diff --git a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
index 5b697eb949..faee1559cf 100644
--- a/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
+++ b/common/jinja/jinja-vm.h
@@ -574,6 +574,16 @@ struct vm {
     value_string gather_string_parts(const value & val) {
         value_string parts = mk_val<value_string>();
         gather_string_parts_recursive(val, parts);
+        // join consecutive parts with the same type
+        auto & p = parts->val_str.parts;
+        for (size_t i = 1; i < p.size(); ) {
+            if (p[i].is_input == p[i - 1].is_input) {
+                p[i - 1].val += p[i].val;
+                p.erase(p.begin() + i);
+            } else {
+                i++;
+            }
+        }
         return parts;
     }
 };
diff --git a/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp b/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
index 50401b56bb..86fe8f1f15 100644
--- a/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
+++ b/tests/test-chat-jinja.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ std::string DEFAULT_JSON = R"({
     ],
     "bos_token": "<s>",
     "eos_token": "</s>",
-    "tools": []
+    "tools": [],
+    "add_generation_prompt": true
 })";
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv) {
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ void run_single(std::string contents, json input) {
     auto parts = vm.gather_string_parts(results);
 
     std::cout << "\n=== RESULTS ===\n";
-    for (const auto & part : parts.get()->val_str.parts) {
+    for (const auto & part : parts->as_string().parts) {
         std::cout << (part.is_input ? "DATA" : "TMPL") << ": " << part.val << "\n";
     }
 }