diff --git a/src/google/adk/models/google_llm.py b/src/google/adk/models/google_llm.py
index 3f79d8fadc..7c75f7add3 100644
--- a/src/google/adk/models/google_llm.py
+++ b/src/google/adk/models/google_llm.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import copy
 from functools import cached_property
 import logging
+import os
 import re
 from typing import Any
 from typing import AsyncGenerator
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@
 _NEW_LINE = '\n'
 _EXCLUDED_PART_FIELD = {'inline_data': {'data'}}
 _GOOGLE_API_VERSION_SUFFIX_PATTERN = re.compile(r'/?(v[0-9][a-z0-9.-]*)/?')
+_API_VERSION_ENV_VARIABLE_NAME = 'GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION'
 
 
 _RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED_POSSIBLE_FIX_MESSAGE = """
@@ -123,6 +125,27 @@ def api_client(self) -> Client:
   base_url: Optional[str] = None
   """The base URL for the AI platform service endpoint."""
 
+  api_version: Optional[str] = None
+  """The API version to use for the AI platform service endpoint.
+
+  For the Vertex AI backend the google-genai SDK defaults to ``v1beta1``, which
+  exposes the latest preview features. Production deployments that require a
+  stable, SLA-eligible endpoint can set this to ``v1`` to use the GA Vertex AI
+  API. When unset, the ``GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION`` environment variable is
+  consulted, and finally the SDK's own default is used so existing behavior is
+  unchanged.
+
+  An API version embedded in ``base_url`` (e.g.
+  ``https://...googleapis.com/v1``) takes precedence over this field.
+
+  Sample:
+  ```python
+  from google.adk.models import Gemini
+
+  agent = Agent(model=Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-pro", api_version="v1"))
+  ```
+  """
+
   speech_config: Optional[types.SpeechConfig] = None
 
   use_interactions_api: bool = False
@@ -371,9 +394,29 @@ def _api_backend(self) -> GoogleLLMVariant:
   def _tracking_headers(self) -> dict[str, str]:
     return get_tracking_headers()
 
+  def _configured_api_version(self) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Returns the explicitly configured API version, if any.
+
+    Resolution order:
+      1. The ``api_version`` field set on this instance.
+      2. The ``GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION`` environment variable.
+
+    Returns ``None`` when neither is set, in which case the google-genai SDK's
+    own default (``v1beta1`` for Vertex AI) applies, preserving existing
+    behavior.
+    """
+    if self.api_version:
+      return self.api_version
+    return os.environ.get(_API_VERSION_ENV_VARIABLE_NAME) or None
+
   @cached_property
   def _base_url_and_api_version(self) -> tuple[Optional[str], Optional[str]]:
-    return _normalize_base_url_and_api_version(self.base_url)
+    base_url, api_version = _normalize_base_url_and_api_version(self.base_url)
+    # A version embedded in the base URL wins; otherwise fall back to the
+    # explicitly configured api_version (field or environment variable).
+    if api_version is None:
+      api_version = self._configured_api_version()
+    return base_url, api_version
 
   @cached_property
   def _live_api_version(self) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/unittests/models/test_google_llm.py b/tests/unittests/models/test_google_llm.py
index caad24ed3f..413d1eb558 100644
--- a/tests/unittests/models/test_google_llm.py
+++ b/tests/unittests/models/test_google_llm.py
@@ -341,6 +341,61 @@ def test_api_client_preserves_custom_base_url_path():
   assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1beta"
 
 
+def test_api_client_default_api_version_unchanged(monkeypatch):
+  """Without configuration, ADK does not force an api_version (SDK default)."""
+  monkeypatch.delenv("GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION", raising=False)
+  model = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash")
+
+  # ADK leaves api_version unset so the google-genai SDK applies its own
+  # default (v1beta1 for Vertex AI), preserving existing behavior.
+  assert model._base_url_and_api_version == (None, None)
+
+
+def test_api_client_uses_api_version_field():
+  """The api_version field flows into the constructed client's http_options."""
+  model = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash", api_version="v1")
+
+  client = model.api_client
+
+  assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1"
+
+
+def test_api_client_uses_api_version_env_var(monkeypatch):
+  """The GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION env var flows into http_options."""
+  monkeypatch.setenv("GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION", "v1")
+  model = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash")
+
+  client = model.api_client
+
+  assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1"
+
+
+def test_api_version_field_overrides_env_var(monkeypatch):
+  """The explicit api_version field takes precedence over the env var."""
+  monkeypatch.setenv("GOOGLE_GENAI_API_VERSION", "v1beta1")
+  model = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash", api_version="v1")
+
+  client = model.api_client
+
+  assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1"
+
+
+def test_base_url_api_version_overrides_field():
+  """A version embedded in base_url wins over the api_version field."""
+  model = Gemini(
+      model="gemini-2.5-flash",
+      base_url="https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1alpha",
+      api_version="v1",
+  )
+
+  client = model.api_client
+
+  assert client._api_client._http_options.base_url == (
+      "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/"
+  )
+  assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1alpha"
+
+
 def test_maybe_append_user_content(gemini_llm, llm_request):
   # Test with user content already present
   gemini_llm._maybe_append_user_content(llm_request)
@@ -766,6 +821,35 @@ async def mock_coro():
     assert len(responses) == 2 if stream else 1
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_generate_content_async_patches_api_version_from_field(
+    llm_request, generate_content_response
+):
+  """The configured api_version field is patched onto the request config."""
+  gemini_llm = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash", api_version="v1")
+  llm_request.config.http_options = types.HttpOptions(
+      headers={"custom-header": "custom-value"}
+  )
+
+  with mock.patch.object(gemini_llm, "api_client") as mock_client:
+
+    async def mock_coro():
+      return generate_content_response
+
+    mock_client.aio.models.generate_content.return_value = mock_coro()
+
+    _ = [
+        resp
+        async for resp in gemini_llm.generate_content_async(
+            llm_request, stream=False
+        )
+    ]
+
+    call_args = mock_client.aio.models.generate_content.call_args
+    final_config = call_args.kwargs["config"]
+    assert final_config.http_options.api_version == "v1"
+
+
 def test_live_api_version_vertex_ai(gemini_llm):
   """Test that _live_api_version returns 'v1beta1' for Vertex AI backend."""
   with mock.patch.object(
@@ -774,6 +858,28 @@ def test_live_api_version_vertex_ai(gemini_llm):
     assert gemini_llm._live_api_version == "v1beta1"
 
 
+def test_live_api_version_uses_configured_field():
+  """Test that _live_api_version honors the configured api_version field."""
+  gemini_llm = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash", api_version="v1")
+
+  with mock.patch.object(
+      gemini_llm, "_api_backend", GoogleLLMVariant.VERTEX_AI
+  ):
+    assert gemini_llm._live_api_version == "v1"
+
+
+def test_live_api_client_uses_configured_field():
+  """Test that _live_api_client http_options honors the api_version field."""
+  gemini_llm = Gemini(model="gemini-2.5-flash", api_version="v1")
+
+  with mock.patch.object(
+      gemini_llm, "_api_backend", GoogleLLMVariant.VERTEX_AI
+  ):
+    client = gemini_llm._live_api_client
+
+    assert client._api_client._http_options.api_version == "v1"
+
+
 def test_live_api_version_uses_google_base_url_version():
   gemini_llm = Gemini(
       model="gemini-2.5-flash",