diff --git a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
index 7bbf8186d5..617fa019b5 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -2812,8 +2812,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             let Some(expected_servers) = &self.mcp_startup_expected_servers else {
                 return;
             };
-            let saw_full_round = !expected_servers.is_empty()
-                && expected_servers
+            let saw_full_round = expected_servers.is_empty()
+                || expected_servers
                     .iter()
                     .all(|name| self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round.contains_key(name));
             let saw_starting = self
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
index 05be68493b..255c389160 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
@@ -11950,6 +11950,42 @@ async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_keeps_terminal_statuses_after_startin
     assert!(!chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_with_empty_expected_servers_reactivates() {
+    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
+    chat.show_welcome_banner = false;
+    chat.set_mcp_startup_expected_servers(std::iter::empty::<String>());
+    chat.finish_mcp_startup(Vec::new(), Vec::new());
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "runtime".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Starting,
+            error: None,
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+    assert!(drain_insert_history(&mut rx).is_empty());
+    assert!(chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "runtime".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Failed,
+            error: Some("MCP client for `runtime` failed to start: handshake failed".to_string()),
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+
+    let summary_text = drain_insert_history(&mut rx)
+        .iter()
+        .map(|lines| lines_to_single_string(lines))
+        .collect::<String>();
+    assert!(summary_text.contains("MCP client for `runtime` failed to start: handshake failed"));
+    assert!(summary_text.contains("MCP startup incomplete (failed: runtime)"));
+    assert!(!chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_after_lag_can_settle_without_starting_updates() {
     let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;