diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_azure.yml b/.github/workflows/test_azure.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e18f512d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_azure.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+name: Azure OpenAI GPT-4o Mini Capabilities Test
+
+env:
+  AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+  AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches: [ main ]
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [ main ]
+
+jobs:
+  test:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: "Setup Python, Poetry and Dependencies"
+      uses: packetcoders/action-setup-cache-python-poetry@main
+      with:
+        python-version: "3.12"
+        poetry-version: "1.8.2"
+        install-args: "-E dev -E external-tools"
+
+    - name: Test first message contains expected function call and inner monologue
+      id: test_first_message
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_returns_valid_first_message
+        echo "TEST_FIRST_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Test model sends message with keyword
+      id: test_keyword_message
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_returns_keyword
+        echo "TEST_KEYWORD_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Test model uses external tool correctly
+      id: test_external_tool
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_uses_external_tool
+        echo "TEST_EXTERNAL_TOOL_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Test model recalls chat memory
+      id: test_chat_memory
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_recall_chat_memory
+        echo "TEST_CHAT_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Test model uses 'archival_memory_search' to find secret
+      id: test_archival_memory
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_archival_memory_retrieval
+        echo "TEST_ARCHIVAL_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Test model can edit core memories
+      id: test_core_memory
+      env:
+        AZURE_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_API_KEY }}
+        AZURE_BASE_URL: ${{ secrets.AZURE_BASE_URL }}
+      run: |
+        poetry run pytest -s -vv tests/test_endpoints.py::test_azure_gpt_4o_mini_edit_core_memory
+        echo "TEST_CORE_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE=$?" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      continue-on-error: true
+
+    - name: Summarize test results
+      if: always()
+      run: |
+        echo "Test Results Summary:"
+
+        # If the exit code is empty, treat it as a failure (❌)
+        echo "Test first message: $([[ -z $TEST_FIRST_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_FIRST_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+        echo "Test model sends message with keyword: $([[ -z $TEST_KEYWORD_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_KEYWORD_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+        echo "Test model uses external tool: $([[ -z $TEST_EXTERNAL_TOOL_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_EXTERNAL_TOOL_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+        echo "Test model recalls chat memory: $([[ -z $TEST_CHAT_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_CHAT_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+        echo "Test model uses 'archival_memory_search' to find secret: $([[ -z $TEST_ARCHIVAL_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_ARCHIVAL_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+        echo "Test model can edit core memories: $([[ -z $TEST_CORE_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_CORE_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]] && echo ❌ || echo ✅)"
+
+        # Check if any test failed (either non-zero or unset exit code)
+        if [[ -z $TEST_FIRST_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_FIRST_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 || \
+              -z $TEST_KEYWORD_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_KEYWORD_MESSAGE_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 || \
+              -z $TEST_EXTERNAL_TOOL_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_EXTERNAL_TOOL_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 || \
+              -z $TEST_CHAT_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_CHAT_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 || \
+              -z $TEST_ARCHIVAL_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_ARCHIVAL_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 || \
+              -z $TEST_CORE_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE || $TEST_CORE_MEMORY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]]; then
+          echo "Some tests failed."
+          exit 78
+        fi
+      continue-on-error: true
diff --git a/letta/llm_api/azure_openai.py b/letta/llm_api/azure_openai.py
index 41ca4fbe..93257047 100644
--- a/letta/llm_api/azure_openai.py
+++ b/letta/llm_api/azure_openai.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def azure_openai_chat_completions_request(
         data.pop("tools")
         data.pop("tool_choice", None)  # extra safe,  should exist always (default="auto")
 
-    url = get_azure_chat_completions_endpoint(model_settings.azure_base_url, llm_config.model, model_settings.api_version)
+    url = get_azure_chat_completions_endpoint(model_settings.azure_base_url, llm_config.model, model_settings.azure_api_version)
     response_json = make_post_request(url, headers, data)
     # NOTE: azure openai does not include "content" in the response when it is None, so we need to add it
     if "content" not in response_json["choices"][0].get("message"):
diff --git a/letta/llm_api/helpers.py b/letta/llm_api/helpers.py
index a5aa43b2..05b36f3b 100644
--- a/letta/llm_api/helpers.py
+++ b/letta/llm_api/helpers.py
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ def unpack_inner_thoughts_from_kwargs(choice: Choice, inner_thoughts_key: str) -
                 return new_choice
             else:
                 warnings.warn(f"Did not find inner thoughts in tool call: {str(tool_call)}")
+                return choice
 
         except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
             warnings.warn(f"Failed to strip inner thoughts from kwargs: {e}")
diff --git a/letta/settings.py b/letta/settings.py
index 12d42567..75a55bd9 100644
--- a/letta/settings.py
+++ b/letta/settings.py
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ class ModelSettings(BaseSettings):
     # azure
     azure_api_key: Optional[str] = None
     azure_base_url: Optional[str] = None
-    azure_api_version: Optional[str] = None
+    # We provide a default here, since usually people will want to be on the latest API version.
+    azure_api_version: Optional[str] = (
+        "2024-09-01-preview"  # https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/openai/api-version-deprecation
+    )
 
     # google ai
     gemini_api_key: Optional[str] = None