diff --git a/aider/coders/base_coder.py b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
index 84c269051..6842e2dee 100755
--- a/aider/coders/base_coder.py
+++ b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
@@ -411,15 +411,14 @@ class Coder:
 
         return self.send_new_user_message(inp)
 
-    def fmt_system_reminder(self):
-        prompt = self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder
+    def fmt_system_prompt(self, prompt):
         prompt = prompt.format(fence=self.fence)
         return prompt
 
     def format_messages(self):
         self.choose_fence()
-        main_sys = self.gpt_prompts.main_system
-        main_sys += "\n" + self.fmt_system_reminder()
+        main_sys = self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.main_system)
+        main_sys += "\n" + self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder)
 
         messages = [
             dict(role="system", content=main_sys),
@@ -430,7 +429,7 @@ class Coder:
         messages += self.get_files_messages()
 
         reminder_message = [
-            dict(role="system", content=self.fmt_system_reminder()),
+            dict(role="system", content=self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder)),
         ]
 
         messages_tokens = self.main_model.token_count(messages)
diff --git a/aider/commands.py b/aider/commands.py
index c98b60cd5..ff4dc9de7 100644
--- a/aider/commands.py
+++ b/aider/commands.py
@@ -106,18 +106,13 @@ class Commands:
         self.coder.choose_fence()
 
         # system messages
+        main_sys = self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.main_system)
+        main_sys += "\n" + self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder)
         msgs = [
-            dict(
-                role="system",
-                content=self.coder.gpt_prompts.main_system
-                + "\n"
-                + self.coder.fmt_system_reminder(),
-            ),
-            dict(
-                role="system",
-                content=self.coder.fmt_system_reminder(),
-            ),
+            dict(role="system", content=main_sys),
+            dict(role="system", content=self.fmt_system_prompt(self.gpt_prompts.system_reminder)),
         ]
+
         tokens = self.coder.main_model.token_count(msgs)
         res.append((tokens, "system messages", ""))