diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index f9edc8e1..0a87b0a2 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
   "postCreateCommand": "bash .devcontainer/scripts/post-create.sh",
   "postStartCommand": "bash .devcontainer/scripts/post-start.sh",
   "forwardPorts": [
+    3000,
+    8000,
     5432,
     6379,
     9000,
diff --git a/api/services/workflow/pipecat_engine_callbacks.py b/api/services/workflow/pipecat_engine_callbacks.py
index 0c80704b..9e58f1df 100644
--- a/api/services/workflow/pipecat_engine_callbacks.py
+++ b/api/services/workflow/pipecat_engine_callbacks.py
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ class UserIdleHandler:
 
         if self._retry_count == 1:
             message = {
-                "role": "user",
+                "role": "system",
                 "content": "The user has been quiet. Politely and briefly ask if they're still there in the language that the user has been speaking so far.",
             }
             await aggregator.push_frame(LLMMessagesAppendFrame([message], run_llm=True))
             return
 
         message = {
-            "role": "user",
+            "role": "system",
             "content": "The user has been quiet. We will be disconnecting the call now. Wish them a good day in the language that the user has been speaking so far.",
         }
         await aggregator.push_frame(LLMMessagesAppendFrame([message], run_llm=True))
diff --git a/api/tests/test_realtime_message_append.py b/api/tests/test_realtime_message_append.py
index 56ec8927..2025dc5d 100644
--- a/api/tests/test_realtime_message_append.py
+++ b/api/tests/test_realtime_message_append.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ async def test_openai_realtime_messages_append_frame_sends_conversation_item():
 
     await service._handle_messages_append(
         LLMMessagesAppendFrame(
-            [{"role": "user", "content": "Are you still there?"}],
+            [{"role": "system", "content": "Are you still there?"}],
             run_llm=True,
         )
     )
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ async def test_openai_realtime_messages_append_frame_sends_conversation_item():
     service.send_client_event.assert_awaited_once()
     event = service.send_client_event.await_args.args[0]
     assert isinstance(event, events.ConversationItemCreateEvent)
-    assert event.item.role == "user"
+    assert event.item.role == "system"
     assert event.item.type == "message"
     assert event.item.content == [
         events.ItemContent(type="input_text", text="Are you still there?")
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ async def test_user_idle_handler_uses_realtime_append_path():
     assert frame.run_llm is True
     assert frame.messages == [
         {
-            "role": "user",
+            "role": "system",
             "content": "The user has been quiet. Politely and briefly ask if they're still there in the language that the user has been speaking so far.",
         }
     ]