diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ee97207d..0e05f91b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@
             "type": "boolean",
             "description": "Provide Schema definition as additional context in Continue and Copilot",
             "default": true
+          },
+          "vscode-db2i.ai.useSystemMessage": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "description": "Include system messages in Continue Context Items",
+            "default": true
           }
         }
       },
diff --git a/src/aiProviders/continue/continueContextProvider.ts b/src/aiProviders/continue/continueContextProvider.ts
index 0a3f4cdb..05a60f53 100644
--- a/src/aiProviders/continue/continueContextProvider.ts
+++ b/src/aiProviders/continue/continueContextProvider.ts
@@ -159,9 +159,7 @@ export class db2ContextProvider implements IContextProvider {
         });
       }
 
-      const newContextItems = await getContextItems(fullInput, {
-        withDb2Prompt: true,
-      })
+      const newContextItems = await getContextItems(fullInput)
 
       contextItems.push(...newContextItems.context);
 
diff --git a/src/aiProviders/copilot/index.ts b/src/aiProviders/copilot/index.ts
index 6b1958ed..a979606f 100644
--- a/src/aiProviders/copilot/index.ts
+++ b/src/aiProviders/copilot/index.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export function activateChat(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
             });
           }
 
+          // always include system message in Copilot
           const contextItems = await getContextItems(request.prompt, {
             progress: stream.progress,
             withDb2Prompt: true
diff --git a/src/aiProviders/prompt.ts b/src/aiProviders/prompt.ts
index d46eb0e3..1d719297 100644
--- a/src/aiProviders/prompt.ts
+++ b/src/aiProviders/prompt.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ export async function getContextItems(input: string, options: PromptOptions = {}
   if (currentJob) {
     const currentSchema = currentJob?.job.options.libraries[0] || "QGPL";
     const useSchemaDef: boolean = Configuration.get<boolean>(`ai.useSchemaDefinition`);
+    const useSystemMessage: boolean = Configuration.get<boolean>(`ai.useSystemMessage`);
 
     // TODO: self?
 
@@ -116,7 +117,8 @@ export async function getContextItems(input: string, options: PromptOptions = {}
       }
     }
 
-    if (options.withDb2Prompt) {
+    // check if option is defined first via API, then check user settings
+    if (options.withDb2Prompt !== undefined ? options.withDb2Prompt : useSystemMessage) {
       contextItems.push({
         name: `system prompt`,
         content: DB2_SYSTEM_PROMPT,
diff --git a/src/contributes.json b/src/contributes.json
index 7368a32f..a57c7bbc 100644
--- a/src/contributes.json
+++ b/src/contributes.json
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@
             "type": "boolean",
             "description": "Provide Schema definition as additional context in Continue and Copilot",
             "default": true
+          },
+          "vscode-db2i.ai.useSystemMessage": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "description": "Include system messages in Continue Context Items",
+            "default": true
+
           }
         }
       }