diff --git a/cmd/plugins/main.go b/cmd/plugins/main.go
index d593712aa..9d17b8228 100644
--- a/cmd/plugins/main.go
+++ b/cmd/plugins/main.go
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ func main() {
 	remoteTokenizerEnabled := utils.LoadEnvBool(constants.EnvPrefixCacheUseRemoteTokenizer, false)
 
 	cache.InitWithOptions(config, stopCh, cache.InitOptions{
+		IsGateway:           true,
 		EnableKVSync:        kvSyncEnabled && remoteTokenizerEnabled,
 		RedisClient:         redisClient,
 		ModelRouterProvider: routing.ModelRouterFactory,
diff --git a/pkg/cache/cache_init.go b/pkg/cache/cache_init.go
index a8182bfcd..06b17288f 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/cache_init.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/cache_init.go
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ var (
 
 // InitOptions configures the cache initialization behavior
 type InitOptions struct {
+	// IsGateway marks the caller as the gateway-plugins service.
+	IsGateway bool
+
 	// EnableKVSync configures whether to start the ZMQ KV event sync
 	EnableKVSync bool
 
@@ -333,14 +336,7 @@ func InitForTest() *Store {
 func InitWithOptions(config *rest.Config, stopCh <-chan struct{}, opts InitOptions) *Store {
 	once.Do(func() {
 		// Log initialization based on configuration
-		var service string
-		if opts.EnableKVSync {
-			service = "gateway"
-		} else if opts.RedisClient != nil {
-			service = "metadata"
-		} else {
-			service = "controllers"
-		}
+		service := serviceIdentity(opts)
 
 		klog.InfoS("initialize cache",
 			"service", service,
@@ -402,6 +398,18 @@ func InitWithOptions(config *rest.Config, stopCh <-chan struct{}, opts InitOptio
 	return store
 }
 
+// serviceIdentity returns the component identity implied by opts.
+func serviceIdentity(opts InitOptions) string {
+	switch {
+	case opts.IsGateway:
+		return "gateway"
+	case opts.RedisClient != nil:
+		return "metadata"
+	default:
+		return "controllers"
+	}
+}
+
 // initMetricsCache initializes metrics cache update loop
 // Parameters:
 //
diff --git a/pkg/cache/cache_init_test.go b/pkg/cache/cache_init_test.go
index 6ffe73c6a..c74adbb23 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/cache_init_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/cache_init_test.go
@@ -378,3 +378,54 @@ func TestInitWithOptions_KVSyncBehavior(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestServiceIdentity(t *testing.T) {
+	scenarios := []struct {
+		name     string
+		opts     InitOptions
+		expected string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "gateway without redis",
+			opts: InitOptions{
+				IsGateway: true,
+			},
+			expected: "gateway",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "gateway with KV sync disabled is still the gateway",
+			opts: InitOptions{
+				IsGateway:    true,
+				EnableKVSync: false,
+				RedisClient:  &redis.Client{},
+			},
+			expected: "gateway",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "metadata service",
+			opts: InitOptions{
+				RedisClient: &redis.Client{},
+			},
+			expected: "metadata",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "EnableKVSync alone does not imply gateway",
+			opts: InitOptions{
+				EnableKVSync: true,
+				RedisClient:  &redis.Client{},
+			},
+			expected: "metadata",
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "controllers",
+			opts:     InitOptions{},
+			expected: "controllers",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, sc := range scenarios {
+		t.Run(sc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Equal(t, sc.expected, serviceIdentity(sc.opts))
+		})
+	}
+}