diff --git a/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/mod.rs b/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/mod.rs
index c27327fb2..b60f75264 100644
--- a/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/mod.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/mod.rs
@@ -561,6 +561,7 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::MessageContent;
     use either::Either;
     use indexmap::IndexMap;
+    use serde_json::Value;
 
     macro_rules! hashmap {
         (@single $($x:tt)*) => (());
@@ -572,7 +573,7 @@ mod tests {
                 let _cap = hashmap!(@count $($key),*);
                 let mut _map = ::indexmap::IndexMap::with_capacity(_cap);
                 $(
-                    let _ = _map.insert($key, $value);
+                    let _ = _map.insert($key, Value::String($value));
                 )*
                 _map
             }
@@ -677,7 +678,7 @@ mod tests {
         ];
         let mut inputs = Vec::new();
         for [role, content] in messages {
-            let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+            let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
                 IndexMap::new();
             message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left(role.to_string()));
             message.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Left(content.to_string()));
@@ -711,7 +712,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let mut inputs = Vec::new();
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("system".to_string()));
         message.insert(
@@ -723,7 +724,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         inputs.push(message);
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("user".to_string()));
         message.insert(
@@ -740,7 +741,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         inputs.push(message);
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("assistant".to_string()));
         message.insert(
@@ -752,7 +753,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         inputs.push(message);
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("user".to_string()));
         message.insert(
@@ -769,7 +770,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         inputs.push(message);
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("assistant".to_string()));
         message.insert(
@@ -781,7 +782,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         inputs.push(message);
 
-        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("user".to_string()));
         message.insert(
diff --git a/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/processing.rs b/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/processing.rs
index e1034b84a..bb19e3f46 100644
--- a/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/processing.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-core/src/pipeline/processing.rs
@@ -84,8 +84,13 @@ pub(crate) fn apply_chat_template(
                                 'outer: for content_row in rv {
                                     for (content_k, content_v) in content_row {
                                         if content_k == "text" {
-                                            new_message.insert(k, Either::Left(content_v));
-                                            break 'outer;
+                                            if let Some(content_str) = content_v.as_str() {
+                                                new_message.insert(
+                                                    k,
+                                                    Either::Left(content_str.to_string()),
+                                                );
+                                                break 'outer;
+                                            }
                                         }
                                     }
                                 }
@@ -149,6 +154,6 @@ impl Processor for BasicProcessor {
         &[]
     }
     fn template_action(&self) -> MessagesAction {
-        MessagesAction::FlattenOnlyText
+        MessagesAction::Keep
     }
 }
diff --git a/mistralrs-core/src/request.rs b/mistralrs-core/src/request.rs
index bbd75dd7c..716a93147 100644
--- a/mistralrs-core/src/request.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-core/src/request.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use either::Either;
 use indexmap::IndexMap;
 use mistralrs_quant::IsqType;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde_json::Value;
 
 use crate::{
     response::Response,
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ pub enum ImageGenerationResponseFormat {
     B64Json,
 }
 
-pub type MessageContent = Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>;
+pub type MessageContent = Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 /// Message or messages for a [`Request`].
diff --git a/mistralrs-core/src/tools/response.rs b/mistralrs-core/src/tools/response.rs
index 4eecd5caf..1e082a900 100644
--- a/mistralrs-core/src/tools/response.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-core/src/tools/response.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ pub enum ToolCallType {
     Function,
 }
 
+impl std::fmt::Display for ToolCallType {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            ToolCallType::Function => write!(f, "function"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "pyo3_macros", pyo3::pyclass)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "pyo3_macros", pyo3(get_all))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
diff --git a/mistralrs-pyo3/src/lib.rs b/mistralrs-pyo3/src/lib.rs
index 4d86714be..aea3f8ec8 100644
--- a/mistralrs-pyo3/src/lib.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-pyo3/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use anymoe::{AnyMoeConfig, AnyMoeExpertType};
 use either::Either;
 use indexmap::IndexMap;
 use requests::{ChatCompletionRequest, CompletionRequest, ToolChoice};
+use serde_json::Value;
 use std::{
     cell::RefCell,
     collections::HashMap,
@@ -683,7 +684,7 @@ impl Runner {
                             Either::Left(content) => {
                                 let mut message_map: IndexMap<
                                     String,
-                                    Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>,
+                                    Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>,
                                 > = IndexMap::new();
                                 message_map.insert(
                                     "role".to_string(),
@@ -760,7 +761,7 @@ impl Runner {
                                 }
                                 let mut message_map: IndexMap<
                                     String,
-                                    Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>,
+                                    Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>,
                                 > = IndexMap::new();
                                 message_map.insert(
                                     "role".to_string(),
@@ -774,11 +775,13 @@ impl Runner {
 
