diff --git a/gateway/integrations/explorer.py b/gateway/integrations/explorer.py
index fed63c2..0f82106 100644
--- a/gateway/integrations/explorer.py
+++ b/gateway/integrations/explorer.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ async def push_trace(
     invariant_authorization: str,
     annotations: List[List[AnnotationCreate]] = None,
     metadata: List[Dict[str, Any]] = None,
+    push_behavior: str = "push",
 ) -> PushTracesResponse:
     """Pushes traces to the dataset on the Invariant Explorer.
 
@@ -88,6 +89,12 @@ async def push_trace(
     Returns:
         PushTracesResponse: Response containing the trace ID details.
     """
+    # if push_behavior is skip, do not push anything
+    if push_behavior == "skip":
+        return None
+
+    # otherwise, we assume we need to push
+
     # Remove any None values from the messages
     update_messages = [
         [{k: v for k, v in msg.items() if v is not None} for msg in msg_list]
diff --git a/tests/integration/guardrails/test_push_behavior.py b/tests/integration/guardrails/test_push_behavior.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc9b145
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/guardrails/test_push_behavior.py
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+"""Test the Invariant-Push header behaviors with the OpenAI route."""
+
+import os
+import sys
+import uuid
+import time
+
+# Add integration folder (parent) to sys.path
+sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+from httpx import Client
+from openai import OpenAI
+
+# Pytest plugins
+pytest_plugins = ("pytest_asyncio",)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"), reason="No OPENAI_API_KEY set")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "do_stream, push_behavior",
+    [(True, "push"), (True, "skip"), (False, "push"), (False, "skip")],
+)
+async def test_push_behavior(explorer_api_url, gateway_url, do_stream, push_behavior):
+    """Test the Invariant-Push header behaviors."""
+    if not os.getenv("INVARIANT_API_KEY"):
+        pytest.fail("No INVARIANT_API_KEY set, failing")
+
+    dataset_name = f"test-dataset-push-behavior-{uuid.uuid4()}"
+
+    client = OpenAI(
+        http_client=Client(
+            headers={
+                "Invariant-Authorization": f"Bearer {os.getenv('INVARIANT_API_KEY')}",
+                "Invariant-Push": push_behavior,
+            },
+        ),
+        base_url=f"{gateway_url}/api/v1/gateway/{dataset_name}/openai",
+    )
+
+    request = {
+        "model": "gpt-4o",
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Say hello!"}],
+    }
+
+    # Make the request
+    chat_response = client.chat.completions.create(
+        **request,
+        stream=do_stream,
+    )
+
+    # If streaming, consume the stream
+    if do_stream:
+        response_content = ""
+        for chunk in chat_response:
+            if chunk.choices[0].delta.content:
+                response_content += chunk.choices[0].delta.content
+    else:
+        response_content = chat_response.choices[0].message.content
+
+    assert response_content, "Response should not be empty"
+
+    # Wait for potential trace saving
+    time.sleep(2)
+
+    # Check if trace was saved based on push_behavior
+    traces_response = requests.get(
+        f"{explorer_api_url}/api/v1/dataset/byuser/developer/{dataset_name}/traces",
+        timeout=5,
+    )
+    traces = traces_response.json()
+
+    if push_behavior == "push":
+        assert len(traces) == 1, "Trace should be saved when push_behavior is 'push'"
+        
+        # Verify trace contents
+        trace_id = traces[0]["id"]
+        trace_response = requests.get(
+            f"{explorer_api_url}/api/v1/trace/{trace_id}",
+            timeout=5,
+        )
+        trace = trace_response.json()
+        
+        assert len(trace["messages"]) == 2, "Trace should contain both request and response"
+        assert trace["messages"][0]["role"] == "user"
+        assert trace["messages"][0]["content"] == "Say hello!"
+        assert trace["messages"][1]["role"] == "assistant"
+        assert trace["messages"][1]["content"] in response_content
+    else:  # push_behavior == "skip"
+        assert len(traces) == 0, "No trace should be saved when push_behavior is 'skip'"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"), reason="No OPENAI_API_KEY set")
+async def test_invalid_push_behavior(explorer_api_url, gateway_url):
+    """Test invalid Invariant-Push header value."""
+    if not os.getenv("INVARIANT_API_KEY"):
+        pytest.fail("No INVARIANT_API_KEY set, failing")
+
+    dataset_name = f"test-dataset-push-behavior-{uuid.uuid4()}"
+
+    client = OpenAI(
+        http_client=Client(
+            headers={
+                "Invariant-Authorization": f"Bearer {os.getenv('INVARIANT_API_KEY')}",
+                "Invariant-Push": "invalid_value",  # Invalid push behavior
+            },
+        ),
+        base_url=f"{gateway_url}/api/v1/gateway/{dataset_name}/openai",
+    )
+
+    request = {
+        "model": "gpt-4o",
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Say hello!"}],
+    }
+
+    # The request should still work, defaulting to "push" behavior
+    chat_response = client.chat.completions.create(
+        **request,
+        stream=False,
+    )
+
+    assert chat_response.choices[0].message.content, "Response should not be empty"
+
+    # Wait for trace saving
+    time.sleep(2)
+
+    # Check if trace was saved (should default to push behavior)
+    traces_response = requests.get(
+        f"{explorer_api_url}/api/v1/dataset/byuser/developer/{dataset_name}/traces",
+        timeout=5,
+    )
+    traces = traces_response.json()
+    assert len(traces) == 1, "Trace should be saved when push_behavior is invalid (defaults to push)" 
\ No newline at end of file