diff --git a/langchain/agents/agent.py b/langchain/agents/agent.py
index b98b48da..da27db35 100644
--- a/langchain/agents/agent.py
+++ b/langchain/agents/agent.py
@@ -375,6 +375,59 @@ class AgentExecutor(Chain, BaseModel):
             final_output["intermediate_steps"] = intermediate_steps
         return final_output
 
+    def _take_next_step(
+        self,
+        name_to_tool_map: Dict[str, Tool],
+        color_mapping: Dict[str, str],
+        inputs: Dict[str, str],
+        intermediate_steps: List[Tuple[AgentAction, str]],
+    ) -> Union[AgentFinish, Tuple[AgentAction, str]]:
+        """Take a single step in the thought-action-observation loop.
+
+        Override this to take control of how the agent makes and acts on choices.
+        """
+        # Call the LLM to see what to do.
+        output = self.agent.plan(intermediate_steps, **inputs)
+        # If the tool chosen is the finishing tool, then we end and return.
+        if isinstance(output, AgentFinish):
+            return output
+        # Otherwise we lookup the tool
+        if output.tool in name_to_tool_map:
+            tool = name_to_tool_map[output.tool]
+            self.callback_manager.on_tool_start(
+                {"name": str(tool.func)[:60] + "..."},
+                output,
+                color="green",
+                verbose=self.verbose,
+            )
+            try:
+                # We then call the tool on the tool input to get an observation
+                observation = tool.func(output.tool_input)
+                color = color_mapping[output.tool]
+                return_direct = tool.return_direct
+            except (KeyboardInterrupt, Exception) as e:
+                self.callback_manager.on_tool_error(e, verbose=self.verbose)
+                raise e
+        else:
+            self.callback_manager.on_tool_start(
+                {"name": "N/A"}, output, color="green", verbose=self.verbose
+            )
+            observation = f"{output.tool} is not a valid tool, try another one."
+            color = None
+            return_direct = False
+        llm_prefix = "" if return_direct else self.agent.llm_prefix
+        self.callback_manager.on_tool_end(
+            observation,
+            color=color,
+            observation_prefix=self.agent.observation_prefix,
+            llm_prefix=llm_prefix,
+            verbose=self.verbose,
+        )
+        if return_direct:
+            # Set the log to "" because we do not want to log it.
+            return AgentFinish({self.agent.return_values[0]: observation}, "")
+        return output, observation
+
     def _call(self, inputs: Dict[str, str]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Run text through and get agent response."""
         # Make sure that every tool is synchronous (not a coroutine)
@@ -398,49 +451,13 @@ class AgentExecutor(Chain, BaseModel):
         iterations = 0
         # We now enter the agent loop (until it returns something).
         while self._should_continue(iterations):
-            # Call the LLM to see what to do.
-            output = self.agent.plan(intermediate_steps, **inputs)
-            # If the tool chosen is the finishing tool, then we end and return.
-            if isinstance(output, AgentFinish):
-                return self._return(output, intermediate_steps)
-
-            # Otherwise we lookup the tool
-            if output.tool in name_to_tool_map:
-                tool = name_to_tool_map[output.tool]
-                self.callback_manager.on_tool_start(
-                    {"name": str(tool.func)[:60] + "..."},
-                    output,
-                    color="green",
-                    verbose=self.verbose,
-                )
-                try:
-                    # We then call the tool on the tool input to get an observation
-                    observation = tool.func(output.tool_input)
-                    color = color_mapping[output.tool]
-                    return_direct = tool.return_direct
-                except (KeyboardInterrupt, Exception) as e:
-                    self.callback_manager.on_tool_error(e, verbose=self.verbose)
-                    raise e
-            else:
-                self.callback_manager.on_tool_start(
-                    {"name": "N/A"}, output, color="green", verbose=self.verbose
-                )
-                observation = f"{output.tool} is not a valid tool, try another one."
-                color = None
-                return_direct = False
-            llm_prefix = "" if return_direct else self.agent.llm_prefix
-            self.callback_manager.on_tool_end(
-                observation,
-                color=color,
-                observation_prefix=self.agent.observation_prefix,
-                llm_prefix=llm_prefix,
-                verbose=self.verbose,
+            next_step_output = self._take_next_step(
+                name_to_tool_map, color_mapping, inputs, intermediate_steps
             )
-            intermediate_steps.append((output, observation))
-            if return_direct:
-                # Set the log to "" because we do not want to log it.
-                output = AgentFinish({self.agent.return_values[0]: observation}, "")
-                return self._return(output, intermediate_steps)
+            if isinstance(next_step_output, AgentFinish):
+                return self._return(next_step_output, intermediate_steps)
+
+            intermediate_steps.append(next_step_output)
             iterations += 1
         output = self.agent.return_stopped_response(
             self.early_stopping_method, intermediate_steps, **inputs