diff --git a/pkg/templates/evaluator.go b/pkg/templates/evaluator.go
index 7b2089b3..00b1c0a6 100644
--- a/pkg/templates/evaluator.go
+++ b/pkg/templates/evaluator.go
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ func (e *Evaluator) EvaluateTemplateForPrompt(templateType TemplateType, config
 	}
 
 	if config.TemplateConfig.JinjaTemplate {
-		return e.EvaluateJinjaTemplateForPrompt(templateType, template, in)
+		return e.evaluateJinjaTemplateForPrompt(templateType, template, in)
 	}
 
 	return e.cache.EvaluateTemplate(templateType, template, in)
 }
 
-func (e *Evaluator) EvaluateTemplateForChatMessage(templateName string, messageData ChatMessageTemplateData) (string, error) {
+func (e *Evaluator) evaluateTemplateForChatMessage(templateName string, messageData ChatMessageTemplateData) (string, error) {
 	return e.cache.EvaluateTemplate(ChatMessageTemplate, templateName, messageData)
 }
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (e *Evaluator) templateJinjaChat(templateName string, messageData []ChatMes
 	return e.cache.EvaluateJinjaTemplate(ChatMessageTemplate, templateName, conversation)
 }
 
-func (e *Evaluator) EvaluateJinjaTemplateForPrompt(templateType TemplateType, templateName string, in PromptTemplateData) (string, error) {
+func (e *Evaluator) evaluateJinjaTemplateForPrompt(templateType TemplateType, templateName string, in PromptTemplateData) (string, error) {
 
 	conversation := make(map[string]interface{})
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (e *Evaluator) TemplateMessages(messages []schema.Message, config *config.B
 				Function:     config.Grammar != "" && (messageIndex == (len(messages) - 1)),
 				MessageIndex: messageIndex,
 			}
-			templatedChatMessage, err := e.EvaluateTemplateForChatMessage(config.TemplateConfig.ChatMessage, chatMessageData)
+			templatedChatMessage, err := e.evaluateTemplateForChatMessage(config.TemplateConfig.ChatMessage, chatMessageData)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Error().Err(err).Interface("message", chatMessageData).Str("template", config.TemplateConfig.ChatMessage).Msg("error processing message with template, skipping")
 			} else {
diff --git a/pkg/templates/evaluator_test.go b/pkg/templates/evaluator_test.go
index 06551e4d..ab150577 100644
--- a/pkg/templates/evaluator_test.go
+++ b/pkg/templates/evaluator_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package templates_test
 
 import (
+	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/core/config"
+	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/core/schema"
+	"github.com/mudler/LocalAI/pkg/functions"
 	. "github.com/mudler/LocalAI/pkg/templates"
 
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
@@ -41,126 +44,141 @@ Function response:
 
 var llama3TestMatch map[string]map[string]interface{} = map[string]map[string]interface{}{
 	"user": {
-		"template": llama3,
 		"expected": "<|start_header_id|>user<|end_header_id|>\n\nA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...<|eot_id|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "user",
-			RoleName:     "user",
-			Content:      "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: llama3,
+			},
+		},
+		"functions":   []functions.Function{},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "user",
+				StringContent: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
+			},
 		},
 	},
 	"assistant": {
-		"template": llama3,
 		"expected": "<|start_header_id|>assistant<|end_header_id|>\n\nA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...<|eot_id|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "assistant",
-			RoleName:     "assistant",
-			Content:      "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: llama3,
+			},
 		},
+		"functions": []functions.Function{},
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "assistant",
+				StringContent: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
+			},
+		},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
 	},
 	"function_call": {
-		"template": llama3,
+
 		"expected": "<|start_header_id|>assistant<|end_header_id|>\n\nFunction call:\n{\"function\":\"test\"}<|eot_id|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "assistant",
-			RoleName:     "assistant",
-			Content:      "",
-			FunctionCall: map[string]string{"function": "test"},
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: llama3,
+			},
 		},
+		"functions": []functions.Function{},
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:         "assistant",
+				FunctionCall: map[string]string{"function": "test"},
+			},
+		},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
 	},
 	"function_response": {
-		"template": llama3,
 		"expected": "<|start_header_id|>tool<|end_header_id|>\n\nFunction response:\nResponse from tool<|eot_id|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "tool",
-			RoleName:     "tool",
-			Content:      "Response from tool",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: llama3,
+			},
 		},
+		"functions": []functions.Function{},
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "tool",
+				StringContent: "Response from tool",
+			},
+		},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
 	},
 }
 
