diff --git a/preprocessors/text-followup/text-followup.py b/preprocessors/text-followup/text-followup.py
index bba395ab..13a0a8a4 100644
--- a/preprocessors/text-followup/text-followup.py
+++ b/preprocessors/text-followup/text-followup.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2021 IMAGE Project, Shared Reality Lab, McGill University
+# Copyright (c) 2025 IMAGE Project, Shared Reality Lab, McGill University
 #
 # This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
@@ -452,13 +452,16 @@ def followup():
                 {"error": "Failed to process focus area on image"}
             ), 500
 
+    # get followup prompt from env as an override if it exists
+    followup_prompt = os.getenv('FOLLOWUP_PROMPT_OVERRIDE', FOLLOWUP_PROMPT)
+
     if not focus:
-        system_prompt = FOLLOWUP_PROMPT
+        system_prompt = followup_prompt
     else:
-        system_prompt = FOLLOWUP_PROMPT + FOLLOWUP_PROMPT_FOCUS
+        system_prompt = followup_prompt + FOLLOWUP_PROMPT_FOCUS
 
     system_message = {
-        "role": "developer",
+        "role": "system",
         "content": system_prompt
         }
 
@@ -508,7 +511,9 @@ def followup():
 
     followup_response_json = llm_client.chat_completion(
         prompt="",  # Empty since we're using full messages via kwargs
-        json_schema=FOLLOWUP_RESPONSE_SCHEMA,
+        system_prompt=system_prompt,
+        json_schema=None,  # qwen3 wants json_object not rigid schema
+        response_format={"type": "json_object"},
         temperature=0.0,
         messages=messages,  # Pass full conversation history via kwargs
         parse_json=True,
@@ -518,7 +523,7 @@ def followup():
     if followup_response_json is None:
         logging.error("Failed to receive response from LLM.")
         return jsonify(
-            {"error": "Failed to get graphic caption from LLM"}
+            {"error": "Failed to receive response from LLM"}
         ), 500
 
     response_text, token_usage = followup_response_json
diff --git a/utils/llm/client.py b/utils/llm/client.py
index 5e38650a..a0019237 100644
--- a/utils/llm/client.py
+++ b/utils/llm/client.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def chat_completion(
             # Add system prompt if provided
             if system_prompt:
                 messages.append(
-                    {"role": "developer",
+                    {"role": "system",
                      "content": system_prompt}
                      )
 
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ def chat_completion(
 
             messages.append({"role": "user", "content": user_content})
 
+            logging.pii(messages)
+
             # Build API call parameters
             params = {
                 "model": self.model,
diff --git a/utils/llm/prompts.py b/utils/llm/prompts.py
index 586cade9..8e1dbd89 100644
--- a/utils/llm/prompts.py
+++ b/utils/llm/prompts.py
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@
 "response_brief": "One sentence response to the user request.",
 "response_full": "Further details. Maximum three sentences."
 }
-
+"""
+OLD_END_OF_FOLLOWUP_PROMPT = """
 The user may add a note to focus on a specific part of the image
 and an updated picture with the area of interest marked with a red rectangle.
 In this case, answer the question ONLY about the contents