diff --git a/aider/__init__.py b/aider/__init__.py
index 04baaec73cc..500230c5098 100644
--- a/aider/__init__.py
+++ b/aider/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from packaging import version
 
-__version__ = "0.88.8.dev"
+__version__ = "0.88.9.dev"
 safe_version = __version__
 
 try:
diff --git a/aider/coders/base_coder.py b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
index 7de98e32c29..7fabf2929d2 100755
--- a/aider/coders/base_coder.py
+++ b/aider/coders/base_coder.py
@@ -2743,6 +2743,8 @@ async def send(self, messages, model=None, functions=None, tools=None):
                 format_content("ASSISTANT", self.partial_response_content),
             )
 
+            self.preprocess_response()
+
             if self.partial_response_content:
                 self.io.ai_output(self.partial_response_content)
             elif self.partial_response_function_call:
@@ -2986,6 +2988,21 @@ def render_incremental_response(self, final):
         # Just return the current content - the streaming logic will handle incremental updates
         return self.get_multi_response_content_in_progress()
 
+    def preprocess_response(self):
+        if len(self.partial_response_tool_calls):
+            tool_list = []
+            tool_id_set = set()
+
+            for tool_call_dict in self.partial_response_tool_calls:
+                # LLM APIs sometimes return duplicates and that's annoying part 2
+                if tool_call_dict.get("id") in tool_id_set:
+                    continue
+
+                tool_id_set.add(tool_call_dict.get("id"))
+                tool_list.append(tool_call_dict)
+
+            self.partial_response_tool_calls = tool_list
+
     def remove_reasoning_content(self):
         """Remove reasoning content from the model's response."""
 
diff --git a/aider/sendchat.py b/aider/sendchat.py
index 6f8b2ba5d04..7060c28b21e 100644
--- a/aider/sendchat.py
+++ b/aider/sendchat.py
@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@ def ensure_alternating_roles(messages):
 
             # Add missing tool responses as empty
             for tool_id in expected_ids:
-                tool_sequence.append({"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": tool_id, "content": ""})
+                tool_sequence.append(
+                    {"role": "tool", "tool_call_id": tool_id, "content": "(empty response)"}
+                )
 
             # Add the complete tool sequence to result
             for tool_msg in tool_sequence:
@@ -194,7 +196,16 @@ def ensure_alternating_roles(messages):
             if role == prev_role:
                 # Insert empty message of opposite role
                 opposite_role = "user" if role == "assistant" else "assistant"
-                result.append({"role": opposite_role, "content": ""})
+                result.append(
+                    {
+                        "role": opposite_role,
+                        "content": (
+                            "(empty response)"
+                            if opposite_role == "assistant"
+                            else "(empty request)"
+                        ),
+                    }
+                )
                 prev_role = opposite_role
 
             result.append(msg)
@@ -221,8 +232,8 @@ def ensure_alternating_roles(messages):
             current_role in ("user", "assistant")
             and last_role in ("user", "assistant")
             and current_role == last_role
-            and msg.get("content") == ""
-            and last_msg.get("content") == ""
+            and msg.get("content") in ["", "(empty response)", "(empty request)"]
+            and last_msg.get("content") in ["", "(empty response)", "(empty request)"]
         ):
             continue
 
diff --git a/tests/basic/test_sendchat.py b/tests/basic/test_sendchat.py
index 153ab2f421f..69cc79f350c 100644
--- a/tests/basic/test_sendchat.py
+++ b/tests/basic/test_sendchat.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def test_ensure_alternating_roles_consecutive_user(self):
         ]
         expected = [
             {"role": "user", "content": "Hello"},
-            {"role": "assistant", "content": ""},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "(empty response)"},
             {"role": "user", "content": "Are you there?"},
         ]
         result = ensure_alternating_roles(messages)
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ def test_ensure_alternating_roles_consecutive_assistant(self):
         ]
         expected = [
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "Hi there"},
-            {"role": "user", "content": ""},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "(empty request)"},
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "How can I help?"},
         ]
         result = ensure_alternating_roles(messages)
@@ -166,10 +166,10 @@ def test_ensure_alternating_roles_mixed_sequence(self):
         ]
         expected = [
             {"role": "user", "content": "Hello"},
-            {"role": "assistant", "content": ""},
+            {"role": "assistant", "content": "(empty response)"},
             {"role": "user", "content": "Are you there?"},
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "Yes"},
-            {"role": "user", "content": ""},
+            {"role": "user", "content": "(empty request)"},
             {"role": "assistant", "content": "How can I help?"},
             {"role": "user", "content": "Write code"},
         ]