diff --git a/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py b/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
index 6ac7cbafe..bb779e8df 100644
--- a/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
+++ b/src/axolotl/prompt_strategies/sharegpt.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ def load(tokenizer, cfg, ds_cfg: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None):
     )
     if ds_cfg and "strict" in ds_cfg:
         strategy.strict = ds_cfg["strict"]
+    if ds_cfg and "field_messages" in ds_cfg:
+        strategy.field_messages = ds_cfg["field_messages"]
     return strategy
 
 
@@ -83,6 +85,7 @@ class SimpleShareGPTPromptTokenizingStrategy(ShareGPTPromptTokenizingStrategy):
     """
 
     _strict = False
+    _field_messages = "conversations"
 
     @property
     def strict(self):
@@ -92,8 +95,16 @@ class SimpleShareGPTPromptTokenizingStrategy(ShareGPTPromptTokenizingStrategy):
     def strict(self, strict):
         self._strict = strict
 
+    @property
+    def field_messages(self):
+        return self._strict
+
+    @field_messages.setter
+    def field_messages(self, field_messages):
+        self._field_messages = field_messages
+
     def get_conversation_thread(self, prompt):
-        conversations = prompt["conversations"]
+        conversations = prompt[self.field_messages]
         if self.strict:
             return conversations
         role_key = "from"