diff --git a/rust/proto/inference.proto b/rust/proto/inference.proto
index 021d93a1f7fb..897319ca9c07 100644
--- a/rust/proto/inference.proto
+++ b/rust/proto/inference.proto
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ message ResponseOptions {
   bool output_token_ids = 5;
   bool output_logprobs = 6;
   optional CandidateTokens output_candidates = 7;
+  // Defaults to true when omitted.
+  optional bool skip_special_tokens = 8;
 }
 
 message KVCacheParameters {
diff --git a/rust/src/server/src/grpc/convert.rs b/rust/src/server/src/grpc/convert.rs
index 6ac1abdcd894..4460f6b22249 100644
--- a/rust/src/server/src/grpc/convert.rs
+++ b/rust/src/server/src/grpc/convert.rs
@@ -158,7 +158,9 @@ pub fn to_text_request(
     }
 
     let decode_options = TextDecodeOptions {
-        skip_special_tokens: true,
+        skip_special_tokens: response
+            .and_then(|options| options.skip_special_tokens)
+            .unwrap_or(true),
         include_stop_str_in_output: stopping.is_some_and(|s| s.include_stop_strings),
         stop_strings: stopping.map(|s| &s.stop_strings).filter(|ss| !ss.is_empty()).cloned(),
         min_tokens: stopping.map_or(0, |s| s.min_new_tokens),