microsoft/autogen · error · InvalidOperationException

Invalid Message as message from self.

Error message

Invalid Message as message from self.

What it means

Thrown from the legacy Message handling path (ProcessMessage) when a Message attributed to the agent itself has no function name (and no usable content), so it cannot be reconstructed as a ChatRequestAssistantMessage carrying a function call. It only occurs while processing a 'message from self' that is neither a function call nor representable text.

Source

Thrown at dotnet/src/AutoGen.OpenAI.V1/Middleware/OpenAIChatRequestMessageConnector.cs:239

            {
                return new[] { new ChatRequestToolMessage(content, message.FunctionName) };
            }
        }
        else if (message.FunctionName is string functionName)
        {
            var msg = new ChatRequestAssistantMessage(content: null)
            {
                FunctionCall = new FunctionCall(functionName, message.FunctionArguments)
            };

            return new[]
            {
                msg,
            };
        }
        else
        {
            throw new InvalidOperationException("Invalid Message as message from self.");
        }
    }

    [Obsolete("This method is deprecated, please use ProcessIncomingMessages(IAgent agent, IEnumerable<IMessage> messages) instead.")]
    private IEnumerable<ChatRequestMessage> ProcessIncomingMessagesForOther(Message message)
    {
        if (message.Role == Role.System)
        {
            return [new ChatRequestSystemMessage(message.Content) { Name = message.From }];
        }
        else if (message.Content is string content && content is { Length: > 0 })
        {
            if (message.FunctionName is not null)
            {
                return new[] { new ChatRequestToolMessage(content, message.FunctionName) };
            }

            return [new ChatRequestUserMessage(message.Content) { Name = message.From }];

View on GitHub (pinned to 027ecf0a37)

Solutions

1. Migrate from the obsolete Message type to ToolCallMessage (for self function calls) or TextMessage(Role.Assistant)
2. Ensure legacy self-messages always carry FunctionName+FunctionArguments when replayed
3. Set strictMode: false does NOT help here — this throw is in the legacy branch; filter legacy messages out before sending

Example fix

// before
history.Add(new Message(Role.Assistant, null, from: agent.Name)); // throws

// after
history.Add(new ToolCallMessage(functionName, args, from: agent.Name));

// before sending legacy Message from self, ensure it is representable
if (msg is Message { From: var from } lm && from == agent.Name && lm.FunctionName is null) { /* replace with ToolCallMessage/TextMessage */ }

catch (InvalidOperationException ex) when (ex.Message == "Invalid Message as message from self.") { /* drop or convert the legacy message */ }

When it happens

Trigger: A legacy Microsoft.AutoGen 'Message' whose From equals the agent name, whose FunctionName is null and content path doesn't apply, being fed into ProcessIncomingMessages with the deprecated Message branch active.

Common situations: Code still using the obsolete Message type instead of TextMessage/ToolCallMessage after upgrading AutoGen; replaying recorded conversations into an OpenAI.V1 agent; group chat history containing legacy self-messages.

Related errors

• Invalid Message as message from other.
• Please set AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.
• Please set AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT environment variable.
• Please set environment variable AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY
• Invalid return message type {message.GetType().Name}

AI-assisted analysis of microsoft/autogen@027ecf0a37 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/adae22d8aab19f69. Report an issue: GitHub.