: Using SSL with certfile: {ssl_certfile_path} and keyfile: {ssl_keyfile_path}\033[0m\n"  # noqa
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_prometheus_cleanup.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_prometheus_cleanup.py
index 276f2b592db..b3d785f1133 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_prometheus_cleanup.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/test_prometheus_cleanup.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from litellm.proxy.prometheus_cleanup import wipe_directory
+from litellm.proxy.prometheus_cleanup import mark_worker_exit, wipe_directory
 from litellm.proxy.proxy_cli import ProxyInitializationHelpers
 
 
@@ -23,6 +23,35 @@ def test_deletes_all_db_files(self, tmp_path):
         assert not list(tmp_path.glob("*.db"))
 
 
+class TestMarkWorkerExit:
+    def test_calls_mark_process_dead_when_env_set(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR": str(tmp_path)}):
+            with patch(
+                "prometheus_client.multiprocess.mark_process_dead"
+            ) as mock_mark:
+                mark_worker_exit(12345)
+                mock_mark.assert_called_once_with(12345)
+
+    def test_noop_when_env_not_set(self):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=False):
+            os.environ.pop("PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR", None)
+            with patch(
+                "prometheus_client.multiprocess.mark_process_dead"
+            ) as mock_mark:
+                mark_worker_exit(12345)
+                mock_mark.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_exception_is_caught_and_logged(self, tmp_path):
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR": str(tmp_path)}):
+            with patch(
+                "prometheus_client.multiprocess.mark_process_dead",
+                side_effect=FileNotFoundError("gone"),
+            ) as mock_mark:
+                # Should not raise
+                mark_worker_exit(99)
+                mock_mark.assert_called_once_with(99)
+
+
 class TestMaybeSetupPrometheusMultiprocDir:
     def test_respects_existing_env_var(self, tmp_path):
         """When PROMETHEUS_MULTIPROC_DIR is already set, don't override it."""