diff --git a/backend/danswer/configs/model_configs.py b/backend/danswer/configs/model_configs.py
index c9668cd8136..0618bf5f684 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/configs/model_configs.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/configs/model_configs.py
@@ -119,3 +119,14 @@
         logger.error(
             "Failed to parse LITELLM_PASS_THROUGH_HEADERS, must be a valid JSON object"
         )
+
+
+# if specified, will merge the specified JSON with the existing body of the
+# request before sending it to the LLM
+LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY: dict | None = None
+_LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY_RAW = os.environ.get("LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY")
+if _LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY_RAW:
+    try:
+        LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY = json.loads(_LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY_RAW)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
diff --git a/backend/danswer/llm/chat_llm.py b/backend/danswer/llm/chat_llm.py
index 6bd4b51d40b..8529bac37ba 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/llm/chat_llm.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/llm/chat_llm.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 from danswer.configs.app_configs import LOG_DANSWER_MODEL_INTERACTIONS
 from danswer.configs.model_configs import DISABLE_LITELLM_STREAMING
 from danswer.configs.model_configs import GEN_AI_TEMPERATURE
+from danswer.configs.model_configs import LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY
 from danswer.llm.interfaces import LLM
 from danswer.llm.interfaces import LLMConfig
 from danswer.llm.interfaces import ToolChoiceOptions
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ def __init__(
         temperature: float = GEN_AI_TEMPERATURE,
         custom_config: dict[str, str] | None = None,
         extra_headers: dict[str, str] | None = None,
+        extra_body: dict | None = LITELLM_EXTRA_BODY,
     ):
         self._timeout = timeout
         self._model_provider = model_provider
@@ -246,6 +248,8 @@ def __init__(
         model_kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
         if extra_headers:
             model_kwargs.update({"extra_headers": extra_headers})
+        if extra_body:
+            model_kwargs.update({"extra_body": extra_body})
 
         self._model_kwargs = model_kwargs