diff --git a/studio/backend/core/inference/tool_call_parser.py b/studio/backend/core/inference/tool_call_parser.py
index 13156ab520..e089421fd6 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/inference/tool_call_parser.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/inference/tool_call_parser.py
@@ -472,16 +472,28 @@ def _parse_llama3_bare_json(content: str, *, id_offset: int) -> list[dict]:
         name = obj.get("name") or obj.get("function") or ""
         if not isinstance(name, str) or not name:
             break
+        # ``parameters`` must be a dict (Llama-3 spec).
+        # ``arguments`` may be a dict or a JSON-string of a dict (OpenAI shape).
+        # Anything looser would fire on prose like ``{"name":"x","parameters":"sentence"}``.
         if "parameters" in obj:
             args = obj.get("parameters")
+            if not isinstance(args, dict):
+                break
+            args_str = json.dumps(args)
         elif "arguments" in obj:
             args = obj.get("arguments")
-        else:
-            break
-        if isinstance(args, dict):
-            args_str = json.dumps(args)
-        elif isinstance(args, str):
-            args_str = args
+            if isinstance(args, dict):
+                args_str = json.dumps(args)
+            elif isinstance(args, str):
+                try:
+                    parsed = json.loads(args)
+                except (json.JSONDecodeError, ValueError):
+                    break
+                if not isinstance(parsed, dict):
+                    break
+                args_str = args
+            else:
+                break
         else:
             break
         out.append(
diff --git a/studio/backend/tests/test_safetensors_tool_loop.py b/studio/backend/tests/test_safetensors_tool_loop.py
index a5e8413a1c..84d3817d77 100644
--- a/studio/backend/tests/test_safetensors_tool_loop.py
+++ b/studio/backend/tests/test_safetensors_tool_loop.py
@@ -260,6 +260,37 @@ class TestParserMultiFormat:
         text = '{"name":"x","parameters":42}'
         assert parse_tool_calls_from_text(text) == []
 
+    def test_llama3_2_bare_json_string_parameters_does_not_fire(self):
+        # Llama-3 spec: parameters must be a dict. Prose like
+        # ``{"name":"foo","parameters":"a sentence"}`` must NOT trigger.
+        text = '{"name":"foo","parameters":"this is a sentence"}'
+        assert parse_tool_calls_from_text(text) == []
+
+    def test_llama3_2_bare_json_string_arguments_not_json_does_not_fire(self):
+        # OpenAI ``arguments`` may be a JSON-string of a dict, but a
+        # plain non-JSON string must not pass the guard.
+        text = '{"name":"foo","arguments":"not json"}'
+        assert parse_tool_calls_from_text(text) == []
+
+    def test_llama3_2_bare_json_string_arguments_json_dict_fires(self):
+        # OpenAI shape: arguments is a JSON-encoded string of a dict.
+        text = '{"name":"foo","arguments":"{\\"q\\":\\"x\\"}"}'
+        result = parse_tool_calls_from_text(text)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0]["function"]["name"] == "foo"
+        # arguments stays as the original JSON-string.
+        assert result[0]["function"]["arguments"] == '{"q":"x"}'
+
+    def test_llama3_2_bare_json_string_arguments_json_non_dict_does_not_fire(self):
+        # JSON-string that parses to a list / scalar / null must NOT fire.
+        for bad in (
+            '{"name":"foo","arguments":"[1,2,3]"}',
+            '{"name":"foo","arguments":"\\"plain\\""}',
+            '{"name":"foo","arguments":"null"}',
+            '{"name":"foo","arguments":"42"}',
+        ):
+            assert parse_tool_calls_from_text(bad) == [], bad
+
     # ── Mistral pre-v11 ───────────────────────────────────────────
 
     def test_mistral_pre_v11_array(self):