diff --git a/memgpt/agent.py b/memgpt/agent.py
index ecf13e86e1..ec156e53c3 100644
--- a/memgpt/agent.py
+++ b/memgpt/agent.py
@@ -466,25 +466,37 @@ def load_from_json_file_inplace(self, json_file):
             state = json.load(file)
         self.load_inplace(state)
 
-    def verify_first_message_correctness(self, response, require_send_message=True, require_monologue=False):
+    def verify_first_message_correctness(self, response, require_function_call=True, require_monologue=False):
         """Can be used to enforce that the first message always uses send_message"""
         response_message = response.choices[0].message
 
         # First message should be a call to send_message with a non-empty content
-        if require_send_message and not response_message.get("function_call"):
+        if require_function_call and not response_message.get("function_call"):
             printd(f"First message didn't include function call: {response_message}")
             return False
 
+        expected_function_calls = [x["name"] for x in self.functions]
         function_name = response_message["function_call"]["name"]
-        if require_send_message and function_name != "send_message":
-            printd(f"First message function call wasn't send_message: {response_message}")
+        if require_function_call and function_name not in expected_function_calls:
+            printd(f"First message function call wasn't one of {expected_function_calls}: {response_message}")
             return False
 
         if require_monologue and (
             not response_message.get("content") or response_message["content"] is None or response_message["content"] == ""
         ):
-            printd(f"First message missing internal monologue: {response_message}")
-            return False
+            if function_name in expected_function_calls:
+                try:
+                    raw_function_args = response_message["function_call"]["arguments"]
+                    function_args = parse_json(raw_function_args)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    printd(f"First message missing internal monologue and has badly formed arguments: {response_message}")
+                    return False
+                if function_args.get("request_heartbeat") != True:
+                    printd(f"First message missing internal monologue and does not chain further functions: {response_message}")
+                    return False
+            else:
+                printd(f"First message missing internal monologue: {response_message}")
+                return False
 
         if response_message.get("content"):
             ### Extras