diff --git a/backend/open_webui/main.py b/backend/open_webui/main.py
index bee461bb2c..620a8aa674 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/main.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/main.py
@@ -1391,50 +1391,6 @@ app.add_middleware(RedirectMiddleware)
 app.add_middleware(SecurityHeadersMiddleware)
 
 
-class APIKeyRestrictionMiddleware:
-    def __init__(self, app):
-        self.app = app
-
-    async def __call__(self, scope, receive, send):
-        if scope['type'] == 'http':
-            request = Request(scope)
-            auth_header = request.headers.get('Authorization')
-            token = None
-
-            if auth_header:
-                parts = auth_header.split(' ', 1)
-                if len(parts) == 2:
-                    token = parts[1]
-
-            # Only apply restrictions if an sk- API key is used
-            if token and token.startswith('sk-'):
-                # Check if restrictions are enabled
-                if app.state.config.ENABLE_API_KEYS_ENDPOINT_RESTRICTIONS:
-                    allowed_paths = [
-                        path.strip()
-                        for path in str(app.state.config.API_KEYS_ALLOWED_ENDPOINTS).split(',')
-                        if path.strip()
-                    ]
-
-                    request_path = request.url.path
-
-                    # Match exact path or prefix path
-                    is_allowed = any(
-                        request_path == allowed or request_path.startswith(allowed + '/') for allowed in allowed_paths
-                    )
-
-                    if not is_allowed:
-                        await JSONResponse(
-                            status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
-                            content={'detail': 'API key not allowed to access this endpoint.'},
-                        )(scope, receive, send)
-                        return
-
-        await self.app(scope, receive, send)
-
-
-app.add_middleware(APIKeyRestrictionMiddleware)
-
 
 @app.middleware('http')
 async def commit_session_after_request(request: Request, call_next):
diff --git a/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py b/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
index 32e7db3423..9ac7524411 100644
--- a/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
+++ b/backend/open_webui/utils/auth.py
@@ -427,6 +427,26 @@ async def get_current_user_by_api_key(request, api_key: str):
     ):
         raise HTTPException(status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN, detail=ERROR_MESSAGES.API_KEY_NOT_ALLOWED)
 
+    # Enforce endpoint restrictions — checked here (not in middleware)
+    # so it applies regardless of how the API key was transported
+    # (Authorization header, cookie, x-api-key header, etc.).
+    if request.app.state.config.ENABLE_API_KEYS_ENDPOINT_RESTRICTIONS:
+        allowed_paths = [
+            path.strip()
+            for path in str(request.app.state.config.API_KEYS_ALLOWED_ENDPOINTS).split(',')
+            if path.strip()
+        ]
+        request_path = request.url.path
+        is_allowed = any(
+            request_path == allowed or request_path.startswith(allowed + '/')
+            for allowed in allowed_paths
+        )
+        if not is_allowed:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
+                detail=ERROR_MESSAGES.ACCESS_PROHIBITED,
+            )
+
     # Add user info to current span
     if ENABLE_OTEL:
         from opentelemetry import trace