diff --git a/expose.cpp b/expose.cpp
index aeb7066f14a42..68167d79b08dc 100644
--- a/expose.cpp
+++ b/expose.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ extern "C"
         return gpttype_generate(inputs, output);
     }
 
-    const char* new_token(int idx) {
+    const char * new_token(int idx) {
         if (generated_tokens.size() <= idx || idx < 0) return nullptr;
 
         return generated_tokens[idx].c_str();
@@ -232,9 +232,14 @@ extern "C"
         return gpttype_generate_abort();
     }
 
-    int token_count(const char * input)
+    static std::vector<int> toks; //just share a static object for token counting
+    token_count_outputs token_count(const char * input)
     {
         std::string inputstr = input;
-        return gpttype_token_count(inputstr);
+        token_count_outputs output;
+        toks = gpttype_get_token_arr(inputstr);
+        output.count = toks.size();
+        output.ids = toks.data(); //this may be slightly unsafe
+        return output;
     }
 }
diff --git a/expose.h b/expose.h
index 3e17778d73b25..25e855224a3cc 100644
--- a/expose.h
+++ b/expose.h
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ struct generation_outputs
     int status = -1;
     char text[32768]; //32kb should be enough for any response
 };
+struct token_count_outputs
+{
+    int count = 0;
+    int * ids; //we'll just use shared memory for this one, bit of a hack
+};
 
 extern std::string executable_path;
 extern std::string lora_filename;
diff --git a/gpttype_adapter.cpp b/gpttype_adapter.cpp
index fb12bb4f6f2bf..d6837cfdf726d 100644
--- a/gpttype_adapter.cpp
+++ b/gpttype_adapter.cpp
@@ -1390,7 +1390,7 @@ bool gpttype_generate_abort()
     return true;
 }
 
-int gpttype_token_count(const std::string & input)
+std::vector<int> gpttype_get_token_arr(const std::string & input)
 {
     if(debugmode==1)
     {
@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ int gpttype_token_count(const std::string & input)
     {
         printf("\nTokens Counted: %d\n",tokcount);
     }
-    return tokcount;
+    return toks;
 }
 
 const std::string & gpttype_get_pending_output()
diff --git a/koboldcpp.py b/koboldcpp.py
index 2471103cc9497..188abd277e1c3 100755
--- a/koboldcpp.py
+++ b/koboldcpp.py
@@ -77,6 +77,10 @@ class generation_outputs(ctypes.Structure):
     _fields_ = [("status", ctypes.c_int),
                 ("text", ctypes.c_char * 32768)]
 
+class token_count_outputs(ctypes.Structure):
+    _fields_ = [("count", ctypes.c_int),
+                ("ids", ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_int))]
+
 handle = None
 
 def getdirpath():
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ def init_library():
     handle.get_total_gens.restype = ctypes.c_int
     handle.get_last_stop_reason.restype = ctypes.c_int
     handle.abort_generate.restype = ctypes.c_bool
-    handle.token_count.restype = ctypes.c_int
+    handle.token_count.restype = token_count_outputs
     handle.get_pending_output.restype = ctypes.c_char_p
 
 def load_model(model_filename):
@@ -729,8 +733,11 @@ def do_POST(self):
             try:
                 genparams = json.loads(body)
                 countprompt = genparams.get('prompt', "")
-                count = handle.token_count(countprompt.encode("UTF-8"))
-                response_body = (json.dumps({"value": count}).encode())
+                rawcountdata = handle.token_count(countprompt.encode("UTF-8"))
+                countlimit = rawcountdata.count if (rawcountdata.count>=0 and rawcountdata.count<50000) else 0
+                # the above protects the server in case the count limit got corrupted
+                countdata = [rawcountdata.ids[i] for i in range(countlimit)]
+                response_body = (json.dumps({"value": len(countdata),"ids": countdata}).encode())
 
             except Exception as e:
                 utfprint("Count Tokens - Body Error: " + str(e))
diff --git a/model_adapter.h b/model_adapter.h
index 65536c6d4a673..7180d4f849444 100644
--- a/model_adapter.h
+++ b/model_adapter.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ ModelLoadResult gpttype_load_model(const load_model_inputs inputs, FileFormat in
 generation_outputs gpttype_generate(const generation_inputs inputs, generation_outputs &output);
 bool gpttype_generate_abort();
 const std::string & gpttype_get_pending_output();
-int gpttype_token_count(const std::string & input);
+std::vector<int> gpttype_get_token_arr(const std::string & input);
 
 void timer_start();
 double timer_check();