diff --git a/api/openai/chat.go b/api/openai/chat.go
index 0c603886..4028e3ce 100644
--- a/api/openai/chat.go
+++ b/api/openai/chat.go
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ func ChatEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fiber.Ctx)
 
 		var predInput string
 
+		suppressConfigSystemPrompt := false
 		mess := []string{}
 		for messageIndex, i := range input.Messages {
 			var content string
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ func ChatEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fiber.Ctx)
 					content = templatedChatMessage
 				}
 			}
-			// If this model doesn't have such a template, or if
+			// If this model doesn't have such a template, or if that template fails to return a value, template at the message level.
 			if content == "" {
 				if r != "" {
 					if contentExists {
@@ -177,6 +178,10 @@ func ChatEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fiber.Ctx)
 						}
 					}
 				}
+				// Special Handling: System. We care if it was printed at all, not the r branch, so check seperately
+				if contentExists && role == "system" {
+					suppressConfigSystemPrompt = true
+				}
 			}
 
 			mess = append(mess, content)
@@ -207,8 +212,10 @@ func ChatEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fiber.Ctx)
 
 		// A model can have a "file.bin.tmpl" file associated with a prompt template prefix
 		templatedInput, err := o.Loader.EvaluateTemplateForPrompt(model.ChatPromptTemplate, templateFile, model.PromptTemplateData{
-			Input:     predInput,
-			Functions: funcs,
+			SystemPrompt:         config.SystemPrompt,
+			SuppressSystemPrompt: suppressConfigSystemPrompt,
+			Input:                predInput,
+			Functions:            funcs,
 		})
 		if err == nil {
 			predInput = templatedInput
diff --git a/api/openai/completion.go b/api/openai/completion.go
index e7406ebb..19d24be1 100644
--- a/api/openai/completion.go
+++ b/api/openai/completion.go
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ func CompletionEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fibe
 		for k, i := range config.PromptStrings {
 			// A model can have a "file.bin.tmpl" file associated with a prompt template prefix
 			templatedInput, err := o.Loader.EvaluateTemplateForPrompt(model.CompletionPromptTemplate, templateFile, model.PromptTemplateData{
-				Input: i,
+				SystemPrompt: config.SystemPrompt,
+				Input:        i,
 			})
 			if err == nil {
 				i = templatedInput
diff --git a/api/openai/edit.go b/api/openai/edit.go
index d5a7f279..ef37131a 100644
--- a/api/openai/edit.go
+++ b/api/openai/edit.go
@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ func EditEndpoint(cm *config.ConfigLoader, o *options.Option) func(c *fiber.Ctx)
 		for _, i := range config.InputStrings {
 			// A model can have a "file.bin.tmpl" file associated with a prompt template prefix
 			templatedInput, err := o.Loader.EvaluateTemplateForPrompt(model.EditPromptTemplate, templateFile, model.PromptTemplateData{
-				Input:       i,
-				Instruction: input.Instruction,
+				Input:        i,
+				Instruction:  input.Instruction,
+				SystemPrompt: config.SystemPrompt,
 			})
 			if err == nil {
 				i = templatedInput
diff --git a/pkg/model/loader.go b/pkg/model/loader.go
index 73d13ebd..a4d86dbc 100644
--- a/pkg/model/loader.go
+++ b/pkg/model/loader.go
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@ import (
 // These are the definitions of all possible variables LocalAI will currently populate for use in a prompt template file
 // Please note: Not all of these are populated on every endpoint - your template should either be tested for each endpoint you map it to, or tolerant of zero values.
 type PromptTemplateData struct {
-	Input        string
-	Instruction  string
-	Functions    []grammar.Function
-	MessageIndex int
+	SystemPrompt         string
+	SuppressSystemPrompt bool // used by chat specifically to indicate that SystemPrompt above should be _ignored_
+	Input                string
+	Instruction          string
+	Functions            []grammar.Function
+	MessageIndex         int
 }
 
 // TODO: Ask mudler about FunctionCall stuff being useful at the message level?