diff --git a/libs/langgraph/Makefile b/libs/langgraph/Makefile
index e2c57e19d..34a64cacf 100644
--- a/libs/langgraph/Makefile
+++ b/libs/langgraph/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.PHONY: all format lint type test test_watch integration_tests spell_check spell_fix benchmark profile start-dev-server integration_tests
+.PHONY: all format lint type test test_watch integration_tests spell_check spell_fix benchmark benchmark-profile benchmark-profile-spy profile start-dev-server integration_tests
 
 # Default target executed when no arguments are given to make.
 all: help
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ benchmark-fast:
 	rm -f $(OUTPUT)
 	uv run python -m bench -o $(OUTPUT) --fast
 
+benchmark-profile:
+	mkdir -p out
+	uv run python -m bench --profile
+
+benchmark-profile-spy:
+	mkdir -p out
+	sudo uv run py-spy record -g -o out/benchmark-flamegraph.svg -- python -m bench --fast
+
 GRAPH ?= bench/fanout_to_subgraph.py
 
 profile:
diff --git a/libs/langgraph/bench/__main__.py b/libs/langgraph/bench/__main__.py
index d824abe5f..2e8bf8402 100644
--- a/libs/langgraph/bench/__main__.py
+++ b/libs/langgraph/bench/__main__.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import random
+import sys
 from uuid import uuid4
 
 from langchain_core.messages import HumanMessage
 from langgraph.checkpoint.memory import InMemorySaver
-from pyperf._runner import Runner
-from uvloop import new_event_loop
 
 from bench.fanout_to_subgraph import fanout_to_subgraph, fanout_to_subgraph_sync
 from bench.pydantic_state import pydantic_state
@@ -464,6 +463,54 @@ benchmarks = (
 )
 
 
+if "--profile" in sys.argv:
+    import asyncio
+    import cProfile
+    import pstats
+    from pathlib import Path
+
+    out_dir = Path("out")
+    out_dir.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+    for name, agraph, graph, input_data in benchmarks:
+        # Profile async variant
+        prof = cProfile.Profile()
+        prof.enable()
+        asyncio.run(arun(agraph, input_data))
+        prof.disable()
+
+        prof_path = out_dir / f"{name}.prof"
+        prof.dump_stats(str(prof_path))
+
+        print(f"\n{'=' * 60}")
+        print(f"PROFILE: {name}")
+        print(f"{'=' * 60}")
+        stats = pstats.Stats(prof)
+        stats.sort_stats("cumulative")
+        stats.print_stats(20)
+
+        # Profile sync variant
+        if graph is not None:
+            prof = cProfile.Profile()
+            prof.enable()
+            run(graph, input_data)
+            prof.disable()
+
+            prof_path = out_dir / f"{name}_sync.prof"
+            prof.dump_stats(str(prof_path))
+
+            print(f"\n{'=' * 60}")
+            print(f"PROFILE: {name}_sync")
+            print(f"{'=' * 60}")
+            stats = pstats.Stats(prof)
+            stats.sort_stats("cumulative")
+            stats.print_stats(20)
+
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+from pyperf._runner import Runner
+from uvloop import new_event_loop
+
 r = Runner()
 
 # Full graph run time
diff --git a/libs/prebuilt/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py b/libs/prebuilt/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
index 6c11c8847..c41da759b 100644
--- a/libs/prebuilt/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
+++ b/libs/prebuilt/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
@@ -638,15 +638,18 @@ def create_react_agent(
             messages = (
                 _get_state_value(state, "llm_input_messages")
             ) or _get_state_value(state, "messages")
-            error_msg = f"Expected input to call_model to have 'llm_input_messages' or 'messages' key, but got {state}"
         else:
             messages = _get_state_value(state, "messages")
-            error_msg = (
-                f"Expected input to call_model to have 'messages' key, but got {state}"
-            )
 
         if messages is None:
-            raise ValueError(error_msg)
+            if pre_model_hook is not None:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Expected input to call_model to have 'llm_input_messages' or 'messages' key, but got {state}"
+                )
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Expected input to call_model to have 'messages' key, but got {state}"
+                )
 
         _validate_chat_history(messages)
         # we're passing messages under `messages` key, as this is expected by the prompt