diff --git a/examples/pipelines/providers/litellm_manifold_pipeline.py b/examples/pipelines/providers/litellm_manifold_pipeline.py
index 0b6771f..80fdf11 100644
--- a/examples/pipelines/providers/litellm_manifold_pipeline.py
+++ b/examples/pipelines/providers/litellm_manifold_pipeline.py
@@ -11,12 +11,15 @@ from typing import List, Union, Generator, Iterator
 from schemas import OpenAIChatMessage
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 import requests
+import os
 
 
 class Pipeline:
 
     class Valves(BaseModel):
-        LITELLM_BASE_URL: str
+        LITELLM_BASE_URL: str = ""
+        LITELLM_API_KEY: str = ""
+        LITELLM_PIPELINE_DEBUG: bool = False
 
     def __init__(self):
         # You can also set the pipelines that are available in this pipeline.
@@ -34,7 +37,15 @@ class Pipeline:
         self.name = "LiteLLM: "
 
         # Initialize rate limits
-        self.valves = self.Valves(**{"LITELLM_BASE_URL": "http://localhost:4001"})
+        self.valves = self.Valves(
+            **{
+                "LITELLM_BASE_URL": os.getenv(
+                    "LITELLM_BASE_URL", "http://localhost:4001"
+                ),
+                "LITELLM_API_KEY": os.getenv("LITELLM_API_KEY", "your-api-key-here"),
+                "LITELLM_PIPELINE_DEBUG": os.getenv("LITELLM_PIPELINE_DEBUG", False),
+            }
+        )
         self.pipelines = []
         pass
 
@@ -55,9 +66,16 @@ class Pipeline:
         pass
 
     def get_litellm_models(self):
+
+        headers = {}
+        if self.valves.LITELLM_API_KEY:
+            headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {self.valves.LITELLM_API_KEY}"
+
         if self.valves.LITELLM_BASE_URL:
             try:
-                r = requests.get(f"{self.valves.LITELLM_BASE_URL}/v1/models")
+                r = requests.get(
+                    f"{self.valves.LITELLM_BASE_URL}/v1/models", headers=headers
+                )
                 models = r.json()
                 return [
                     {
@@ -86,10 +104,20 @@ class Pipeline:
             print(f"# Message: {user_message}")
             print("######################################")
 
+        headers = {}
+        if self.valves.LITELLM_API_KEY:
+            headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {self.valves.LITELLM_API_KEY}"
+
         try:
+            payload = {**body, "model": model_id, "user_id": body["user"]["id"]}
+            payload.pop("chat_id", None)
+            payload.pop("user", None)
+            payload.pop("title", None)
+
             r = requests.post(
                 url=f"{self.valves.LITELLM_BASE_URL}/v1/chat/completions",
-                json={**body, "model": model_id, "user_id": body["user"]["id"]},
+                json=payload,
+                headers=headers,
                 stream=True,
             )