diff --git a/crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/function_calling.rs b/crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/function_calling.rs
index 0d6c6d3c..ca4def32 100644
--- a/crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/function_calling.rs
+++ b/crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/function_calling.rs
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ impl ArchFunctionHandler {
 
         // Keep system message if present
         if let Some(first) = messages.first() {
-            if first.role == Role::System {
+            if first.role == Role::System || first.role == Role::Developer {
                 if let Some(MessageContent::Text(content)) = &first.content {
                     num_tokens += content.len() / 4; // Approximate 4 chars per token
                 }
diff --git a/crates/brightstaff/src/router/orchestrator_model_v1.rs b/crates/brightstaff/src/router/orchestrator_model_v1.rs
index c6d3d56d..ec4d2d12 100644
--- a/crates/brightstaff/src/router/orchestrator_model_v1.rs
+++ b/crates/brightstaff/src/router/orchestrator_model_v1.rs
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ impl OrchestratorModel for OrchestratorModelV1 {
             .iter()
             .filter(|m| {
                 m.role != Role::System
+                    && m.role != Role::Developer
                     && m.role != Role::Tool
                     && !m.content.extract_text().is_empty()
             })
diff --git a/crates/brightstaff/src/router/router_model_v1.rs b/crates/brightstaff/src/router/router_model_v1.rs
index 82a187fd..e1189c94 100644
--- a/crates/brightstaff/src/router/router_model_v1.rs
+++ b/crates/brightstaff/src/router/router_model_v1.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ impl RouterModel for RouterModelV1 {
             .iter()
             .filter(|m| {
                 m.role != Role::System
+                    && m.role != Role::Developer
                     && m.role != Role::Tool
                     && !m.content.extract_text().is_empty()
             })
diff --git a/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/anthropic.rs b/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/anthropic.rs
index 3cb06828..4df4bb00 100644
--- a/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/anthropic.rs
+++ b/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/anthropic.rs
@@ -572,7 +572,9 @@ impl ProviderRequest for MessagesRequest {
         let mut regular_messages = Vec::new();
 
         for msg in messages {
-            if msg.role == crate::apis::openai::Role::System {
+            if msg.role == crate::apis::openai::Role::System
+                || msg.role == crate::apis::openai::Role::Developer
+            {
                 system_messages.push(msg.clone());
             } else {
                 regular_messages.push(msg.clone());
diff --git a/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/openai.rs b/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/openai.rs
index 33f55b29..d22ff756 100644
--- a/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/openai.rs
+++ b/crates/hermesllm/src/apis/openai.rs
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ pub enum Role {
     User,
     Assistant,
     Tool,
+    Developer,
 }
 
 #[skip_serializing_none]
@@ -736,6 +737,7 @@ impl ProviderStreamResponse for ChatCompletionsStreamResponse {
                 Role::User => "user",
                 Role::Assistant => "assistant",
                 Role::Tool => "tool",
+                Role::Developer => "developer",
             })
         })
     }
diff --git a/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/request/from_openai.rs b/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/request/from_openai.rs
index f2e8ab0d..70e69cb8 100644
--- a/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/request/from_openai.rs
+++ b/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/request/from_openai.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ impl TryFrom<ResponsesInputConverter> for Vec<Message> {
                                 MessageRole::User => Role::User,
                                 MessageRole::Assistant => Role::Assistant,
                                 MessageRole::System => Role::System,
-                                MessageRole::Developer => Role::System, // Map developer to system
+                                MessageRole::Developer => Role::Developer,
                                 MessageRole::Tool => Role::Tool,
                             };
 
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ impl TryFrom<Message> for MessagesMessage {
                     ]),
                 });
             }
-            Role::System => {
+            Role::System | Role::Developer => {
                 return Err(TransformError::UnsupportedConversion(
                     "System messages should be handled separately".to_string(),
                 ));
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ impl TryFrom<Message> for BedrockMessage {
             Role::User => ConversationRole::User,
             Role::Assistant => ConversationRole::Assistant,
             Role::Tool => ConversationRole::User, // Tool results become user messages in Bedrock
-            Role::System => {
+            Role::System | Role::Developer => {
                 return Err(TransformError::UnsupportedConversion(
                     "System messages should be handled separately in Bedrock".to_string(),
                 ));
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ impl TryFrom<Message> for BedrockMessage {
                     },
                 });
             }
-            Role::System => {
+            Role::System | Role::Developer => {
                 // Already handled above with early return
                 unreachable!()
             }
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ impl TryFrom<ChatCompletionsRequest> for AnthropicMessagesRequest {
 
         for message in req.messages {
             match message.role {
-                Role::System => {
+                Role::System | Role::Developer => {
                     system_prompt = Some(message.into());
                 }
                 _ => {
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ impl TryFrom<ChatCompletionsRequest> for ConverseRequest {
 
         for message in req.messages {
             match message.role {
-                Role::System => {
+                Role::System | Role::Developer => {
                     let system_text = message.content.extract_text();
                     system_messages.push(SystemContentBlock::Text { text: system_text });
                 }
diff --git a/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/response/to_openai.rs b/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/response/to_openai.rs
index 9e3276c9..c6d6f86d 100644
--- a/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/response/to_openai.rs
+++ b/crates/hermesllm/src/transforms/response/to_openai.rs
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ impl TryFrom<ChatCompletionsResponse> for ResponsesAPIResponse {
                         Role::Assistant => "assistant".to_string(),
                         Role::System => "system".to_string(),
                         Role::Tool => "tool".to_string(),
+                        Role::Developer => "developer".to_string(),
                     },
                     content,
                 });