diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/agentic/index.svelte.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/agentic/index.svelte.ts
index bf39b5e34f..50db1be0cc 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/agentic/index.svelte.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/agentic/index.svelte.ts
@@ -329,20 +329,12 @@ class AgenticStore {
 		const disabledToolCategories = new Set(
 			toolPolicy?.disabledToolCategories ?? toolsStore.disabledToolCategories
 		);
-		// servers usable under this flow's policy: globally enabled, category on,
-		// and their server-scoped group key not disabled
-		const policyEnabledServerIds = new Set(
-			disabledToolCategories.has(ToolSource.MCP)
-				? []
-				: mcpStore
-						.getServers()
-						.filter((s) => s.enabled && !disabledTools.has(toolsStore.getMcpServerToolsKey(s.id)))
-						.map((s) => s.id)
-		);
-		const hasMcpServers = policyEnabledServerIds.size > 0;
+		// initialize every settings-enabled server; tool collection filters by this
+		// flow's policy, so switching policies never re-initializes connections
+		const hasMcpServers = conversationsStore.preferences.policyEnabledServerIds().length > 0;
 
 		if (hasMcpServers) {
-			const initialized = await mcpStore.ensureInitialized(policyEnabledServerIds);
+			const initialized = await mcpStore.ensureInitialized();
 
 			if (!initialized) {
 				console.log('[AgenticStore] MCP not initialized');
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/conversations/preferences.svelte.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/conversations/preferences.svelte.ts
index fdbf5da99f..916911a145 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/conversations/preferences.svelte.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/conversations/preferences.svelte.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { REASONING_EFFORT_DEFAULT_LOCALSTORAGE_KEY } from '$lib/constants';
 import { ReasoningEffort, ToolSource } from '$lib/enums';
 import { DatabaseService } from '$lib/services/database.service';
 // direct imports between stores, not via the barrel, to avoid circular deps
+import { mcpStore } from '$lib/stores/mcp/index.svelte';
 import { toolsStore } from '$lib/stores/tools.svelte';
 import type { DatabaseConversation, ToolEntry, ToolGroup } from '$lib/types';
 
@@ -180,6 +181,21 @@ export class ConversationPreferences {
 		);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * MCP servers usable under the effective policy: globally enabled, url set,
+	 * MCP category on and the server-scoped key not disabled.
+	 */
+	policyEnabledServerIds(): string[] {
+		if (!this.isCategoryEnabled(ToolSource.MCP)) return [];
+
+		return mcpStore
+			.getServers()
+			.filter(
+				(server) => server.enabled && server.url.trim() && this.isServerToolsEnabled(server.id)
+			)
+			.map((server) => server.id);
+	}
+
 	/** Reload persisted defaults, e.g. when the active conversation is cleared. */
 	resetPending(): void {
 		this.pendingReasoningEffort = loadReasoningEffortDefault();
diff --git a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/mcp/index.svelte.ts b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/mcp/index.svelte.ts
index 6a952294a3..0da5e871fe 100644
--- a/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/mcp/index.svelte.ts
+++ b/tools/ui/src/lib/stores/mcp/index.svelte.ts
@@ -307,17 +307,15 @@ class MCPStore implements McpHealthHost {
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Initialize connections. Callers can restrict which servers connect by
-	 * passing their ids (e.g. a conversation's tool policy); a different set
-	 * changes the config signature and re-initializes, same as a settings
-	 * change.
+	 * Initialize every settings-enabled server. Policy filtering happens at tool
+	 * collection time, so switching conversation policies never re-initializes.
 	 */
-	async ensureInitialized(serverIds?: ReadonlySet<string>): Promise<boolean> {
+	async ensureInitialized(): Promise<boolean> {
 		if (!browser) {
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		const mcpConfig = this.buildMcpClientConfig(settingsStore.config, serverIds);
+		const mcpConfig = this.buildMcpClientConfig(settingsStore.config);
 		const signature = mcpConfig ? JSON.stringify(mcpConfig) : null;
 
 		if (!signature) {
@@ -1119,10 +1117,7 @@ class MCPStore implements McpHealthHost {
 	/**
 	 * Builds MCP client configuration from settings.
 	 */
-	private buildMcpClientConfig(
-		cfg: SettingsConfigType,
-		serverIds?: ReadonlySet<string>
-	): MCPClientConfig | undefined {
+	private buildMcpClientConfig(cfg: SettingsConfigType): MCPClientConfig | undefined {
 		const rawServers = parseMcpServerSettings(cfg.mcpServers);
 
 		if (!rawServers.length) {
@@ -1134,8 +1129,6 @@ class MCPStore implements McpHealthHost {
 		for (const [index, entry] of rawServers.entries()) {
 			if (!entry.enabled) continue;
 
-			if (serverIds && !serverIds.has(entry.id)) continue;
-
 			const normalized = this.buildServerConfig(entry);
 
 			if (normalized) servers[this.generateServerId(entry.id, index)] = normalized;