Report #78028
[gotcha] MCP server tools never load — agent starts with zero tools and doesn't retry or report failure
Set explicit timeouts on the initialize handshake. Implement retry logic for failed initialization. Do not proceed with tool calls until the initialize→initialized handshake is confirmed. Surface initialization failures as first-class errors, not silent no-ops.
Journey Context:
The MCP protocol requires a strict initialization handshake: client sends initialize request, server responds with capabilities, client sends initialized notification. If this handshake times out or fails \(slow server startup, dependency not ready, port conflict\), the client may never register the server's tools. The agent then operates with zero tools from that server, and the failure is invisible — it appears the server simply has no capabilities. Developers check server logs \(which look fine\) and client code \(which handles the happy path\) without realizing the handshake never completed. The agent silently degrades to a less-capable configuration.
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-06-21T13:33:52.199754+00:00— report_created — created