diff --git a/kong/llm/plugin/ctx.lua b/kong/llm/plugin/ctx.lua
index 69d4a475bc5a..aa227dac794b 100644
--- a/kong/llm/plugin/ctx.lua
+++ b/kong/llm/plugin/ctx.lua
@@ -139,6 +139,11 @@ local EMPTY_REQUEST_T = _M.immutable_table({})
 
 function _M.get_request_body_table_inuse()
   local request_body_table
+
+  if _M.has_namespace("decorate-prompt") then -- has ai-prompt-decorator and others in future
+    request_body_table = _M.get_namespaced_ctx("decorate-prompt", "request_body_table")
+  end
+
   if _M.has_namespace("normalize-request") then -- has ai-proxy/ai-proxy-advanced
     request_body_table = _M.get_namespaced_ctx("normalize-request", "request_body_table")
   end
diff --git a/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/normalize-request.lua b/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/normalize-request.lua
index d46764785a12..2242a5737709 100644
--- a/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/normalize-request.lua
+++ b/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/normalize-request.lua
@@ -76,7 +76,14 @@ local function validate_and_transform(conf)
   local model_t = conf_m.model
   local model_provider = conf.model.provider -- use the one from conf, not the merged one to avoid potential security risk
 
-  local request_table = ai_plugin_ctx.get_namespaced_ctx("parse-request", "request_body_table")
+  local request_table
+  if ai_plugin_ctx.has_namespace("decorate-prompt") and
+     ai_plugin_ctx.get_namespaced_ctx("decorate-prompt", "decorated") then
+    request_table = ai_plugin_ctx.get_namespaced_ctx("decorate-prompt", "request_body_table")
+  else
+    request_table = ai_plugin_ctx.get_namespaced_ctx("parse-request", "request_body_table")
+  end
+
   if not request_table then
     return bail(400, "content-type header does not match request body, or bad JSON formatting")
   end
@@ -219,4 +226,4 @@ function _M:run(conf)
   return true
 end
 
-return _M
\ No newline at end of file
+return _M
diff --git a/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/serialize-analytics.lua b/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/serialize-analytics.lua
index 1b246fa3ecd6..a39016078726 100644
--- a/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/serialize-analytics.lua
+++ b/kong/llm/plugin/shared-filters/serialize-analytics.lua
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ function _M:run(conf)
     total_tokens = ai_plugin_o11y.metrics_get("llm_total_tokens_count"),
     cost = ai_plugin_o11y.metrics_get("llm_usage_cost"),
   }
-
-  kong.log.inspect(usage)
-
   kong.log.set_serialize_value(string.format("ai.%s.usage", ai_plugin_o11y.NAMESPACE), usage)
 
 
@@ -82,4 +79,4 @@ function _M:run(conf)
   return true
 end
 
-return _M
\ No newline at end of file
+return _M
diff --git a/kong/plugins/ai-prompt-decorator/filters/decorate-prompt.lua b/kong/plugins/ai-prompt-decorator/filters/decorate-prompt.lua
index df0ad052b918..69599999e3aa 100644
--- a/kong/plugins/ai-prompt-decorator/filters/decorate-prompt.lua
+++ b/kong/plugins/ai-prompt-decorator/filters/decorate-prompt.lua
@@ -7,14 +7,16 @@
 
 local new_tab = require("table.new")
 local ai_plugin_ctx = require("kong.llm.plugin.ctx")
+local cycle_aware_deep_copy = require("kong.tools.table").cycle_aware_deep_copy
 
 local _M = {
   NAME = "decorate-prompt",
   STAGE = "REQ_TRANSFORMATION",
-  }
+}
 
 local FILTER_OUTPUT_SCHEMA = {
   decorated = "boolean",
+  request_body_table = "table",
 }
 
 local _, set_ctx = ai_plugin_ctx.get_namespaced_accesors(_M.NAME, FILTER_OUTPUT_SCHEMA)
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ local EMPTY = {}
 
 
 local function bad_request(msg)
-  kong.log.debug(msg)
+  kong.log.info(msg)
   return kong.response.exit(400, { error = { message = msg } })
 end
 
@@ -77,11 +79,16 @@ function _M:run(conf)
     return bad_request("this LLM route only supports llm/chat type requests")
   end
 
