diff --git a/libs/langgraph/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py b/libs/langgraph/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
index 5e8274de4..21ad0e7b0 100644
--- a/libs/langgraph/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
+++ b/libs/langgraph/langgraph/prebuilt/chat_agent_executor.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
-from typing import Callable, Literal, Optional, Sequence, Type, TypeVar, Union
+from typing import Callable, Literal, Optional, Sequence, Type, TypeVar, Union, cast
 
-from langchain_core.language_models import BaseChatModel
+from langchain_core.language_models import BaseChatModel, LanguageModelLike
 from langchain_core.messages import AIMessage, BaseMessage, SystemMessage, ToolMessage
-from langchain_core.runnables import Runnable, RunnableConfig, RunnableLambda
+from langchain_core.runnables import (
+    Runnable,
+    RunnableBinding,
+    RunnableConfig,
+    RunnableLambda,
+)
 from langchain_core.tools import BaseTool
 from typing_extensions import Annotated, TypedDict
 
@@ -115,9 +120,43 @@ def _get_model_preprocessing_runnable(
     return _get_state_modifier_runnable(state_modifier)
 
 
+def _should_bind_tools(model: LanguageModelLike, tools: Sequence[BaseTool]) -> bool:
+    if not isinstance(model, RunnableBinding):
+        return False
+
+    if "tools" not in model.kwargs:
+        return False
+
+    bound_tools = model.kwargs["tools"]
+    if len(tools) != len(bound_tools):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Number of tools in the model.bind_tools() and tools passed to create_react_agent must match"
+        )
+
+    tool_names = set(tool.name for tool in tools)
+    bound_tool_names = set()
+    for bound_tool in bound_tools:
+        # OpenAI-style tool
+        if bound_tool.get("type") == "function":
+            bound_tool_name = bound_tool["function"]["name"]
+        # Anthropic-style tool
+        elif bound_tool.get("name"):
+            bound_tool_name = bound_tool["name"]
+        else:
+            # unknown tool type so we'll ignore it
+            continue
+
+        bound_tool_names.add(bound_tool_name)
+
+    if missing_tools := tool_names - bound_tool_names:
+        raise ValueError(f"Missing tools '{missing_tools}' in the model.bind_tools()")
+
+    return True
+
+
 @deprecated_parameter("messages_modifier", "0.1.9", "state_modifier", removal="0.3.0")
 def create_react_agent(
-    model: BaseChatModel,
+    model: LanguageModelLike,
     tools: Union[ToolExecutor, Sequence[BaseTool], ToolNode],
     *,
     state_schema: Optional[StateSchemaType] = None,
@@ -412,9 +451,12 @@ class Agent,Tools otherClass
         tool_classes = list(tools.tools_by_name.values())
         tool_node = tools
     else:
-        tool_classes = tools
-        tool_node = ToolNode(tool_classes)
-    model = model.bind_tools(tool_classes)
+        tool_node = ToolNode(tools)
+        # get the tool functions wrapped in a tool class from the ToolNode
+        tool_classes = list(tool_node.tools_by_name.values())
+
+    if _should_bind_tools(model, tool_classes):
+        model = cast(BaseChatModel, model).bind_tools(tool_classes)
 
     # Define the function that determines whether to continue or not
     def should_continue(state: AgentState) -> Literal["tools", "__end__"]:
diff --git a/libs/langgraph/tests/test_prebuilt.py b/libs/langgraph/tests/test_prebuilt.py
index 6e1cd081a..42ab73957 100644
--- a/libs/langgraph/tests/test_prebuilt.py
+++ b/libs/langgraph/tests/test_prebuilt.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     Callable,
     Dict,
     List,
+    Literal,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
     Type,
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 class FakeToolCallingModel(BaseChatModel):
     tool_calls: Optional[list[list[ToolCall]]] = None
     index: int = 0
+    tool_style: Literal["openai", "anthropic"] = "openai"
 
     def _generate(
         self,
@@ -79,7 +81,31 @@ def bind_tools(
         tools: Sequence[Union[Dict[str, Any], Type[BaseModel], Callable, BaseTool]],
         **kwargs: Any,
     ) -> Runnable[LanguageModelInput, BaseMessage]:
-        return self
+        tool_dicts = []
+        for tool in tools:
+            if not isinstance(tool, BaseTool):
+                raise TypeError(
+                    "Only BaseTool is supported by FakeToolCallingModel.bind_tools"
+                )
+
+            # NOTE: this is a simplified tool spec for testing purposes only
+            if self.tool_style == "openai":
+                tool_dicts.append(
+                    {
+                        "type": "function",
+                        "function": {
+                            "name": tool.name,
+                        },
+                    }
+                )
+            elif self.tool_style == "anthropic":
+                tool_dicts.append(
+                    {
+                        "name": tool.name,
+                    }
+                )
+
+        return self.bind(tools=tool_dicts)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("checkpointer_name", ALL_CHECKPOINTERS_SYNC)
@@ -242,6 +268,58 @@ def test_runnable_state_modifier():
     assert response == expected_response
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("tool_style", ["openai", "anthropic"])
+def test_model_with_tools(tool_style: str):
+    model = FakeToolCallingModel(tool_style=tool_style)
+
+    @dec_tool
+    def tool1(some_val: int) -> str:
+        """Tool 1 docstring."""
+        return f"Tool 1: {some_val}"
+
+    @dec_tool
+    def tool2(some_val: int) -> str:
+        """Tool 2 docstring."""
+        return f"Tool 2: {some_val}"
+
+    # check valid agent constructor
+    agent = create_react_agent(model.bind_tools([tool1, tool2]), [tool1, tool2])
+    result = agent.nodes["tools"].invoke(
+        {
+            "messages": [
+                AIMessage(
+                    "hi?",
+                    tool_calls=[
+                        {
+                            "name": "tool1",
+                            "args": {"some_val": 2},
+                            "id": "some 1",
+                        },
+                        {
+                            "name": "tool2",
+                            "args": {"some_val": 2},
+                            "id": "some 2",
+                        },
+                    ],
+                )
+            ]
+        }
+    )
+    tool_messages: ToolMessage = result["messages"][-2:]
+    for tool_message in tool_messages:
+        assert tool_message.type == "tool"
+        assert tool_message.content in {"Tool 1: 2", "Tool 2: 2"}
+        assert tool_message.tool_call_id in {"some 1", "some 2"}
+
+    # test mismatching tool lengths
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        create_react_agent(model.bind_tools([tool1]), [tool1, tool2])
+
+    # test missing bound tools
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        create_react_agent(model.bind_tools([tool1]), [tool2])
+
+
 async def test_tool_node():
     def tool1(some_val: int, some_other_val: str) -> str:
         """Tool 1 docstring."""