diff --git a/Classes/Controller/AssistantModuleController.php b/Classes/Controller/AssistantModuleController.php
index f6e00b3..ecd74dd 100644
--- a/Classes/Controller/AssistantModuleController.php
+++ b/Classes/Controller/AssistantModuleController.php
@@ -90,13 +90,14 @@ public function createThreadAction(string $assistantId, string $message): void
             'threadId' => $threadId,
             'assistantId' => $assistantId,
             'message' => $message,
+            'additionalInstructions' => 'current date: ' . (new \DateTimeImmutable())->format('Y-m-d'),
         ]);
     }
 
-    public function addThreadMessageAction(string $threadId, string $assistantId, string $message): void
+    public function addThreadMessageAction(string $threadId, string $assistantId, string $message, ?string $additionalInstructions = null): void
     {
         $assistant = $this->assistantDepartment->findAssistantById($assistantId);
-        $metadata = $assistant->continueThread($threadId, $message);
+        $metadata = $assistant->continueThread($threadId, $message, $additionalInstructions);
 
         $this->view->assignMultiple([
             'messages' => $this->fetchMessages($threadId),
diff --git a/Classes/Controller/ChatController.php b/Classes/Controller/ChatController.php
index 6689d9c..a7f2e55 100644
--- a/Classes/Controller/ChatController.php
+++ b/Classes/Controller/ChatController.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public function startAction(string $assistantId, string $message): void
     {
         $assistant = $this->assistantDepartment->findAssistantById($assistantId);
         $threadId = $assistant->startThread();
-        $metadata = $assistant->continueThread($threadId, $message);
+        $metadata = $assistant->continueThread($threadId, $message, 'current date: ' . (new \DateTimeImmutable())->format('Y-m-d'));
 
         $messageResponse = $this->client->threads()->messages()->list($threadId)->data;
         /** @var ?ThreadMessageResponse $lastMessage */
diff --git a/Classes/Domain/Assistant.php b/Classes/Domain/Assistant.php
index 3a532a8..67d07f0 100644
--- a/Classes/Domain/Assistant.php
+++ b/Classes/Domain/Assistant.php
@@ -28,15 +28,7 @@ public function startThread(): string
         $runResponse = $this->client->threads()->createAndRun([
             'assistant_id' => $this->id,
             'thread' => [
-                'messages' => [
-                    [
-                        'role' => 'user',
-                        'content' => 'current date: ' . (new \DateTimeImmutable())->format('Y-m-d'),
-                        'metadata' => [
-                            'role' => 'system'
-                        ]
-                    ],
-                ]
+                'messages' => []
             ]
         ]);
         $this->completeRun($runResponse->threadId, $runResponse->id);
@@ -47,7 +39,7 @@ public function startThread(): string
     /**
      * @return array<int,mixed>
      */
-    public function continueThread(string $threadId, string $message): array
+    public function continueThread(string $threadId, string $message, ?string $additionalInstructions = null): array
     {
         $this->client->threads()->messages()->create(
             $threadId,
@@ -56,7 +48,13 @@ public function continueThread(string $threadId, string $message): array
                 'content' => $message
             ]
         );
-        $runResponse = $this->client->threads()->runs()->create($threadId, ['assistant_id' => $this->id]);
+        $runResponse = $this->client->threads()->runs()->create(
+            $threadId,
+            array_filter([
+                'assistant_id' => $this->id,
+                'additional_instructions' => $additionalInstructions
+            ])
+        );
         return $this->completeRun($threadId, $runResponse->id);
     }