diff --git a/letta/schemas/message.py b/letta/schemas/message.py
index 0e58bacf..0d2f77a7 100644
--- a/letta/schemas/message.py
+++ b/letta/schemas/message.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import warnings
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from typing import List, Literal, Optional
 
-from pydantic import Field, field_validator
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, field_validator
 
 from letta.constants import (
     DEFAULT_MESSAGE_TOOL,
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class BaseMessage(OrmMetadataBase):
     __id_prefix__ = "message"
 
 
-class MessageCreate(BaseMessage):
+class MessageCreate(BaseModel):
     """Request to create a message"""
 
     # In the simplified format, only allow simple roles
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class MessageCreate(BaseMessage):
     name: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="The name of the participant.")
 
 
-class MessageUpdate(BaseMessage):
+class MessageUpdate(BaseModel):
     """Request to update a message"""
 
     role: Optional[MessageRole] = Field(None, description="The role of the participant.")
diff --git a/tests/test_client_legacy.py b/tests/test_client_legacy.py
index fff0e466..2ee92293 100644
--- a/tests/test_client_legacy.py
+++ b/tests/test_client_legacy.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from letta.constants import DEFAULT_PRESET
 from letta.orm import FileMetadata, Source
 from letta.schemas.agent import AgentState
 from letta.schemas.embedding_config import EmbeddingConfig
-from letta.schemas.enums import MessageStreamStatus
+from letta.schemas.enums import MessageRole, MessageStreamStatus
 from letta.schemas.letta_message import (
     AssistantMessage,
     FunctionCallMessage,
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from letta.schemas.letta_message import (
 )
 from letta.schemas.letta_response import LettaResponse, LettaStreamingResponse
 from letta.schemas.llm_config import LLMConfig
-from letta.schemas.message import Message
+from letta.schemas.message import MessageCreate
 from letta.schemas.usage import LettaUsageStatistics
 from letta.services.organization_manager import OrganizationManager
 from letta.services.tool_manager import ToolManager
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ def test_initial_message_sequence(client: Union[LocalClient, RESTClient], agent:
     empty_agent_state = client.create_agent(name="test-empty-message-sequence", initial_message_sequence=[])
     cleanup_agents.append(empty_agent_state.id)
 
-    custom_sequence = [Message(**{"text": "Hello, how are you?", "role": "user"})]
+    custom_sequence = [MessageCreate(**{"text": "Hello, how are you?", "role": MessageRole.user})]
     custom_agent_state = client.create_agent(name="test-custom-message-sequence", initial_message_sequence=custom_sequence)
     cleanup_agents.append(custom_agent_state.id)
     assert custom_agent_state.message_ids is not None