diff --git a/tests/integration/test_deepseek_tool_calls.py b/tests/integration/test_deepseek_tool_calls.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..450da86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_deepseek_tool_calls.py
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+"""
+Integration test for DeepSeek tool calls argument parsing.
+
+Tests that ChatDeepSeek properly converts tool_calls.arguments (JSON string)
+to tool_calls.args (dict) without Pydantic validation errors.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import os
+from unittest.mock import patch, AsyncMock
+from langchain_core.messages import AIMessage
+from agent.model_factory import create_model
+
+
+@pytest.mark.integration
+class TestDeepSeekToolCalls:
+    """Integration tests for DeepSeek tool calling"""
+
+    def test_create_model_returns_chat_deepseek_for_deepseek_models(self):
+        """Verify that DeepSeek models use ChatDeepSeek class"""
+        # Skip if no DeepSeek API key available
+        if not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"):
+            pytest.skip("OPENAI_API_KEY not available")
+
+        model = create_model(
+            basemodel="deepseek/deepseek-chat",
+            api_key=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"),
+            base_url=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE"),
+            temperature=0,
+            timeout=30
+        )
+
+        # Verify it's a ChatDeepSeek instance
+        assert model.__class__.__name__ == "ChatDeepSeek"
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_deepseek_tool_calls_args_are_dicts(self):
+        """Test that DeepSeek tool_calls.args are dicts, not strings"""
+        # Skip if no API key
+        if not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"):
+            pytest.skip("OPENAI_API_KEY not available")
+
+        # Create DeepSeek model
+        model = create_model(
+            basemodel="deepseek/deepseek-chat",
+            api_key=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"),
+            base_url=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE"),
+            temperature=0,
+            timeout=30
+        )
+
+        # Bind a simple math tool
+        from langchain_core.tools import tool
+
+        @tool
+        def add(a: float, b: float) -> float:
+            """Add two numbers"""
+            return a + b
+
+        model_with_tools = model.bind_tools([add])
+
+        # Invoke with a query that should trigger tool call
+        result = await model_with_tools.ainvoke(
+            "What is 5 plus 3?"
+        )
+
+        # Verify response is AIMessage
+        assert isinstance(result, AIMessage)
+
+        # Verify tool_calls exist
+        assert len(result.tool_calls) > 0, "Expected at least one tool call"
+
+        # Verify args are dicts, not strings
+        for tool_call in result.tool_calls:
+            assert isinstance(tool_call['args'], dict), \
+                f"tool_calls.args should be dict, got {type(tool_call['args'])}"
+            assert 'a' in tool_call['args'], "Missing expected arg 'a'"
+            assert 'b' in tool_call['args'], "Missing expected arg 'b'"
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_deepseek_no_pydantic_validation_errors(self):
+        """Test that DeepSeek doesn't produce Pydantic validation errors"""
+        # Skip if no API key
+        if not os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"):
+            pytest.skip("OPENAI_API_KEY not available")
+
+        model = create_model(
+            basemodel="deepseek/deepseek-chat",
+            api_key=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"),
+            base_url=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_BASE"),
+            temperature=0,
+            timeout=30
+        )
+
+        from langchain_core.tools import tool
+
+        @tool
+        def multiply(a: float, b: float) -> float:
+            """Multiply two numbers"""
+            return a * b
+
+        model_with_tools = model.bind_tools([multiply])
+
+        # This should NOT raise Pydantic validation errors
+        try:
+            result = await model_with_tools.ainvoke(
+                "Calculate 7 times 8"
+            )
+            assert isinstance(result, AIMessage)
+        except Exception as e:
+            # Check that it's not a Pydantic validation error
+            error_msg = str(e).lower()
+            assert "validation error" not in error_msg, \
+                f"Pydantic validation error occurred: {e}"
+            assert "input should be a valid dictionary" not in error_msg, \
+                f"tool_calls.args validation error occurred: {e}"
+            # Re-raise if it's a different error
+            raise