diff --git a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/routes/chats.py b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/routes/chats.py
index 37c47b455f..6b098bfc2f 100644
--- a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/routes/chats.py
+++ b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/routes/chats.py
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ async def create_assistant_message(
             work_parameters = inference.WorkParameters(
                 model_config=model_config,
                 sampling_parameters=request.sampling_parameters,
+                system_prompt=request.system_prompt,
                 plugins=request.plugins,
                 plugin_max_depth=settings.plugin_max_depth,
             )
diff --git a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/schemas/chat.py b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/schemas/chat.py
index c53965094e..74ec4a09ac 100644
--- a/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/schemas/chat.py
+++ b/inference/server/oasst_inference_server/schemas/chat.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class CreateAssistantMessageRequest(pydantic.BaseModel):
     parent_id: str
     model_config_name: str
     sampling_parameters: inference.SamplingParameters = pydantic.Field(default_factory=inference.SamplingParameters)
+    system_prompt: str | None = None
     plugins: list[inference.PluginEntry] = pydantic.Field(default_factory=list[inference.PluginEntry])
     used_plugin: inference.PluginUsed | None = None
 
diff --git a/inference/worker/chat_chain_prompts.py b/inference/worker/chat_chain_prompts.py
index 310ec59609..299dfa8f57 100644
--- a/inference/worker/chat_chain_prompts.py
+++ b/inference/worker/chat_chain_prompts.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 V2_ASST_PREFIX = "<|assistant|>"
 V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX = "<|prompter|>"
+V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX = "<|system|>"
 
 ASSISTANT_PREFIX = "Open Assistant"
 HUMAN_PREFIX = "Human"
diff --git a/inference/worker/utils.py b/inference/worker/utils.py
index c3528e4f1a..fa1ce6dfad 100644
--- a/inference/worker/utils.py
+++ b/inference/worker/utils.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import sseclient
 import transformers
 import websocket
-from chat_chain_prompts import V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX
+from chat_chain_prompts import V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX, V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX
 from loguru import logger
 from oasst_shared.schemas import inference
 from settings import settings
@@ -80,12 +80,23 @@ def truncate_prompt(
 ):
     with shared_tokenizer_lock:
         ids = tokenizer.encode(prompt)
+        prompter_prefix_id = tokenizer.convert_tokens_to_ids(V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX)
+
+    system_prompt: str | None = None
+    system_tokens: list[int] | None = None
+    if prompt.startswith(V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX):
+        system_prompt = prompt[: prompt.index(V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX)]
+        system_tokens = ids[: ids.index(prompter_prefix_id)]
 
     max_input_length = get_max_input_length(worker_config, plugin_used)
 
     if len(ids) > max_input_length:
         logger.debug(f"Prompt too long, left-truncating to {max_input_length} tokens")
-        ids = ids[-(max_input_length - 1) :]
+
+        num_system_tokens = len(system_tokens) if system_tokens else 0
+        # Maximum token allowed for the conversation, ex system prompt
+        max_conversation_length = max_input_length - num_system_tokens
+        ids = ids[-(max_conversation_length - 1) :]
 
         with shared_tokenizer_lock:
             prompt = tokenizer.decode(ids)
@@ -94,6 +105,10 @@ def truncate_prompt(
                 prompt = V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX + prompt
                 ids = tokenizer.encode(V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX) + ids
 
+            if system_tokens:
+                prompt = system_prompt + prompt
+                ids = system_tokens + ids
+
     max_total_tokens = worker_config.model_config.max_total_length
     input_length = len(ids)
     spare = max_total_tokens - input_length - 1
diff --git a/inference/worker/work.py b/inference/worker/work.py
index bb4a5e9f10..45fd197f5c 100644
--- a/inference/worker/work.py
+++ b/inference/worker/work.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     THOUGHT_SEQ,
     V2_ASST_PREFIX,
     V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX,
+    V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX,
 )
 from loguru import logger
 from oasst_shared.schemas import inference
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ def _prepare_message(message: inference.MessageRead) -> str:
     # construct prompt
     messages = [_prepare_message(message) for message in work_request.thread.messages]
 
+    if work_request.parameters.system_prompt:
+        pre_prompt = V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX + work_request.parameters.system_prompt + eos_token
+        messages = [pre_prompt] + messages
+
     prompt = "".join(messages) + V2_ASST_PREFIX
 
     parameters = interface.GenerateStreamParameters.from_work_parameters(work_request.parameters)
@@ -45,6 +50,7 @@ def _prepare_message(message: inference.MessageRead) -> str:
         parameters.stop = [
             V2_PROMPTER_PREFIX,
             V2_ASST_PREFIX,
+            V2_SYSTEM_PREFIX,
         ]
         if eos_token:
             parameters.stop.append(eos_token)
diff --git a/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py b/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
index fe6e7467b7..9ee7d129e9 100644
--- a/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
+++ b/oasst-shared/oasst_shared/schemas/inference.py
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ class WorkParameters(pydantic.BaseModel):
     seed: int = pydantic.Field(
         default_factory=make_seed,
     )
+    system_prompt: str | None = None
     plugins: list[PluginEntry] = pydantic.Field(default_factory=list[PluginEntry])
     plugin_max_depth: int = 4