notifications/tools/list_changed doesnt reload codex? codex bug?

docs/f/mre.py

@@ -36,7 +36,9 @@ async def downstream_message_handler(message: object) -> None:
         downstream_seen.append(message.root.method)
 
 
-upstream_transport = FastMCPTransport(server) # any transport will do, tried python stdio, and fastmcp, both reproduce.
+upstream_transport = FastMCPTransport(
+    server
+)  # any transport will do, tried python stdio, and fastmcp, both reproduce.
 
 
 async def prog() -> None:
@@ -60,7 +62,9 @@ async def prog() -> None:
         "notifications/message",
     ]
     assert upstream_seen == seen
-    assert downstream_seen == seen, "bug here: notifications should be forwarded by the proxy"
+    assert downstream_seen == seen, (
+        "bug here: notifications should be forwarded by the proxy"
+    )
 
 
 asyncio.run(prog())

docs/mcp_protocol_proxy_inventory.md

@@ -93,6 +93,14 @@ Tool simulate-research-query requires task augmentation (taskSupport: 'required'
 - Sampling was not visible as a direct listed tool in the current Everything
   server inventory.
 
+- Dynamic tool-list adoption is harness-dependent. On 2026-05-17, after
+  enabling `playwright.default` and reloading `wf-mcp`, the server-side admin
+  inventory showed the new proxy tools immediately. After restarting Codex, the
+  UI could show `playwright.default.browser_navigate`, but the current model turn
+  still did not receive a callable tool binding for it. That means a host can
+  observe an updated `tools/list` without rebuilding the tool schema supplied to
+  an already-running model interaction.
+
 ### Current Classification
 
 - Proxy tool projection: healthy for ordinary tools.
@@ -109,6 +117,9 @@ Tool simulate-research-query requires task augmentation (taskSupport: 'required'
   MCP task support is implemented.
 - Notifications/logging/subscriptions: unverified; current client did not show
   forwarded notifications.
+- Dynamic tool-list adoption: server-side updates work, but LLM harnesses may
+  keep a stale or separately-materialized callable tool schema even after a UI
+  refresh or reconnect.
 
 ## Next Test Targets
 

docs/wf_mcp_proxy_reality_and_roadmap.md

@@ -99,6 +99,36 @@ classified as a proxy bug.
 Task-required tools are discoverable but not usable through our current surface.
 This is a real protocol-support gap, not an ordinary tool-call issue.
 
+### 5. LLM harnesses may not adopt dynamic tool changes reliably
+
+`wf-mcp` can expose new tools after reload, but that does not guarantee an agent
+harness rebuilds the callable tool schema for the model turn that is already in
+flight.
+
+Observed on 2026-05-17 with Codex:
+
+- `playwright.default` was enabled
+- `wf.admin.reload_config` remounted it successfully
+- `wf.admin.list_proxy_tools` showed the new tools
+- after reconnect, the Codex UI showed `playwright.default.browser_navigate`
+- the model turn still did not receive a callable binding for that new tool
+
+This is a common Codex / Claude Code / general LLM harness class of problem, not
+just a proxy-server problem. The host may refresh `tools/list` for display or
+inspection while model invocation still uses a previously materialized tool
+schema.
+
+Design consequence: do not make core workflows depend on newly registered MCP
+tools becoming callable immediately. Prefer stable control tools plus explicit
+inspection/call paths when the client must work reliably across harnesses.
+
+When the exposed tool catalog grows large or changes often, FastMCP's search
+transform is a good mitigation: keep a stable pinned control/workflow spine
+visible, and use `search_tools` plus its synthetic `call_tool` for the changing
+rest of the catalog. Do not confuse that synthetic raw-tool caller with a
+future workflow-capability test tool; testing a normalized `NodeSpec` contract
+is a separate operation and should also remain pinned once it exists.
+
 ## What Is Probably Not Worth Owning Yet
 
