diff --git a/libs/core/langchain_core/messages/utils.py b/libs/core/langchain_core/messages/utils.py
index b60d57d844bd4..f97e53ba7af59 100644
--- a/libs/core/langchain_core/messages/utils.py
+++ b/libs/core/langchain_core/messages/utils.py
@@ -1076,6 +1076,35 @@ def merge_message_runs(
     return merged
 
 
+def _is_per_message_counter(fn: Callable) -> bool:
+    """Determine if a callable is a per-message token counter.
+
+    Returns True if the callable appears to accept a single BaseMessage
+    rather than a list of BaseMessages. Handles lambdas (no annotation),
+    postponed annotations (``from __future__ import annotations``),
+    and subclass annotations (e.g. ``HumanMessage``).
+    """
+    try:
+        sig = inspect.signature(fn)
+    except (ValueError, TypeError):
+        return False
+    params = list(sig.parameters.values())
+    if not params:
+        return False
+    ann = params[0].annotation
+    # No annotation (lambda, bare ``def``) — assume per-message counter
+    if ann is inspect.Parameter.empty:
+        return True
+    # Postponed / stringified annotation
+    if isinstance(ann, str):
+        return "message" in ann.lower()
+    # Direct type annotation — check if it's BaseMessage or a subclass
+    if isinstance(ann, type) and issubclass(ann, BaseMessage):
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
+
 # TODO: Update so validation errors (for token_counter, for example) are raised on
 # init not at runtime.
 @_runnable_support
@@ -1417,12 +1446,7 @@ def dummy_token_counter(messages: list[BaseMessage]) -> int:
     if hasattr(actual_token_counter, "get_num_tokens_from_messages"):
         list_token_counter = actual_token_counter.get_num_tokens_from_messages
     elif callable(actual_token_counter):
-        if (
-            next(
-                iter(inspect.signature(actual_token_counter).parameters.values())
-            ).annotation
-            is BaseMessage
-        ):
+        if _is_per_message_counter(actual_token_counter):
 
             def list_token_counter(messages: Sequence[BaseMessage]) -> int:
                 return sum(actual_token_counter(msg) for msg in messages)  # type: ignore[arg-type, misc]