diff --git a/src/beaver_gateway/agents/claude.py b/src/beaver_gateway/agents/claude.py
index b7c6c48..0853297 100644
--- a/src/beaver_gateway/agents/claude.py
+++ b/src/beaver_gateway/agents/claude.py
@@ -111,6 +111,25 @@ class ClaudeCodeOptions(BaseModel):
     would take claude out of print mode. Everything else — model,
     prompts, tools, MCPs, history seeding — behaves identically."""
 
+    warmup_turn: bool | None = None
+    """Spend a throwaway turn when a session spawns, so MCP tools are
+    live on the agent's first reply.
+
+    ``None`` (the default) decides per agent: on when it exposes any
+    MCP, off when it doesn't. Set it explicitly to override.
+
+    It exists because the CLI begins connecting MCP servers when a turn
+    starts and doesn't wait for them — measured on the pi, turn one saw
+    29 tools with both servers ``pending``, turn two saw 90 with both
+    ``connected``. For an agent whose whole job is those tools, a first
+    reply without them is worse than a couple of extra seconds. Nothing
+    cheaper works: sleeping longer changes nothing, and neither a
+    ``/status`` command nor the SDK's ``initialize`` handshake touches
+    the MCP client.
+
+    ``stream_json`` only — the PTY transport's readiness wait covers
+    this incidentally."""
+
     include_partial_messages: bool = False
     """Stream token-level deltas to the client instead of one delta per
     finished block. Requires ``transport="stream_json"``; inert on the
diff --git a/src/beaver_gateway/backends/claude_code.py b/src/beaver_gateway/backends/claude_code.py
index 54b9494..25d2921 100644
--- a/src/beaver_gateway/backends/claude_code.py
+++ b/src/beaver_gateway/backends/claude_code.py
@@ -197,6 +197,12 @@ def _build_backend_options(
         mcp_servers=_build_mcp_servers(agent, mcp_internal_urls),
         transport=opt.transport,
         include_partial_messages=opt.include_partial_messages,
+        # ``None`` means "decide from the agent": an agent that exposes
+        # MCPs needs them on its first reply, one that doesn't shouldn't
+        # pay for a warm-up it gains nothing from.
+        warmup_turn=(
+            bool(agent.expose_mcps) if opt.warmup_turn is None else opt.warmup_turn
+        ),
         disallowed_tools=opt.disallowed_tools,
         permission_mode=opt.permission_mode,
         dangerously_skip_permissions=opt.dangerously_skip_permissions,
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index fdf8d02..abc1ca4 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ local = [
     { name = "raycast-api", version = "0.1.0", source = { editable = "../raycast-api" } },
 ]
 prod = [
-    { name = "claude-code-api", version = "0.1.0", source = { git = "https://git.kotikot.com/beaver/claude-code-api.git#b50911c3edb62e30597b6b96739b888c8be853fe" } },
+    { name = "claude-code-api", version = "0.1.0", source = { git = "https://git.kotikot.com/beaver/claude-code-api.git#621da90623279949fbe47b80bfa57a7c8c6bf74b" } },
     { name = "raycast-api", version = "0.1.0", source = { git = "https://git.kotikot.com/beaver/raycast-api.git#e73894c8e435da5c0709f92f69f11bcd0dab9afe" } },
 ]
 
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ wheels = [
 [[package]]
 name = "claude-code-api"
 version = "0.1.0"
-source = { git = "https://git.kotikot.com/beaver/claude-code-api.git#b50911c3edb62e30597b6b96739b888c8be853fe" }
+source = { git = "https://git.kotikot.com/beaver/claude-code-api.git#621da90623279949fbe47b80bfa57a7c8c6bf74b" }
 resolution-markers = [
     "python_full_version >= '3.14'",
     "python_full_version < '3.14'",