diff --git a/minference/lite/requests.py b/minference/lite/requests.py
index 21e8c06..a6be1d9 100644
--- a/minference/lite/requests.py
+++ b/minference/lite/requests.py
@@ -218,6 +218,16 @@ def validate_vllm_request(request: Dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
         EntityRegistry._logger.error(f"Error validating VLLM request: {e}")
         raise ValueError(f"Error validating VLLM request: {e} with request: {request}")
 
+def reset_workflow_step(chat_thread: ChatThread, step: int = 0):
+    """Resets the workflow step for a chat thread.
+
+    Args:
+        chat_thread: The ChatThread object.
+        step: The step to reset to (default: 0).
+    """
+    chat_thread.workflow_step = step
+    EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Reset workflow step for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) to {step}")
+
 def get_openai_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
     """Get OpenAI format request from chat thread."""
     EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Getting OpenAI request for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) with response format {chat_thread.llm_config.response_format}")
@@ -242,7 +252,7 @@ def get_openai_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
             request["tool_choice"] = "auto"
             EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Added {len(tools)} tools to OpenAI request as auto_tools")
     elif chat_thread.llm_config.response_format == ResponseFormat.workflow:
-        #detected workflow mode 
+        #detected workflow mode
         if chat_thread.workflow_step is None:
             raise ValueError("Workflow step is None")
         EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Detected workflow mode for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) with workflow step {chat_thread.workflow_step}")
@@ -253,12 +263,22 @@ def get_openai_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
             request["tools"] = [tool.get_openai_tool()]
             request["tool_choice"] = {"type": "function", "function": {"name": tool.name}}
             EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Added tool({tool.name}) to OpenAI request as workflow step {chat_thread.workflow_step}")
-            chat_thread.workflow_step += 1
+            #  Increment ONLY if validation succeeds
+            if validate_openai_request(request):
+                 chat_thread.workflow_step += 1
+                 EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Validated OpenAI request for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) with response format {chat_thread.llm_config.response_format}")
+                 return request
+            else:
+                EntityRegistry._logger.error(f"Failed to validate OpenAI request for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) with response format {chat_thread.llm_config.response_format}")
+                return None
+
         else:
             EntityRegistry._logger.error(f"Tool not found for workflow step {chat_thread.workflow_step}")
+            return None # Return None if tool not found
+
     elif chat_thread.llm_config.response_format != ResponseFormat.text:
         raise ValueError(f"Invalid response format: {chat_thread.llm_config.response_format}")
-        
+
     if validate_openai_request(request):
         EntityRegistry._logger.info(f"Validated OpenAI request for ChatThread({chat_thread.id}) with response format {chat_thread.llm_config.response_format}")
         return request
@@ -268,7 +288,7 @@ def get_openai_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
 
 def get_anthropic_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
     """Get Anthropic format request from chat thread."""
-    system_content, messages = chat_thread.anthropic_messages    
+    system_content, messages = chat_thread.anthropic_messages
     request = {
         "model": chat_thread.llm_config.model,
         "max_tokens": chat_thread.llm_config.max_tokens,
@@ -295,9 +315,15 @@ def get_anthropic_request(chat_thread: ChatThread) -> Optional[Dict[str, Any]]:
         if tool:
             request["tools"] = [tool.get_anthropic_tool()]
             request["tool_choice"] = ToolChoiceToolChoiceTool(name=tool.name, type="tool")
-            chat_thread.workflow_step += 1
+             # Increment ONLY if validation succeeds
+            if validate_anthropic_request(request):
+                chat_thread.workflow_step += 1
+                return request
+            else:
+                return None
         else:
             EntityRegistry._logger.error(f"Tool not found for workflow step {chat_thread.workflow_step}")
+            return None  # Return None if tool not found