chore: enhance MCP error message for use outside context manager (strands-agents#175)

dbschmigelski · web-flow · commit 900610589d88 · 2025-06-09T17:51:12.000+03:00
diff --git a/src/strands/tools/mcp/mcp_client.py b/src/strands/tools/mcp/mcp_client.py
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@
     "image/webp": "webp",
 }
 
+CLIENT_SESSION_NOT_RUNNING_ERROR_MESSAGE = (
+    "the client session is not running. Ensure the agent is used within "
+    "the MCP client context manager. For more information see: "
+    "https://strandsagents.com/latest/user-guide/concepts/tools/mcp-tools/#mcpclientinitializationerror"
+)
+
 
 class MCPClient:
     """Represents a connection to a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server.
@@ -145,7 +151,7 @@ def list_tools_sync(self) -> List[MCPAgentTool]:
         """
         self._log_debug_with_thread("listing MCP tools synchronously")
         if not self._is_session_active():
-            raise MCPClientInitializationError("the client session is not running")
+            raise MCPClientInitializationError(CLIENT_SESSION_NOT_RUNNING_ERROR_MESSAGE)
 
         async def _list_tools_async() -> ListToolsResult:
             return await self._background_thread_session.list_tools()
@@ -180,7 +186,7 @@ def call_tool_sync(
         """
         self._log_debug_with_thread("calling MCP tool '%s' synchronously with tool_use_id=%s", name, tool_use_id)
         if not self._is_session_active():
-            raise MCPClientInitializationError("the client session is not running")
+            raise MCPClientInitializationError(CLIENT_SESSION_NOT_RUNNING_ERROR_MESSAGE)
 
         async def _call_tool_async() -> MCPCallToolResult:
             return await self._background_thread_session.call_tool(name, arguments, read_timeout_seconds)
