diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index 8f89bb557a49..6cc94fd7b49d 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def is_port_in_use(port):
 @click.option(
     "--num_workers",
     default=1,
-    help="Number of gunicorn workers to spin up",
+    help="Number of uvicorn / gunicorn workers to spin up. By default, 1 uvicorn is used.",
     envvar="NUM_WORKERS",
 )
 @click.option("--api_base", default=None, help="API base URL.")
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ def _make_openai_completion():
         from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import app  # noqa
 
         uvicorn_args = {
-            "app": app,
+            "app": "litellm.proxy.proxy_server:app",
             "host": host,
             "port": port,
         }
@@ -674,6 +674,7 @@ def _make_openai_completion():
             uvicorn.run(
                 **uvicorn_args,
                 loop="uvloop",
+                workers=num_workers,
             )
         elif run_gunicorn is True:
             # Gunicorn Application Class