diff --git a/crates/meilisearch-types/src/features.rs b/crates/meilisearch-types/src/features.rs
index 9bcd58347..210a0f0f9 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch-types/src/features.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch-types/src/features.rs
@@ -102,16 +102,24 @@ pub enum ChatCompletionSource {
     VLlm,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum SystemRole {
+    System,
+    Developer,
+}
+
 impl ChatCompletionSource {
-    pub fn system_role(&self, model: &str) -> &'static str {
+    pub fn system_role(&self, model: &str) -> SystemRole {
+        use ChatCompletionSource::*;
+        use SystemRole::*;
         match self {
-            ChatCompletionSource::OpenAi if Self::old_openai_model(model) => "system",
-            ChatCompletionSource::OpenAi => "developer",
-            ChatCompletionSource::AzureOpenAi if Self::old_openai_model(model) => "system",
-            ChatCompletionSource::AzureOpenAi => "developer",
-            ChatCompletionSource::Mistral => "system",
-            ChatCompletionSource::Gemini => "system",
-            ChatCompletionSource::VLlm => "system",
+            OpenAi if Self::old_openai_model(model) => System,
+            OpenAi => Developer,
+            AzureOpenAi if Self::old_openai_model(model) => System,
+            AzureOpenAi => Developer,
+            Mistral => System,
+            Gemini => System,
+            VLlm => System,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/chats/chat_completions.rs b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/chats/chat_completions.rs
index f588541fa..f4e42cae3 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/chats/chat_completions.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/chats/chat_completions.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ use actix_web::{Either, HttpRequest, HttpResponse, Responder};
 use actix_web_lab::sse::{Event, Sse};
 use async_openai::types::{
     ChatCompletionMessageToolCall, ChatCompletionMessageToolCallChunk,
-    ChatCompletionRequestAssistantMessageArgs, ChatCompletionRequestMessage,
+    ChatCompletionRequestAssistantMessageArgs, ChatCompletionRequestDeveloperMessage,
+    ChatCompletionRequestDeveloperMessageContent, ChatCompletionRequestMessage,
     ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessage, ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessageContent,
     ChatCompletionRequestToolMessage, ChatCompletionRequestToolMessageContent,
     ChatCompletionStreamResponseDelta, ChatCompletionToolArgs, ChatCompletionToolType,
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ use meilisearch_auth::AuthController;
 use meilisearch_types::error::{Code, ResponseError};
 use meilisearch_types::features::{
     ChatCompletionPrompts as DbChatCompletionPrompts, ChatCompletionSettings as DbChatSettings,
+    SystemRole,
 };
 use meilisearch_types::keys::actions;
 use meilisearch_types::milli::index::ChatConfig;
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ fn setup_search_tool(
     filters: &meilisearch_auth::AuthFilter,
     chat_completion: &mut CreateChatCompletionRequest,
     prompts: &DbChatCompletionPrompts,
+    system_role: SystemRole,
 ) -> Result<FunctionSupport, ResponseError> {
     let tools = chat_completion.tools.get_or_insert_default();
     if tools.iter().any(|t| t.function.name == MEILI_SEARCH_IN_INDEX_FUNCTION_NAME) {
@@ -195,13 +198,21 @@ fn setup_search_tool(
 
     tools.push(tool);
 
-    chat_completion.messages.insert(
-        0,
-        ChatCompletionRequestMessage::System(ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessage {
-            content: ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessageContent::Text(prompts.system.clone()),
-            name: None,
-        }),
-    );
+    let system_message = match system_role {
+        SystemRole::System => {
+            ChatCompletionRequestMessage::System(ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessage {
+                content: ChatCompletionRequestSystemMessageContent::Text(prompts.system.clone()),
+                name: None,
+            })
+        }
+        SystemRole::Developer => {
+            ChatCompletionRequestMessage::Developer(ChatCompletionRequestDeveloperMessage {
+                content: ChatCompletionRequestDeveloperMessageContent::Text(prompts.system.clone()),
+                name: None,
+            })
+        }
+    };
+    chat_completion.messages.insert(0, system_message);
 
     Ok(FunctionSupport { report_progress, report_sources, append_to_conversation })
 }
@@ -315,9 +326,15 @@ async fn non_streamed_chat(
     let config = Config::new(&chat_settings);
     let client = Client::with_config(config);
     let auth_token = extract_token_from_request(&req)?.unwrap();
+    let system_role = chat_settings.source.system_role(&chat_completion.model);
     // TODO do function support later
-    let _function_support =
-        setup_search_tool(&index_scheduler, filters, &mut chat_completion, &chat_settings.prompts)?;
+    let _function_support = setup_search_tool(
+        &index_scheduler,
+        filters,
+        &mut chat_completion,
+        &chat_settings.prompts,
+        system_role,
+    )?;
 
     let mut response;
     loop {
@@ -408,8 +425,14 @@ async fn streamed_chat(
 
     let config = Config::new(&chat_settings);
     let auth_token = extract_token_from_request(&req)?.unwrap().to_string();
-    let function_support =
-        setup_search_tool(&index_scheduler, filters, &mut chat_completion, &chat_settings.prompts)?;
+    let system_role = chat_settings.source.system_role(&chat_completion.model);
+    let function_support = setup_search_tool(
+        &index_scheduler,
+        filters,
+        &mut chat_completion,
+        &chat_settings.prompts,
+        system_role,
+    )?;
 
     tracing::debug!("Conversation function support: {function_support:?}");