                                 let mut content_map = Vec::new();
                                 let mut content_image_map = IndexMap::new();
-                                content_image_map.insert("type".to_string(), "image".to_string());
+                                content_image_map
+                                    .insert("type".to_string(), Value::String("image".to_string()));
                                 content_map.push(content_image_map);
                                 let mut content_text_map = IndexMap::new();
-                                content_text_map.insert("type".to_string(), "text".to_string());
-                                content_text_map.insert("text".to_string(), content);
+                                content_text_map
+                                    .insert("type".to_string(), Value::String("text".to_string()));
+                                content_text_map.insert("text".to_string(), Value::String(content));
                                 content_map.push(content_text_map);
 
                                 message_map
@@ -808,7 +811,7 @@ impl Runner {
                     let mut messages = Vec::new();
                     let mut message_map: IndexMap<
                         String,
-                        Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>,
+                        Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>,
                     > = IndexMap::new();
                     message_map.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("user".to_string()));
                     message_map.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Left(prompt.to_string()));
diff --git a/mistralrs-server/src/chat_completion.rs b/mistralrs-server/src/chat_completion.rs
index 5ba1745de..e10092e68 100644
--- a/mistralrs-server/src/chat_completion.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-server/src/chat_completion.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use serde_json::Value;
 use std::{
     collections::HashMap,
     env,
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ async fn parse_request(
                     Either::Left(content) => {
                         let mut message_map: IndexMap<
                             String,
-                            Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>,
+                            Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>,
                         > = IndexMap::new();
                         message_map.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left(message.role));
                         message_map
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@ async fn parse_request(
                         }
                         let mut message_map: IndexMap<
                             String,
-                            Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>,
+                            Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>,
                         > = IndexMap::new();
                         message_map.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left(message.role));
                         let (content, url) = if items[0] == "text" {
@@ -243,13 +244,15 @@ async fn parse_request(
                             get_content_and_url(1, 0, image_messages)?
                         };
 
-                        let mut content_map = Vec::new();
+                        let mut content_map: Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>> = Vec::new();
                         let mut content_image_map = IndexMap::new();
-                        content_image_map.insert("type".to_string(), "image".to_string());
+                        content_image_map
+                            .insert("type".to_string(), Value::String("image".to_string()));
                         content_map.push(content_image_map);
                         let mut content_text_map = IndexMap::new();
-                        content_text_map.insert("type".to_string(), "text".to_string());
-                        content_text_map.insert("text".to_string(), content);
+                        content_text_map
+                            .insert("type".to_string(), Value::String("text".to_string()));
+                        content_text_map.insert("text".to_string(), Value::String(content));
                         content_map.push(content_text_map);
 
                         message_map.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Right(content_map));
@@ -276,7 +279,7 @@ async fn parse_request(
         }
         Either::Right(prompt) => {
             let mut messages = Vec::new();
-            let mut message_map: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+            let mut message_map: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
                 IndexMap::new();
             message_map.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("user".to_string()));
             message_map.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Left(prompt));
diff --git a/mistralrs-server/src/interactive_mode.rs b/mistralrs-server/src/interactive_mode.rs
index 43d8e364e..2e6b5300d 100644
--- a/mistralrs-server/src/interactive_mode.rs
+++ b/mistralrs-server/src/interactive_mode.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use mistralrs_core::{
 };
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use regex::Regex;
+use serde_json::Value;
 use std::{
     io::{self, Write},
     sync::{atomic::Ordering, Arc, Mutex},
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ async fn text_interactive_mode(mistralrs: Arc<MistralRs>, throughput: bool) {
             println!();
             info!("Average T/s: {}", toks as f64 / time);
         }
-        let mut assistant_message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut assistant_message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         assistant_message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("assistant".to_string()));
         assistant_message.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Left(assistant_output));
@@ -431,7 +432,7 @@ async fn vision_interactive_mode(mistralrs: Arc<MistralRs>, throughput: bool) {
             println!();
             info!("Average T/s: {}", toks as f64 / time);
         }
-        let mut assistant_message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, String>>>> =
+        let mut assistant_message: IndexMap<String, Either<String, Vec<IndexMap<String, Value>>>> =
             IndexMap::new();
         assistant_message.insert("role".to_string(), Either::Left("assistant".to_string()));
         assistant_message.insert("content".to_string(), Either::Left(assistant_output));
diff --git a/mistralrs/examples/lower_level/tools/main.rs b/mistralrs/examples/lower_level/tools/main.rs
index 6e532b3fc..4fc8b1b08 100644
--- a/mistralrs/examples/lower_level/tools/main.rs
+++ b/mistralrs/examples/lower_level/tools/main.rs
@@ -126,20 +126,26 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             // Add tool call message from assistant so it knows what it called
             messages.push(IndexMap::from([
                 ("role".to_string(), Either::Left("assistant".to_string())),
+                ("content".to_string(), Either::Left("".to_string())),
                 (
-                    "content".to_string(),
-                    Either::Left(
-                        json!({
-                            "name": called.function.name,
-                            "parameters": called.function.arguments,
-                        })
-                        .to_string(),
-                    ),
+                    "tool_calls".to_string(),
+                    Either::Right(Vec![IndexMap::from([
+                        ("id".to_string(), tool_call.id),
+                        (
+                            "function".to_string(),
+                            json!({
+                                "name": called.function.name,
+                                "arguments": called.function.arguments,
+                            })
+                        ),
+                        ("type".to_string(), "function".to_string()),
+                    ])]),
                 ),
             ]));
             // Add message from the tool
             messages.push(IndexMap::from([
                 ("role".to_string(), Either::Left("tool".to_string())),
+                ("tool_call_id".to_string(), Either::Left(tool_call.id)),
                 ("content".to_string(), Either::Left(result)),
             ]));
 
