diff --git a/litellm/tests/test_cohere_completion.py b/litellm/tests/test_cohere_completion.py
index 9c3c9bf93c..372c87b400 100644
--- a/litellm/tests/test_cohere_completion.py
+++ b/litellm/tests/test_cohere_completion.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ def test_chat_completion_cohere():
     try:
         litellm.set_verbose = True
         messages = [
-            {"role": "system", "content": "You're a good bot"},
             {
                 "role": "user",
                 "content": "Hey",
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ def test_chat_completion_cohere_stream():
     try:
         litellm.set_verbose = False
         messages = [
-            {"role": "system", "content": "You're a good bot"},
             {
                 "role": "user",
                 "content": "Hey",
diff --git a/litellm/utils.py b/litellm/utils.py
index 1fd8434338..6abba4afa0 100644
--- a/litellm/utils.py
+++ b/litellm/utils.py
@@ -4401,6 +4401,31 @@ def get_optional_params(
             optional_params["presence_penalty"] = presence_penalty
         if stop is not None:
             optional_params["stop_sequences"] = stop
+    elif custom_llm_provider == "cohere_chat":
+        ## check if unsupported param passed in
+        supported_params = get_supported_openai_params(
+            model=model, custom_llm_provider=custom_llm_provider
+        )
+        _check_valid_arg(supported_params=supported_params)
+        # handle cohere params
+        if stream:
+            optional_params["stream"] = stream
+        if temperature is not None:
+            optional_params["temperature"] = temperature
+        if max_tokens is not None:
+            optional_params["max_tokens"] = max_tokens
+        if n is not None:
+            optional_params["num_generations"] = n
+        if top_p is not None:
+            optional_params["p"] = top_p
+        if frequency_penalty is not None:
+            optional_params["frequency_penalty"] = frequency_penalty
+        if presence_penalty is not None:
+            optional_params["presence_penalty"] = presence_penalty
+        if stop is not None:
+            optional_params["stop_sequences"] = stop
+        if tools is not None:
+            optional_params["tools"] = tools
     elif custom_llm_provider == "maritalk":
         ## check if unsupported param passed in
         supported_params = get_supported_openai_params(
@@ -5084,6 +5109,19 @@ def get_supported_openai_params(model: str, custom_llm_provider: str):
             "stop",
             "n",
         ]
+    elif custom_llm_provider == "cohere_chat":
+        return [
+            "stream",
+            "temperature",
+            "max_tokens",
+            "top_p",
+            "frequency_penalty",
+            "presence_penalty",
+            "stop",
+            "n",
+            "tools",
+            "tool_choice",
+        ]
     elif custom_llm_provider == "maritalk":
         return [
             "stream",