Fix output_json parameter with custom_openai backends

Co-Authored-By: Joe Moura <joao@crewai.com>

src/crewai/utilities/converter.py

@@ -72,7 +72,21 @@ class Converter(OutputConverter):
         """Convert text to json."""
         try:
             if self.llm.supports_function_calling():
-                return self._create_instructor().to_json()
+                try:
+                    return self._create_instructor().to_json()
+                except Exception as e:
+                    # Check if this is the specific Instructor error for multiple tool calls
+                    if "Instructor does not support multiple tool calls, use List[Model] instead" in str(e):
+                        # Fall back to non-function calling approach for custom OpenAI backends
+                        return json.dumps(
+                            self.llm.call(
+                                [
+                                    {"role": "system", "content": self.instructions},
+                                    {"role": "user", "content": self.text},
+                                ]
+                            )
+                        )
+                    raise e
             else:
                 return json.dumps(
                     self.llm.call(

tests/utilities/test_custom_openai_json.py

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import json
+import pytest
+from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+
+from crewai.utilities.converter import Converter
+from crewai.llm import LLM
+
+
+class SimpleModel(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    age: int
+
+
+class TestCustomOpenAIJson:
+    def test_custom_openai_json_conversion_with_instructor_error(self):
+        """Test that JSON conversion works with custom OpenAI backends when Instructor raises an error."""
+        # Mock LLM that supports function calling
+        llm = Mock(spec=LLM)
+        llm.supports_function_calling.return_value = True
+        llm.call.return_value = '{"name": "John", "age": 30}'
+        
+        # Mock Instructor that raises the specific error
+        mock_instructor = Mock()
+        mock_instructor.to_json.side_effect = Exception(
+            "Instructor does not support multiple tool calls, use List[Model] instead"
+        )
+        
+        # Create converter with mocked dependencies
+        converter = Converter(
+            llm=llm,
+            text="Convert this to JSON",
+            model=SimpleModel,
+            instructions="Convert to JSON",
+        )
+        
+        # Mock the _create_instructor method to return our mocked instructor
+        with patch.object(converter, '_create_instructor', return_value=mock_instructor):
+            # Call to_json method
+            result = converter.to_json()
+            
+            # Verify that the fallback mechanism was used
+            llm.call.assert_called_once()
+            # The result is a JSON string, so we need to parse it
+            parsed_result = json.loads(result)
+            assert parsed_result == '{"name": "John", "age": 30}' or parsed_result == {"name": "John", "age": 30}
+    
+    def test_custom_openai_json_conversion_without_error(self):
+        """Test that JSON conversion works normally when Instructor doesn't raise an error."""
+        # Mock LLM that supports function calling
+        llm = Mock(spec=LLM)
+        llm.supports_function_calling.return_value = True
+        
+        # Mock Instructor that returns JSON without error
+        mock_instructor = Mock()
+        mock_instructor.to_json.return_value = '{"name": "John", "age": 30}'
+        
+        # Create converter with mocked dependencies
+        converter = Converter(
+            llm=llm,
+            text="Convert this to JSON",
+            model=SimpleModel,
+            instructions="Convert to JSON",
+        )
+        
+        # Mock the _create_instructor method to return our mocked instructor
+        with patch.object(converter, '_create_instructor', return_value=mock_instructor):
+            # Call to_json method
+            result = converter.to_json()
+            
+            # Verify that the normal path was used (no fallback)
+            llm.call.assert_not_called()
+            assert json.loads(result) == {"name": "John", "age": 30}