diff --git a/mistralrs/examples/tools/main.rs b/mistralrs/examples/tools/main.rs
index 10b102047..02c002ca0 100644
--- a/mistralrs/examples/tools/main.rs
+++ b/mistralrs/examples/tools/main.rs
@@ -66,15 +66,12 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
             // Add tool call message from assistant so it knows what it called
             // Then, add message from the tool
             messages = messages
-                .add_message(
+                .add_message_with_tool_call(
                     TextMessageRole::Assistant,
-                    json!({
-                        "name": called.function.name,
-                        "parameters": called.function.arguments,
-                    })
-                    .to_string(),
+                    String::new(),
+                    vec![called.clone()],
                 )
-                .add_message(TextMessageRole::Tool, result)
+                .add_tool_message(result, called.id.clone())
                 .set_tool_choice(ToolChoice::None);
 
             let response = model.send_chat_request(messages.clone()).await?;
diff --git a/mistralrs/src/messages.rs b/mistralrs/src/messages.rs
index e141c03a4..7aa512211 100644
--- a/mistralrs/src/messages.rs
+++ b/mistralrs/src/messages.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use super::*;
 use either::Either;
 use image::DynamicImage;
 use indexmap::IndexMap;
+use serde_json::{json, Value};
 
 /// A type which can be used as a request.
 pub trait RequestLike {
@@ -207,10 +208,10 @@ impl VisionMessages {
             (
                 "content".to_string(),
                 Either::Right(vec![
-                    IndexMap::from([("type".to_string(), "image".to_string())]),
+                    IndexMap::from([("type".to_string(), Value::String("image".to_string()))]),
                     IndexMap::from([
-                        ("type".to_string(), "text".to_string()),
-                        ("content".to_string(), text.to_string()),
+                        ("type".to_string(), Value::String("text".to_string())),
+                        ("content".to_string(), Value::String(text.to_string())),
                     ]),
                 ]),
             ),
@@ -361,6 +362,10 @@ impl RequestBuilder {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Add a message to the request.
+    ///
+    /// For messages with tool calls, use [`Self::add_message_with_tool_call`].
+    /// For messages with tool outputs, use [`Self::add_tool_message`].
     pub fn add_message(mut self, role: TextMessageRole, text: impl ToString) -> Self {
         self.messages.push(IndexMap::from([
             ("role".to_string(), Either::Left(role.to_string())),
@@ -369,6 +374,55 @@ impl RequestBuilder {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Add a message with the output of a tool call.
+    pub fn add_tool_message(mut self, tool_content: impl ToString, tool_id: impl ToString) -> Self {
+        self.messages.push(IndexMap::from([
+            (
+                "role".to_string(),
+                Either::Left(TextMessageRole::Tool.to_string()),
+            ),
+            (
+                "content".to_string(),
+                Either::Left(tool_content.to_string()),
+            ),
+            (
+                "tool_call_id".to_string(),
+                Either::Left(tool_id.to_string()),
+            ),
+        ]));
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn add_message_with_tool_call(
+        mut self,
+        role: TextMessageRole,
+        text: impl ToString,
+        tool_calls: Vec<ToolCallResponse>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let tool_messages = tool_calls
+            .iter()
+            .map(|t| {
+                IndexMap::from([
+                    ("id".to_string(), Value::String(t.id.clone())),
+                    ("type".to_string(), Value::String(t.tp.to_string())),
+                    (
+                        "function".to_string(),
+                        json!({
+                            "name": t.function.name,
+                            "arguments": t.function.arguments,
+                        }),
+                    ),
+                ])
+            })
+            .collect();
+        self.messages.push(IndexMap::from([
+            ("role".to_string(), Either::Left(role.to_string())),
+            ("content".to_string(), Either::Left(text.to_string())),
+            ("function".to_string(), Either::Right(tool_messages)),
+        ]));
+        self
+    }
+
     pub fn add_image_message(
         mut self,
         role: TextMessageRole,