From 8b2c84ddccafe40dc0dc09f9f52bcbdc9dc45d66 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: jif <jif@openai.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:56:04 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Apply MCP startup timeouts during client creation (#32781)

## What changed

- Apply each server's `startup_timeout_sec` (or the default) while creating the
  MCP client, so the deadline also covers transport setup.
- Launch local stdio servers on a blocking task so synchronous command
  resolution and process creation do not prevent the deadline from firing.
- Recognize the new client-startup timeout error and show the existing
  `startup_timeout_sec` configuration hint.

## Testing

- Extend the timeout error display test to cover the client-startup timeout.

GitOrigin-RevId: 1967c62f943d55f6aa18792d4488e52c22f1e717
---
 codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager.rs  |  1 +
 .../codex-mcp/src/connection_manager_tests.rs | 17 +++++++-----
 codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/rmcp_client.rs         | 26 +++++++++++++------
 .../rmcp-client/src/stdio_server_launcher.rs  |  9 ++++++-
 4 files changed, 38 insertions(+), 15 deletions(-)

diff --git a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager.rs b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager.rs
index ef5cb45599..b8e58e7ae9 100644
--- a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager.rs
@@ -1043,6 +1043,7 @@ fn is_mcp_client_startup_timeout_error(error: &StartupOutcomeError) -> bool {
         StartupOutcomeError::Failed { error, .. } => {
             error.contains("request timed out")
                 || error.contains("timed out handshaking with MCP server")
+                || error.contains("MCP client startup timed out")
         }
         _ => false,
     }
diff --git a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager_tests.rs b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager_tests.rs
index ff11ef596f..1d330a29b1 100644
--- a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/connection_manager_tests.rs
@@ -1706,12 +1706,17 @@ fn mcp_init_error_display_reports_generic_errors() {
 #[test]
 fn mcp_init_error_display_includes_startup_timeout_hint() {
     let server_name = "slow";
-    let err: StartupOutcomeError = anyhow::anyhow!("request timed out").into();
+    for error in [
+        "request timed out",
+        "MCP client startup timed out after 30s",
+    ] {
+        let err: StartupOutcomeError = anyhow::anyhow!(error).into();
 
-    let display = mcp_init_error_display(server_name, /*entry*/ None, &err);
+        let display = mcp_init_error_display(server_name, /*entry*/ None, &err);
 
-    assert_eq!(
-        "MCP client for `slow` timed out after 30 seconds. Add or adjust `startup_timeout_sec` in your config.toml:\n[mcp_servers.slow]\nstartup_timeout_sec = XX",
-        display
-    );
+        assert_eq!(
+            "MCP client for `slow` timed out after 30 seconds. Add or adjust `startup_timeout_sec` in your config.toml:\n[mcp_servers.slow]\nstartup_timeout_sec = XX",
+            display
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/rmcp_client.rs b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/rmcp_client.rs
index 52c4a5d462..aefcac67ea 100644
--- a/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/rmcp_client.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/codex-mcp/src/rmcp_client.rs
@@ -302,6 +302,10 @@ impl ManagedClientStartup {
             .configured_config()
             .map(ToolFilter::from_config)
             .unwrap_or_default();
+        let startup_timeout = server
+            .configured_config()
+            .and_then(|config| config.startup_timeout_sec)
+            .unwrap_or(DEFAULT_STARTUP_TIMEOUT);
         let cancel_token_for_fut = cancel_token;
         async move {
             let refresh_start = is_codex_apps_mcp_server.then(Instant::now);
@@ -310,7 +314,8 @@ impl ManagedClientStartup {
                     return Err(error.into());
                 }
 
-                let client = Arc::new(
+                let client = match tokio::time::timeout(
+                    startup_timeout,
                     make_rmcp_client(
                         &server_name,
                         server.clone(),
@@ -318,18 +323,23 @@ impl ManagedClientStartup {
                         keyring_backend_kind,
                         runtime_context,
                         runtime_auth_provider,
-                    )
-                    .await?,
-                );
+                    ),
+                )
+                .await
+                {
+                    Ok(result) => Arc::new(result?),
+                    Err(_) => {
+                        return Err(StartupOutcomeError::from(anyhow!(
+                            "MCP client startup timed out after {startup_timeout:?}"
+                        )));
+                    }
+                };
                 start_server_task(
                     server_name,
                     client,
                     StartServerTaskParams {
                         is_codex_apps_mcp_server,
-                        startup_timeout: server
-                            .configured_config()
-                            .and_then(|config| config.startup_timeout_sec)
-                            .or(Some(DEFAULT_STARTUP_TIMEOUT)),
+                        startup_timeout: Some(startup_timeout),
                         tool_timeout: server
                             .configured_config()
                             .and_then(|config| config.tool_timeout_sec)
diff --git a/codex-rs/rmcp-client/src/stdio_server_launcher.rs b/codex-rs/rmcp-client/src/stdio_server_launcher.rs
index 7d03e1437e..a863754862 100644
--- a/codex-rs/rmcp-client/src/stdio_server_launcher.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/rmcp-client/src/stdio_server_launcher.rs
@@ -191,7 +191,14 @@ impl StdioServerLauncher for LocalStdioServerLauncher {
         command: StdioServerCommand,
     ) -> BoxFuture<'static, io::Result<StdioServerTransport>> {
         let fallback_cwd = self.fallback_cwd.clone();
-        async move { Self::launch_server(command, fallback_cwd) }.boxed()
+        async move {
+            // Keep synchronous program resolution and process creation from blocking the
+            // caller's startup deadline.
+            tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || Self::launch_server(command, fallback_cwd))
+                .await
+                .map_err(io::Error::other)?
+        }
+        .boxed()
     }
 }