diff --git a/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py b/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
index c0081f546..50a9c2607 100644
--- a/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
+++ b/agents-api/agents_api/routers/agents/routers.py
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ async def update_agent(
     request: UpdateAgentRequest,
     x_developer_id: Annotated[UUID4, Depends(get_developer_id)],
 ) -> ResourceUpdatedResponse:
+    if isinstance(request.instructions, str):
+        request.instructions = [request.instructions]
+
     try:
         resp = update_agent_query(
             agent_id=agent_id,
@@ -146,6 +149,9 @@ async def patch_agent(
     request: PatchAgentRequest,
     x_developer_id: Annotated[UUID4, Depends(get_developer_id)],
 ) -> ResourceUpdatedResponse:
+    if isinstance(request.instructions, str):
+        request.instructions = [request.instructions]
+
     try:
         resp = patch_agent_query(
             agent_id=agent_id,
@@ -211,6 +217,9 @@ async def create_agent(
     request: CreateAgentRequest,
     x_developer_id: Annotated[UUID4, Depends(get_developer_id)],
 ) -> ResourceCreatedResponse:
+    if isinstance(request.instructions, str):
+        request.instructions = [request.instructions]
+
     validate_configuration(request.model)
     resp = create_agent_query(
         agent_id=uuid4(),
diff --git a/sdks/python/tests/fixtures.py b/sdks/python/tests/fixtures.py
index caec122b9..e1ace94ff 100644
--- a/sdks/python/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/sdks/python/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@
     "name": "test agent",
     "about": "test agent about",
     "model": TEST_MODEL,
-    "instructions": [
-        "test agent instructions",
-    ],
+    "instructions": "test agent instructions",
     "default_settings": {"temperature": 0.5},
     "metadata": {"test": "test"},
 }
diff --git a/sdks/python/tests/test_agents.py b/sdks/python/tests/test_agents.py
index 969233fea..0a6f4cd83 100644
--- a/sdks/python/tests/test_agents.py
+++ b/sdks/python/tests/test_agents.py
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 
 from .fixtures import (
     client,
-    test_agent,
-    test_agent_async,
     mock_agent_update,
     mock_agent,
+    test_agent,
+    test_agent_async,
     TEST_API_KEY,
     TEST_API_URL,
 )
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ def _(agent=test_agent):
     assert agent.about == mock_agent["about"]
 
 
+@test("agents: agents.create multiple instructions")
+def _(client=client):
+    attrs = {**mock_agent, "instructions": ["instruction1", "instruction2"]}
+    response = client.agents.create(**attrs)
+
+    assert isinstance(response, Agent)
+
+
 @test("agents: agents.get")
 def _(client=client, agent=test_agent):
     response = client.agents.get(agent.id)
diff --git a/sdks/ts/src/managers/agent.ts b/sdks/ts/src/managers/agent.ts
index 8114bdb2b..5fd3e5db1 100644
--- a/sdks/ts/src/managers/agent.ts
+++ b/sdks/ts/src/managers/agent.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export class AgentsManager extends BaseManager {
   }: {
     name: string;
     about: string;
-    instructions: string[];
+    instructions: string[] | string;
     tools?: CreateToolRequest[];
     default_settings?: AgentDefaultSettings;
     model?: string;
diff --git a/sdks/ts/tests/agents.test.ts b/sdks/ts/tests/agents.test.ts
index f415da040..ad0fdbd3d 100644
--- a/sdks/ts/tests/agents.test.ts
+++ b/sdks/ts/tests/agents.test.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,19 @@ describe("Julep Client Tests", () => {
     expect(response.name).toBe(mockAgent.name);
   });
 
+  test("agents.create single instruction", async () => {
+    const response = await client.agents.create({
+      ...mockAgent,
+      instructions: "test agent instructions",
+    });
+
+    testAgent = response;
+
+    expect(response).toHaveProperty("created_at");
+    expect(response.about).toBe(mockAgent.about);
+    expect(response.name).toBe(mockAgent.name);
+  });
+
   test("agents.get", async () => {
     const response = await client.agents.get(testAgent.id);
 
diff --git a/sdks/ts/tests/sessions.test.ts b/sdks/ts/tests/sessions.test.ts
index d27ccd0f2..5a7ce6d9b 100644
--- a/sdks/ts/tests/sessions.test.ts
+++ b/sdks/ts/tests/sessions.test.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ import { setupClient } from "./fixtures"; // Adjust path if necessary
 import { Agent, User } from "../src/api";
 import { Client } from "../src";
 
+const { TEST_MODEL } = process.env;
+
+const model: string = TEST_MODEL || "julep-ai/samantha-1-turbo";
+
 const mockAgent = {
+  model,
   name: "test agent",
   about: "test agent about",
   instructions: ["test agent instructions"],
diff --git a/sdks/ts/tests/simpleExample.test.ts b/sdks/ts/tests/simpleExample.test.ts
index fd0ec88ae..87d7dda25 100644
--- a/sdks/ts/tests/simpleExample.test.ts
+++ b/sdks/ts/tests/simpleExample.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ import { setupClient } from "./fixtures";
 import { Client } from "../src";
 import { InputChatMLMessage } from "../src/api";
 
+const { TEST_MODEL } = process.env;
+
+const model: string = TEST_MODEL || "julep-ai/samantha-1-turbo";
+
 describe("Simple Agents Example", () => {
   let client: Client | undefined;
 
@@ -32,9 +36,10 @@ describe("Simple Agents Example", () => {
     };
 
     const agent = await client.agents.create({
-      name: name,
-      about: about,
-      instructions: instructions,
+      model,
+      name,
+      about,
+      instructions,
       default_settings: defaultSettings,
     });