diff --git a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/runtime.rs b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/runtime.rs
index f824f3b7664d..1bc9bb8b0c7c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/runtime.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/runtime.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::AtomicBool;
+use std::sync::atomic::Ordering;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use arc_swap::ArcSwap;
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ pub struct McpRuntimeInput {
 /// their exact connections and configuration for as long as they are needed.
 pub struct McpRuntime {
     current: ArcSwap<PublishedMcpRuntime>,
+    reconnect_pending: AtomicBool,
     elicitation_router: ElicitationRequestRouter,
 }
 
@@ -82,6 +85,19 @@ struct PublishedMcpRuntime {
     ready_selected_capability_roots: Vec<SelectedCapabilityRoot>,
 }
 
+struct McpReconnectGuard<'a> {
+    pending: &'a AtomicBool,
+    claimed: bool,
+}
+
+impl Drop for McpReconnectGuard<'_> {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        if self.claimed {
+            self.pending.store(true, Ordering::Release);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub(crate) struct McpPublicationGate {
     published: Option<watch::Receiver<bool>>,
@@ -132,6 +148,7 @@ impl McpRuntime {
                 plugins_available: false,
                 ready_selected_capability_roots: Vec::new(),
             }),
+            reconnect_pending: AtomicBool::new(false),
             elicitation_router: ElicitationRequestRouter::default(),
         }
     }
@@ -145,8 +162,16 @@ impl McpRuntime {
     /// Reconciles configured servers and publishes their immutable runtime snapshot.
     pub async fn replace(&self, input: McpRuntimeInput) {
         let current = self.current.load_full();
-        self.publish(input, Some(current.connections.as_ref()))
-            .await;
+        let mut reconnect = McpReconnectGuard {
+            pending: &self.reconnect_pending,
+            claimed: self.reconnect_pending.swap(false, Ordering::AcqRel),
+        };
+        self.publish(
+            input,
+            (!reconnect.claimed).then_some(current.connections.as_ref()),
+        )
+        .await;
+        reconnect.claimed = false;
     }
 
     /// Starts fresh connections and returns their complete, refreshed Apps catalog.
@@ -182,6 +207,11 @@ impl McpRuntime {
         let _ = publish.send(true);
     }
 
+    /// Ensures the next refresh creates fresh connections for every configured server.
+    pub fn reconnect_on_next_refresh(&self) {
+        self.reconnect_pending.store(true, Ordering::Release);
+    }
+
     /// Captures the latest published configuration and live client handles.
     pub async fn current_binding(&self) -> Option<Arc<McpBinding>> {
         let current = self.current.load_full();
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/session/handlers.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/session/handlers.rs
index 485769eba893..33f2acc6734c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/session/handlers.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/session/handlers.rs
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ pub async fn dynamic_tool_response(sess: &Arc<Session>, id: String, response: Dy
 }
 
 pub fn refresh_mcp_servers(sess: &Session) {
+    sess.services.mcp_runtime.reconnect_on_next_refresh();
     sess.request_mcp_runtime_refresh();
 }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/mcp_tool_exposure.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/mcp_tool_exposure.rs
index 92bc90577905..8a3c687ab43c 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/mcp_tool_exposure.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/mcp_tool_exposure.rs
@@ -833,15 +833,41 @@ async fn later_follow_up_uses_background_recovered_apps_after_mid_thread_startup
 
     tokio::fs::remove_dir_all(test.codex_home_path().join("cache/codex_apps_tools")).await?;
     startup_control.fail_next_initialize_attempts(/*attempts*/ 1);
-    test.codex
-        .set_openai_form_elicitation_support(/*supported*/ true)
-        .await?;
     test.codex.submit(Op::RefreshMcpServers).await?;
-    test.submit_turn("use Calendar after transient Apps startup failures")
+    test.codex
+        .submit(Op::UserInput {
+            items: vec![UserInput::Text {
+                text: "use Calendar after transient Apps startup failures".into(),
+                text_elements: Vec::new(),
+            }],
+            final_output_json_schema: None,
+            responsesapi_client_metadata: None,
+            additional_context: Default::default(),
+            thread_settings: Default::default(),
+        })
         .await?;
     tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), async {
-        while startup_control.initialize_attempts() < 3 {
-            tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(1)).await;
+        let mut turn_complete = false;
+        let mut apps_ready = false;
+        while !turn_complete || !apps_ready {
+            let event = test
+                .codex
+                .next_event()
+                .await
+                .expect("event stream should stay open");
+            match event.msg {
+                EventMsg::TurnComplete(_) => turn_complete = true,
+                EventMsg::McpStartupUpdate(update)
+                    if update.server == CODEX_APPS_MCP_SERVER_NAME
+                        && matches!(
+                            update.status,
+                            codex_protocol::protocol::McpStartupStatus::Ready
+                        ) =>
+                {
+                    apps_ready = true;
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
         }
     })
     .await