 var chatMLTestMatch map[string]map[string]interface{} = map[string]map[string]interface{}{
 	"user": {
-		"template": chatML,
 		"expected": "<|im_start|>user\nA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...<|im_end|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "user",
-			RoleName:     "user",
-			Content:      "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: chatML,
+			},
+		},
+		"functions":   []functions.Function{},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "user",
+				StringContent: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
+			},
 		},
 	},
 	"assistant": {
-		"template": chatML,
 		"expected": "<|im_start|>assistant\nA long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...<|im_end|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "assistant",
-			RoleName:     "assistant",
-			Content:      "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: chatML,
+			},
 		},
+		"functions": []functions.Function{},
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "assistant",
+				StringContent: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...",
+			},
+		},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
 	},
 	"function_call": {
-		"template": chatML,
 		"expected": "<|im_start|>assistant\n<tool_call>\n{\"function\":\"test\"}\n</tool_call><|im_end|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "assistant",
-			RoleName:     "assistant",
-			Content:      "",
-			FunctionCall: map[string]string{"function": "test"},
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: chatML,
+			},
+		},
+		"functions": []functions.Function{
+			{
+				Name:        "test",
+				Description: "test",
+				Parameters:  nil,
+			},
+		},
+		"shouldUseFn": true,
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:         "assistant",
+				FunctionCall: map[string]string{"function": "test"},
+			},
 		},
 	},
 	"function_response": {
-		"template": chatML,
 		"expected": "<|im_start|>tool\n<tool_response>\nResponse from tool\n</tool_response><|im_end|>",
-		"data": ChatMessageTemplateData{
-			SystemPrompt: "",
-			Role:         "tool",
-			RoleName:     "tool",
-			Content:      "Response from tool",
-			FunctionCall: nil,
-			FunctionName: "",
-			LastMessage:  false,
-			Function:     false,
-			MessageIndex: 0,
+		"config": &config.BackendConfig{
+			TemplateConfig: config.TemplateConfig{
+				ChatMessage: chatML,
+			},
+		},
+		"functions":   []functions.Function{},
+		"shouldUseFn": false,
+		"messages": []schema.Message{
+			{
+				Role:          "tool",
+				StringContent: "Response from tool",
+			},
 		},
 	},
 }
@@ -174,8 +192,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Templates", func() {
 		for key := range chatMLTestMatch {
 			foo := chatMLTestMatch[key]
 			It("renders correctly `"+key+"`", func() {
-				templated, err := evaluator.EvaluateTemplateForChatMessage(foo["template"].(string), foo["data"].(ChatMessageTemplateData))
-				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				templated := evaluator.TemplateMessages(foo["messages"].([]schema.Message), foo["config"].(*config.BackendConfig), foo["functions"].([]functions.Function), foo["shouldUseFn"].(bool))
 				Expect(templated).To(Equal(foo["expected"]), templated)
 			})
 		}
@@ -188,8 +205,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Templates", func() {
 		for key := range llama3TestMatch {
 			foo := llama3TestMatch[key]
 			It("renders correctly `"+key+"`", func() {
-				templated, err := evaluator.EvaluateTemplateForChatMessage(foo["template"].(string), foo["data"].(ChatMessageTemplateData))
-				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				templated := evaluator.TemplateMessages(foo["messages"].([]schema.Message), foo["config"].(*config.BackendConfig), foo["functions"].([]functions.Function), foo["shouldUseFn"].(bool))
 				Expect(templated).To(Equal(foo["expected"]), templated)
 			})
 		}