-  kong.service.request.set_body(execute(request_body_table, conf), "application/json")
+  -- Deep copy to avoid modifying the immutable table.
+  -- Re-assign it to trigger GC of the old one and save memory.
+  request_body_table = execute(cycle_aware_deep_copy(request_body_table), conf)
+
+  kong.service.request.set_body(request_body_table, "application/json") -- legacy
 
   set_ctx("decorated", true)
+  set_ctx("request_body_table", request_body_table)
 
   return true
 end
 
-return _M
\ No newline at end of file
+return _M
diff --git a/spec/03-plugins/41-ai-prompt-decorator/02-integration_spec.lua b/spec/03-plugins/41-ai-prompt-decorator/02-integration_spec.lua
index 80c00b1af944..89acb6fd211c 100644
--- a/spec/03-plugins/41-ai-prompt-decorator/02-integration_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/03-plugins/41-ai-prompt-decorator/02-integration_spec.lua
@@ -1,23 +1,45 @@
-local helpers = require "spec.helpers"
+local helpers = require("spec.helpers")
+local cjson   = require("cjson")
+
 
 local PLUGIN_NAME = "ai-prompt-decorator"
 
 
-for _, strategy in helpers.all_strategies() do
+local openai_flat_chat = {
+  messages = {
+    {
+      role = "user",
+      content = "I think that cheddar is the best cheese.",
+    },
+    {
+      role = "assistant",
+      content = "No, brie is the best cheese.",
+    },
+    {
+      role = "user",
+      content = "Why brie?",
+    },
+  },
+}
+
+
+for _, strategy in helpers.all_strategies() do if strategy ~= "cassandra" then
   describe(PLUGIN_NAME .. ": (access) [#" .. strategy .. "]", function()
     local client
 
     lazy_setup(function()
 
-      local bp = helpers.get_db_utils(strategy == "off" and "postgres" or strategy, nil, { PLUGIN_NAME })
+      local bp = helpers.get_db_utils(strategy == "off" and "postgres" or strategy, nil, { PLUGIN_NAME, "ctx-checker-last", "ctx-checker" })
+
 
-      local route1 = bp.routes:insert({
-        hosts = { "test1.com" },
+      -- echo route, we don't need a mock AI here
+      local prepend = bp.routes:insert({
+        hosts = { "prepend.decorate.local" },
       })
 
       bp.plugins:insert {
         name = PLUGIN_NAME,
-        route = { id = route1.id },
+        route = { id = prepend.id },
         config = {
           prompts = {
             prepend = {
@@ -30,6 +52,28 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.all_strategies() do
                 content = "Prepend text 2 here.",
               },
             },
+          },
+        },
+      }
+
+      bp.plugins:insert {
+        name = "ctx-checker-last",
+        route = { id = prepend.id },
+        config = {
+          ctx_check_field = "ai_namespaced_ctx",
+        }
+      }
+
+
+      local append = bp.routes:insert({
+        hosts = { "append.decorate.local" },
+      })
+
+      bp.plugins:insert {
+        name = PLUGIN_NAME,
+        route = { id = append.id },
+        config = {
+          prompts = {
             append = {
               [1] = {
                 role = "assistant",
@@ -44,72 +88,161 @@ for _, strategy in helpers.all_strategies() do
         },
       }
 
+      bp.plugins:insert {
+        name = "ctx-checker-last",
+        route = { id = append.id },
+        config = {
+          ctx_check_field = "ai_namespaced_ctx",
+        }
+      }
+
+      local both = bp.routes:insert({
+        hosts = { "both.decorate.local" },
+      })
+
+      
+      bp.plugins:insert {
+        name = PLUGIN_NAME,
+        route = { id = both.id },
+        config = {
+          prompts = {
+            prepend = {
+              [1] = {
+                role = "system",
+                content = "Prepend text 1 here.",
+              },
+              [2] = {
+                role = "assistant",
+                content = "Prepend text 2 here.",
+              },
+            },
+            append = {
+              [1] = {
+                role = "assistant",
+                content = "Append text 3 here.",
+              },
+              [2] = {
+                role = "user",
+                content = "Append text 4 here.",
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      }
+
+      bp.plugins:insert {
+        name = "ctx-checker-last",
+        route = { id = both.id },
+        config = {
+          ctx_check_field = "ai_namespaced_ctx",
+        }
+      }
+
+
       assert(helpers.start_kong({
         database   = strategy,
         nginx_conf = "spec/fixtures/custom_nginx.template",
-        plugins = "bundled," .. PLUGIN_NAME,
+        plugins = "bundled,ctx-checker-last,ctx-checker," .. PLUGIN_NAME,
         declarative_config = strategy == "off" and helpers.make_yaml_file() or nil,
       }))
     end)
 
