diff --git a/examples/patterns.py b/examples/patterns.py
index 1cb5707cc49..32f889ffddb 100644
--- a/examples/patterns.py
+++ b/examples/patterns.py
@@ -3,14 +3,16 @@
 
 import openai
 from agnext.agent_components.models_clients.openai_client import OpenAI
-from agnext.application_components.single_threaded_agent_runtime import SingleThreadedAgentRuntime
+from agnext.application_components.single_threaded_agent_runtime import (
+    SingleThreadedAgentRuntime,
+)
 from agnext.chat.agents.oai_assistant import OpenAIAssistantAgent
 from agnext.chat.messages import ChatMessage
 from agnext.chat.patterns.group_chat import GroupChat
 from agnext.chat.patterns.orchestrator import Orchestrator
 
 
-async def group_chat() -> None:
+async def group_chat(message: str) -> None:
     runtime = SingleThreadedAgentRuntime()
 
     joe_oai_assistant = openai.beta.assistants.create(
@@ -44,14 +46,14 @@ async def group_chat() -> None:
     )
 
     chat = GroupChat(
-        "chat_room",
+        "Host",
         "A round-robin chat room.",
         runtime,
         [joe, cathy],
         num_rounds=5,
     )
 
-    response = runtime.send_message(ChatMessage(body="Run a show!", sender="external"), chat)
+    response = runtime.send_message(ChatMessage(body=message, sender="host"), chat)
 
     while not response.done():
         await runtime.process_next()
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ async def group_chat() -> None:
     print((await response).body)  # type: ignore
 
 
-async def orchestrator() -> None:
+async def orchestrator(message: str) -> None:
     runtime = SingleThreadedAgentRuntime()
 
     developer_oai_assistant = openai.beta.assistants.create(
@@ -93,8 +95,8 @@ async def orchestrator() -> None:
     )
 
     chat = Orchestrator(
-        "Team",
-        "A software development team.",
+        "Manager",
+        "A software development team manager.",
         runtime,
         [developer, product_manager],
         model_client=OpenAI(model="gpt-3.5-turbo"),
@@ -102,7 +104,7 @@ async def orchestrator() -> None:
 
     response = runtime.send_message(
         ChatMessage(
-            body="Write a simple FastAPI webapp for showing the current time.",
+            body=message,
             sender="customer",
         ),
         chat,
@@ -122,11 +124,12 @@ async def orchestrator() -> None:
         choices=chocies,
         help="The pattern to demo.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument("--message", help="The message to send.")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.pattern == "group_chat":
-        asyncio.run(group_chat())
+        asyncio.run(group_chat(args.message))
     elif args.pattern == "orchestrator":
-        asyncio.run(orchestrator())
+        asyncio.run(orchestrator(args.message))
     else:
         raise ValueError(f"Invalid pattern: {args.pattern}")
diff --git a/src/agnext/chat/patterns/group_chat.py b/src/agnext/chat/patterns/group_chat.py
index f837b6f2750..4efd490f210 100644
--- a/src/agnext/chat/patterns/group_chat.py
+++ b/src/agnext/chat/patterns/group_chat.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 from typing import List, Sequence
 
+from ...agent_components.type_routed_agent import message_handler
 from ...core.agent_runtime import AgentRuntime
+from ...core.cancellation_token import CancellationToken
 from ..agents.base import BaseChatAgent
 from ..messages import ChatMessage
 
@@ -19,7 +21,13 @@ def __init__(
         self._num_rounds = num_rounds
         self._history: List[ChatMessage] = []
 
-    async def on_chat_message(self, message: ChatMessage) -> ChatMessage:
+    @message_handler(ChatMessage)
+    async def on_chat_message(
+        self,
+        message: ChatMessage,
+        require_response: bool,
+        cancellation_token: CancellationToken,
+    ) -> ChatMessage | None:
         if message.reset:
             # Reset the history.
             self._history = []
diff --git a/src/agnext/chat/patterns/orchestrator.py b/src/agnext/chat/patterns/orchestrator.py
index 0c5e4915d1e..0798da8260c 100644
--- a/src/agnext/chat/patterns/orchestrator.py
+++ b/src/agnext/chat/patterns/orchestrator.py
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 import json
 from typing import Any, List, Sequence, Tuple
 
-from agnext.core.agent_runtime import AgentRuntime
-from agnext.core.cancellation_token import CancellationToken
-
 from ...agent_components.model_client import ModelClient
 from ...agent_components.type_routed_agent import message_handler
 from ...agent_components.types import AssistantMessage, LLMMessage, UserMessage
+from ...core.agent_runtime import AgentRuntime
+from ...core.cancellation_token import CancellationToken
 from ..agents.base import BaseChatAgent
 from ..messages import ChatMessage
 
@@ -33,8 +32,11 @@ def __init__(
 
     @message_handler(ChatMessage)
     async def on_chat_message(
-        self, message: ChatMessage, require_response: bool, cancellation_token: CancellationToken
-    ) -> ChatMessage:
+        self,
+        message: ChatMessage,
+        require_response: bool,
+        cancellation_token: CancellationToken,
+    ) -> ChatMessage | None:
         # A task is received.
         task = message.body
 
diff --git a/src/agnext/chat/utils.py b/src/agnext/chat/utils.py
index b554e2d2fe9..4f77c77be98 100644
--- a/src/agnext/chat/utils.py
+++ b/src/agnext/chat/utils.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
+from typing_extensions import Literal
+
 from agnext.agent_components.types import AssistantMessage, LLMMessage, UserMessage
 from agnext.chat.types import FunctionCallMessage, Message, MultiModalMessage, TextMessage
-from typing_extensions import Literal
 
 
 def convert_content_message_to_assistant_message(