diff --git a/.changeset/smooth-coins-teach.md b/.changeset/smooth-coins-teach.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ca0f919f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smooth-coins-teach.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@nanocollective/nanocoder": patch
+---
+
+update test - mcp-client-spec.ts 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ea021d391..8a0d8dfdc 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -200,6 +200,12 @@ All new features and bug fixes should include appropriate tests:
 
    This command runs: Biome formatting checks, type checks, lint checks, AVA tests, Knip, security scans.
 
+   MCP live HTTP integration tests are skipped by default. Run them explicitly with:
+
+   ```bash
+   RUN_LIVE_MCP_TESTS=true pnpm test:ava source/mcp/mcp-client.spec.ts
+   ```
+
 4. **Test Requirements for PRs**:
    - New features **must** include passing tests in `.spec.ts/tsx` files
    - Bug fixes should include regression tests when possible
diff --git a/source/mcp/mcp-client.spec.ts b/source/mcp/mcp-client.spec.ts
index ac8f5e1d2..6c9820cea 100644
--- a/source/mcp/mcp-client.spec.ts
+++ b/source/mcp/mcp-client.spec.ts
@@ -65,36 +65,38 @@ const mockTransportFactory = {
 
 console.log(`\nmcp-client.spec.ts`);
 
-// Skip integration tests in CI. These tests hit real third-party MCP servers
-// (mcp.deepwiki.com, remote.mcpservers.org, mcp.context7.com) — running them in
-// CI would couple our pipeline to those services' uptime. Run them locally to
-// verify HTTP transport against live servers.
-const isCI = process.env.CI === 'true' || process.env.CI === '1';
-const testOrSkip = (title: string, impl: (t: any) => Promise<void> | void) => {
-	if (isCI) {
+// Live integration tests are opt-in because they depend on third-party MCP
+// servers and network availability. Run them with RUN_LIVE_MCP_TESTS=true.
+const runLiveMcpTests =
+	process.env.RUN_LIVE_MCP_TESTS === 'true' ||
+	process.env.RUN_LIVE_MCP_TESTS === '1';
+const liveTest = (
+	title: string,
+	impl: (t: any) => Promise<void> | void,
+) => {
+	if (!runLiveMcpTests) {
 		test.skip(title, impl as any);
-	} else {
-		test.serial(title, async t => {
-			let lastErr: any;
-			for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
-				const result = await (t as any).try(impl);
-				if (result.passed) {
-					result.commit();
-					return;
-				}
-				
-				result.discard();
-				lastErr = result.errors[0] || new Error('Unknown test failure');
-				// These are remote integration tests, so we retry any failure 
-				// (usually fetch failures or socket hang ups wrapped in AssertionErrors)
-				if (i < 2) {
-					await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2000 * (i + 1)));
-					continue;
-				}
-			}
-			throw lastErr;
-		});
+		return;
 	}
+
+	test.serial(title, async t => {
+		let lastErr: any;
+		for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+			const result = await (t as any).try(impl);
+			if (result.passed) {
+				result.commit();
+				return;
+			}
+
+			result.discard();
+			lastErr = result.errors[0] || new Error('Unknown test failure');
+			// These are remote integration tests, so retry transient failures.
+			if (i < 2) {
+				await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000 * (i + 1)));
+			}
+		}
+		throw lastErr;
+	});
 };
 
 // ============================================================================
@@ -734,7 +736,7 @@ test('MCPClient.getServerInfo: returns undefined when only tools exist', t => {
 // These tests use real remote MCP servers via HTTP transport
 // They test the actual connection, tool listing, and tool execution flow
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to remote HTTP MCP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to remote HTTP MCP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	// Use DeepWiki public MCP server (no auth required)
@@ -769,7 +771,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to remote HTTP MCP server', asyn
 	t.is(client.getServerTools('test-deepwiki').length, 0);
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to context7 HTTP server and executes a tool', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to context7 HTTP server and executes a tool', async t => {
 	// Pair with the DeepWiki test above so a single host going dark doesn't
 	// nuke all HTTP-transport integration coverage. context7 was picked after
 	// remote.mcpservers.org disappeared at DNS level around mid-May 2026.
@@ -805,7 +807,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: connects to context7 HTTP server and exec
 	t.false(client.isServerConnected('test-context7'));
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServers: connects to multiple HTTP servers', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.connectToServers: connects to multiple HTTP servers', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const servers = [
@@ -841,7 +843,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServers: connects to multiple HTTP servers', asyn
 	await client.disconnect();
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.getAllTools: builds tools registry from connected HTTP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.getAllTools: builds tools registry from connected HTTP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -872,7 +874,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.getAllTools: builds tools registry from connected HTTP ser
 	await client.disconnect();
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.getNativeToolsRegistry: creates registry from connected HTTP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.getNativeToolsRegistry: creates registry from connected HTTP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -903,7 +905,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.getNativeToolsRegistry: creates registry from connected HT
 	await client.disconnect();
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.callTool: executes tool on connected HTTP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.callTool: executes tool on connected HTTP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -934,7 +936,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.callTool: executes tool on connected HTTP server', async t
 	await client.disconnect();
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.getToolMapping: returns mapping from connected HTTP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.getToolMapping: returns mapping from connected HTTP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -966,7 +968,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.getToolMapping: returns mapping from connected HTTP server
 	await client.disconnect();
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.getToolEntries: returns entries from connected HTTP server', async t => {
+liveTest('MCPClient.getToolEntries: returns entries from connected HTTP server', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -996,7 +998,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.getToolEntries: returns entries from connected HTTP server
 // Error Handling Tests with Real Servers
 // ============================================================================
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: handles invalid URL gracefully', async t => {
+test('MCPClient.connectToServer: handles invalid URL gracefully', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {
@@ -1009,7 +1011,7 @@ testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: handles invalid URL gracefully', async t
 	await t.throwsAsync(async () => await client.connectToServer(server));
 });
 
-testOrSkip('MCPClient.connectToServer: validates websocket URL protocol', async t => {
+test('MCPClient.connectToServer: validates websocket URL protocol', async t => {
 	const client = new MCPClient();
 
 	const server = {