diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-caps.h b/common/jinja/jinja-caps.h
index eca5782903..a8e9c4a559 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-caps.h
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-caps.h
@@ -154,6 +154,28 @@ static void caps_apply_workarounds(context & ctx, const caps & c) {
     }
 
     ctx.set_val("messages", messages);
+
+    //
+    // per-model workarounds
+    //
+
+    // workaround for shieldgemma-2b-Q2_K
+    if (ctx.get_val("guideline")->is_undefined()) {
+        ctx.set_val("guideline", mk_val<value_string>(""));
+    }
+
+    // workaround for functionary models
+    if (ctx.get_val("functions")->is_undefined()) {
+        ctx.set_val("functions", mk_val<value_string>(""));
+    }
+    if (ctx.get_val("datetime")->is_undefined()) {
+        ctx.set_val("datetime", mk_val<value_string>(""));
+    }
+
+    // workaround for Llama-3-5B-Sheard
+    if (ctx.get_val("system_message")->is_undefined()) {
+        ctx.set_val("system_message", mk_val<value_string>(""));
+    }
 }
 
 } // namespace jinja
diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-parser.cpp b/common/jinja/jinja-parser.cpp
index ed3604ea95..25dacfefa0 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-parser.cpp
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-parser.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,12 @@ private:
             expect(token::close_statement, "Expected %}");
             result = mk_stmt<filter_statement>(std::move(filter_node), std::move(body));
 
+        } else if (name == "generation" || name == "endgeneration") {
+            // Ignore generation blocks (transformers-specific)
+            // See https://github.com/huggingface/transformers/pull/30650 for more information.
+            result = mk_stmt<noop_statement>();
+            current++;
+
         } else {
             throw std::runtime_error("Unknown statement: " + name);
         }
diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-value.cpp b/common/jinja/jinja-value.cpp
index 4da4584e23..1e7ef96e04 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-value.cpp
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-value.cpp
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ const func_builtins & global_builtins() {
         {"test_is_integer", test_type_fn<value_int>},
         {"test_is_number", test_type_fn<value_int, value_float>},
         {"test_is_iterable", test_type_fn<value_array, value_string>},
+        {"test_is_sequence", test_type_fn<value_array, value_string>},
         {"test_is_mapping", test_type_fn<value_object>},
         {"test_is_lower", [](const func_args & args) -> value {
             args.ensure_vals<value_string>();
@@ -655,6 +656,10 @@ const func_builtins & value_object_t::get_builtins() const {
             }
             return result;
         }},
+        {"string", [](const func_args & args) -> value {
+            args.ensure_vals<value_object>();
+            return mk_val<value_string>("TO BE IMPLEMENTED");
+        }},
         {"tojson", [](const func_args & args) -> value {
             args.ensure_vals<value_object>();
             // use global to_json
diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
index 099111db46..93c3ca91a5 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
@@ -203,6 +203,14 @@ struct continue_statement : public statement {
     }
 };
 
+// do nothing
+struct noop_statement : public statement {
+    std::string type() const override { return "Noop"; }
+    value execute_impl(context &) override {
+        return mk_val<value_null>();
+    }
+};
+
 struct set_statement : public statement {
     statement_ptr assignee;
     statement_ptr val;