diff --git a/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director.go b/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director.go
index bfcf2ec6d..85c8ee34f 100644
--- a/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director.go
+++ b/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director.go
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ func (d *Director) HandleRequest(ctx context.Context, reqCtx *handlers.RequestCo
 	if !ok {
 		return reqCtx, errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "model not found in request"}
 	}
-	prompt, ok := requestBodyMap["prompt"].(string)
-	if !ok {
-		return reqCtx, errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "prompt not found in request"}
+	prompt, err := requtil.ExtractPromptFromRequestBody(requestBodyMap)
+	if err != nil {
+		return reqCtx, err
 	}
 
 	// NOTE: The nil checking for the modelObject means that we DO allow passthrough currently.
diff --git a/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director_test.go b/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director_test.go
index 05dc1b3b8..e4384a80b 100644
--- a/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director_test.go
+++ b/pkg/epp/requestcontrol/director_test.go
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ func TestHandleRequest(t *testing.T) {
 		wantRespBody map[string]interface{}
 	}{
 		{
-			name: "successful request",
+			name: "successful completions request",
 			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
 				"model":  tsModel,
 				"prompt": "test prompt",
@@ -102,7 +102,69 @@ func TestHandleRequest(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			name: "successful request with target model",
+			name: "successful chat completions request",
+			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": tsModel,
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "user",
+						"content": "test prompt",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantReqCtx: &handlers.RequestContext{
+				Model:               tsModel,
+				ResolvedTargetModel: tsModel,
+				TargetPod:           "/pod1",
+				TargetEndpoint:      "address-1:8000",
+			},
+			wantRespBody: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": tsModel,
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "user",
+						"content": "test prompt",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "successful chat completions request with multiple messages",
+			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": tsModel,
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "developer",
+						"content": "You are a helpful assistant.",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "user",
+						"content": "Hello!",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantReqCtx: &handlers.RequestContext{
+				Model:               tsModel,
+				ResolvedTargetModel: tsModel,
+				TargetPod:           "/pod1",
+				TargetEndpoint:      "address-1:8000",
+			},
+			wantRespBody: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": tsModel,
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "developer",
+						"content": "You are a helpful assistant.",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role":    "user",
+						"content": "Hello!",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "successful completions request with target model",
 			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
 				"model":  modelWithTarget,
 				"prompt": "test prompt",
@@ -122,6 +184,21 @@ func TestHandleRequest(t *testing.T) {
 			name:        "no model defined, expect err",
 			wantErrCode: errutil.BadRequest,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "prompt or messages not found, expect err",
+			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": tsModel,
+			},
+			wantErrCode: errutil.BadRequest,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "empty messages, expect err",
+			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model":    tsModel,
+				"messages": []interface{}{},
+			},
+			wantErrCode: errutil.BadRequest,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "invalid model defined, expect err",
 			reqBodyMap: map[string]interface{}{
diff --git a/pkg/epp/util/request/body.go b/pkg/epp/util/request/body.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83a600f08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/epp/util/request/body.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2025 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package request
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	errutil "sigs.k8s.io/gateway-api-inference-extension/pkg/epp/util/error"
+)
+
+func ExtractPromptFromRequestBody(body map[string]interface{}) (string, error) {
+	if _, ok := body["messages"]; ok {
+		return extractPromptFromMessagesField(body)
+	}
+	return extractPromptField(body)
+}
+
+func extractPromptField(body map[string]interface{}) (string, error) {
+	prompt, ok := body["prompt"]
+	if !ok {
+		return "", errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "prompt not found in request"}
+	}
+	promptStr, ok := prompt.(string)
+	if !ok {
+		return "", errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "prompt is not a string"}
+	}
+	return promptStr, nil
+}
+
+func extractPromptFromMessagesField(body map[string]interface{}) (string, error) {
+	messages, ok := body["messages"]
+	if !ok {
+		return "", errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "messages not found in request"}
+	}
+	messageList, ok := messages.([]interface{})
+	if !ok {
+		return "", errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "messages is not a list"}
+	}
+	if len(messageList) == 0 {
+		return "", errutil.Error{Code: errutil.BadRequest, Msg: "messages is empty"}
+	}
+
+	prompt := ""
+	for _, msg := range messageList {
+		msgMap, ok := msg.(map[string]interface{})
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		content, ok := msgMap["content"]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		contentStr, ok := content.(string)
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		role, ok := msgMap["role"]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		roleStr, ok := role.(string)
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		prompt += constructChatMessage(roleStr, contentStr)
+	}
+	return prompt, nil
+}
+
+func constructChatMessage(role string, content string) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("<|im_start|>%s\n%s<|im_end|>\n", role, content)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/epp/util/request/body_test.go b/pkg/epp/util/request/body_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..563fc8cf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/epp/util/request/body_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,191 @@
+package request
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestExtractPromptFromRequestBody(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		body    map[string]interface{}
+		want    string
+		wantErr bool
+		errType error
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "chat completions request body",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": "test",
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "system", "content": "this is a system message",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "user", "content": "hello",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "assistant", "content": "hi, what can I do for you?",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want: "<|im_start|>system\nthis is a system message<|im_end|>\n" +
+				"<|im_start|>user\nhello<|im_end|>\n" +
+				"<|im_start|>assistant\nhi, what can I do for you?<|im_end|>\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "completions request body",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model":  "test",
+				"prompt": "test prompt",
+			},
+			want: "test prompt",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid prompt format",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": "test",
+				"prompt": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "system", "content": "this is a system message",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "user", "content": "hello",
+					},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"role": "assistant", "content": "hi, what can I",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid messaged format",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": "test",
+				"messages": map[string]interface{}{
+					"role": "system", "content": "this is a system message",
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "prompt does not exist",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"model": "test",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := ExtractPromptFromRequestBody(tt.body)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("ExtractPromptFromRequestBody() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("ExtractPromptFromRequestBody() got = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExtractPromptField(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		body    map[string]interface{}
+		want    string
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "valid prompt",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"prompt": "test prompt",
+			},
+			want: "test prompt",
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "prompt not found",
+			body:    map[string]interface{}{},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-string prompt",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"prompt": 123,
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := extractPromptField(tt.body)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("extractPromptField() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("extractPromptField() got = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExtractPromptFromMessagesField(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		body    map[string]interface{}
+		want    string
+		wantErr bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "valid messages",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"messages": []interface{}{
+					map[string]interface{}{"role": "user", "content": "test1"},
+					map[string]interface{}{"role": "assistant", "content": "test2"},
+				},
+			},
+			want: "<|im_start|>user\ntest1<|im_end|>\n<|im_start|>assistant\ntest2<|im_end|>\n",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid messages format",
+			body: map[string]interface{}{
+				"messages": "invalid",
+			},
+			wantErr: true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := extractPromptFromMessagesField(tt.body)
+			if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
+				t.Errorf("extractPromptFromMessagesField() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
+				return
+			}
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("extractPromptFromMessagesField() got = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestConstructChatMessage(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		role    string
+		content string
+		want    string
+	}{
+		{"user", "hello", "<|im_start|>user\nhello<|im_end|>\n"},
+		{"assistant", "hi", "<|im_start|>assistant\nhi<|im_end|>\n"},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		if got := constructChatMessage(tt.role, tt.content); got != tt.want {
+			t.Errorf("constructChatMessage() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+		}
+	}
+}