diff --git a/src/axolotl/cli/preprocess.py b/src/axolotl/cli/preprocess.py
index 2c27095191..61925e251e 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/cli/preprocess.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/cli/preprocess.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 )
 from axolotl.common.cli import PreprocessCliArgs
 from axolotl.common.const import DEFAULT_DATASET_PREPARED_PATH
+from axolotl.prompt_strategies.sharegpt import register_chatml_template
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger("axolotl.cli.preprocess")
 
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ def do_cli(config: Path = Path("examples/"), **kwargs):
         return_remaining_strings=True
     )
 
+    if parsed_cfg.chat_template == "chatml" and parsed_cfg.default_system_message:
+        LOG.info(
+            f"ChatML set. Adding default system message: {parsed_cfg.default_system_message}"
+        )
+        register_chatml_template(parsed_cfg.default_system_message)
+
     if not parsed_cfg.dataset_prepared_path:
         msg = (
             Fore.RED
diff --git a/src/axolotl/cli/train.py b/src/axolotl/cli/train.py
index e099a1a6da..df7d6b19eb 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/cli/train.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/cli/train.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     print_axolotl_text_art,
 )
 from axolotl.common.cli import TrainerCliArgs
+from axolotl.prompt_strategies.sharegpt import register_chatml_template
 from axolotl.train import train
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger("axolotl.cli.train")
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ def do_cli(config: Path = Path("examples/"), **kwargs):
         return_remaining_strings=True
     )
 
+    if parsed_cfg.chat_template == "chatml" and parsed_cfg.default_system_message:
+        LOG.info(
+            f"ChatML set. Adding default system message: {parsed_cfg.default_system_message}"
+        )
+        register_chatml_template(parsed_cfg.default_system_message)
+
     if parsed_cfg.rl:
         dataset_meta = load_rl_datasets(cfg=parsed_cfg, cli_args=parsed_cli_args)
     else:
diff --git a/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py b/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
index c026889682..15bfee8c47 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
@@ -6,16 +6,19 @@
 from axolotl.prompt_tokenizers import ShareGPTPromptTokenizingStrategy
 from axolotl.prompters import ShareGPTPrompterV2
 
-register_conv_template(
-    Conversation(
-        name="chatml",
-        system_template="<|im_start|>system\n{system_message}",
-        system_message="You are a helpful assistant.",
-        roles=["<|im_start|>user", "<|im_start|>assistant"],
-        sep_style=SeparatorStyle.CHATML,
-        sep="<|im_end|>",
+
+def register_chatml_template(system_message=None):
+    system_message = system_message or "You are a helpful assistant."
+    register_conv_template(
+        Conversation(
+            name="chatml",
+            system_template="<|im_start|>system\n{system_message}",
+            system_message=system_message,
+            roles=["<|im_start|>user", "<|im_start|>assistant"],
+            sep_style=SeparatorStyle.CHATML,
+            sep="<|im_end|>",
+        )
     )
-)
 
 
 def load(tokenizer, cfg, ds_cfg: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None):