-
     lazy_teardown(function()
-      helpers.stop_kong()
+      helpers.stop_kong(nil, true)
     end)
 
-
     before_each(function()
       client = helpers.proxy_client()
     end)
 
-
     after_each(function()
       if client then client:close() end
     end)
 
-
-
-    it("blocks a non-chat message", function()
-      local r = client:get("/request", {
-        headers = {
-          host = "test1.com",
-          ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-        },
-        body = [[
-          {
-            "anything": [
-              {
-                "random": "data"
-              }
-            ]
-          }]],
-        method = "POST",
-      })
-
-      assert.response(r).has.status(400)
-      local json = assert.response(r).has.jsonbody()
-      assert.same({ error = { message = "this LLM route only supports llm/chat type requests" }}, json)
-    end)
-
-
-    it("blocks an empty messages array", function()
-      local r = client:get("/request", {
-        headers = {
-          host = "test1.com",
-          ["Content-Type"] = "application/json",
-        },
-        body = [[
-          {
-            "messages": []
-          }]],
-        method = "POST",
-      })
-
-      assert.response(r).has.status(400)
-      local json = assert.response(r).has.jsonbody()
-      assert.same({ error = { message = "this LLM route only supports llm/chat type requests" }}, json)
+    describe("request", function()
+      it("modifies the LLM chat request - prepend", function()
+        local r = client:get("/", {
+          headers = {
+            host = "prepend.decorate.local",
+            ["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+          },
+          body = cjson.encode(openai_flat_chat),
+        })
+
+        -- get the REQUEST body, that left Kong for the upstream, using the echo system
+        assert.response(r).has.status(200)
+        local request = assert.response(r).has.jsonbody()
+        request = cjson.decode(request.post_data.text)
+
+        assert.same({ content = "Prepend text 1 here.", role = "system" }, request.messages[1])
+        assert.same({ content = "Prepend text 2 here.", role = "system" }, request.messages[2])
+
+        -- check ngx.ctx was set properly for later AI chain filters
+        local ctx = assert.response(r).has.header("ctx-checker-last-ai-namespaced-ctx")
+        ctx = ngx.unescape_uri(ctx)
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorate-prompt.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorated = true.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Prepend text 1 here.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Prepend text 2 here.*]])
+      end)
+
+      it("modifies the LLM chat request - append", function()
+        local r = client:get("/", {
+          headers = {
+            host = "append.decorate.local",
+            ["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+          },
+          body = cjson.encode(openai_flat_chat),
+        })
+
+        -- get the REQUEST body, that left Kong for the upstream, using the echo system
+        assert.response(r).has.status(200)
+        local request = assert.response(r).has.jsonbody()
+        request = cjson.decode(request.post_data.text)
+
+        assert.same({ content = "Append text 1 here.", role = "assistant" }, request.messages[#request.messages-1])
+        assert.same({ content = "Append text 2 here.", role = "user" }, request.messages[#request.messages])
+
+        -- check ngx.ctx was set properly for later AI chain filters
+        local ctx = assert.response(r).has.header("ctx-checker-last-ai-namespaced-ctx")
+        ctx = ngx.unescape_uri(ctx)
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorate-prompt.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorated = true.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Append text 1 here.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Append text 2 here.*]])
+      end)
+
+
+      it("modifies the LLM chat request - both", function()
+        local r = client:get("/", {
+          headers = {
+            host = "both.decorate.local",
+            ["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
+          },
+          body = cjson.encode(openai_flat_chat),
+        })
+
+        -- get the REQUEST body, that left Kong for the upstream, using the echo system
+        assert.response(r).has.status(200)
+        local request = assert.response(r).has.jsonbody()
+        request = cjson.decode(request.post_data.text)
+
+        assert.same({ content = "Prepend text 1 here.", role = "system" }, request.messages[1])
+        assert.same({ content = "Prepend text 2 here.", role = "assistant" }, request.messages[2])
+        assert.same({ content = "Append text 3 here.", role = "assistant" }, request.messages[#request.messages-1])
+        assert.same({ content = "Append text 4 here.", role = "user" }, request.messages[#request.messages])
+
+        -- check ngx.ctx was set properly for later AI chain filters
+        local ctx = assert.response(r).has.header("ctx-checker-last-ai-namespaced-ctx")
+        ctx = ngx.unescape_uri(ctx)
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorate-prompt.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*decorated = true.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Prepend text 1 here.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Prepend text 2 here.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Append text 3 here.*]])
+        assert.match_re(ctx, [[.*Append text 4 here.*]])
+      end)
     end)
-
   end)
 
-end
+end end