 Do **not** rush to implement a custom full protocol relay for:

docs/workflow_artifacts.md

@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@ wf.workflow.run_deployment
 ```
 
 This is important because MCP clients may not reliably refresh `tools/list` when
-new workflow artifacts are saved. A stable `run_deployment` tool lets an LLM
-test saved workflows immediately without requiring dynamic tool registration or
-tool-list notifications to work perfectly.
+new workflow artifacts are saved. More specifically, LLM harnesses may refresh
+or display a changed tool list without rebuilding the callable tool schema used
+for the current model turn. A stable `run_deployment` tool lets an LLM test saved
+workflows immediately without requiring dynamic tool registration or tool-list
+notifications to work perfectly.
 
 This control surface should not fork between backend service layers. The public
 server now has one exposure style, but internally it still combines:

src/wf_mcp/admin_surface/tools.py

@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ def register_service_admin_tools(
     }
 
     def name(local_name: str) -> str:
-        visible_name = legacy_name_map.get(local_name, local_name) if legacy_names else local_name
+        visible_name = (
+            legacy_name_map.get(local_name, local_name) if legacy_names else local_name
+        )
         return visible_name if namespace is None else f"{namespace}.{visible_name}"
 
     if include_connection_tools:

src/wf_mcp/broker/server.py

@@ -24,4 +24,3 @@ def create_broker_server(service: WfMcpService) -> FastMCP:
     register_broker_resources(server, service)
     register_broker_prompts(server, service)
     return server
-

src/wf_mcp/transparent_proxy/runtime.py

@@ -24,18 +24,21 @@ from .tools import (
 )
 from .reload_events import ProxyReloadResult, reload_change_events
 
-_ADMIN_TOOL_NAMES = [
+_SEARCH_ALWAYS_VISIBLE_TOOL_NAMES = [
+    # Stable discovery/control spine.
+    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.list_sources",
     f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.list_connections",
     f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.get_connection_statuses",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.get_config",
     f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.reload_config",
     f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.list_proxy_tools",
     f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.get_proxy_tool",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.add_connection",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.update_connection",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.enable_connection",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.disable_connection",
-    f"{ADMIN_NAMESPACE}.remove_connection",
+    # Stable workflow control surface. Keep future workflow-capability test
+    # tools pinned here too; they are distinct from raw MCP tool execution.
+    "wf.workflow.list_artifacts",
+    "wf.workflow.inspect_artifact",
+    "wf.workflow.list_deployments",
+    "wf.workflow.validate_deployment",
+    "wf.workflow.run_deployment",
 ]
 
 
@@ -81,7 +84,7 @@ class ProxyRuntime:
             self.server.add_transform(PromptsAsTools(self.server))
         if search_tools:
             self.server.add_transform(
-                BM25SearchTransform(always_visible=_ADMIN_TOOL_NAMES)
+                BM25SearchTransform(always_visible=_SEARCH_ALWAYS_VISIBLE_TOOL_NAMES)
             )
 
     def current_config(self) -> BrokerConfig:

tests/wf_mcp/test_server.py

@@ -101,6 +101,49 @@ def test_server_can_hide_admin_tools() -> None:
     asyncio.run(run_proxy())
 
 
+def test_server_search_mode_pins_stable_control_and_workflow_tools() -> None:
+    config = BrokerConfig(
+        store_root=local_temp_root() / "server_search_mode_store",
+        connections=[
+            ConnectionConfig(
+                id="fixture.personal",
+                server="fixture",
+                account="personal",
+                metadata={
+                    "transport": "stdio",
+                    "command": sys.executable,
+                    "args": [fixture_server_path()],
+                },
+            )
+        ],
+    )
+
+    async def run_proxy() -> None:
+        client = create_server_client(config, search_tools=True)
+        async with client:
+            tools = await client.list_tools()
+            names = [tool.name for tool in tools]
+
+            assert "search_tools" in names
+            assert "call_tool" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.list_sources" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.list_connections" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.get_connection_statuses" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.reload_config" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.list_proxy_tools" in names
+            assert "wf.admin.get_proxy_tool" in names
+            assert "wf.workflow.list_artifacts" in names
+            assert "wf.workflow.inspect_artifact" in names
+            assert "wf.workflow.list_deployments" in names
+            assert "wf.workflow.validate_deployment" in names
+            assert "wf.workflow.run_deployment" in names
+
+            assert "wf.admin.call_tool" not in names
+            assert "fixture.personal.echo_tool" not in names
+
+    asyncio.run(run_proxy())
+
+
 def test_workflow_tools_have_human_metadata() -> None:
     config = BrokerConfig(
         store_root=local_temp_root() / "unified_metadata_store",

tests/wf_mcp/test_service.py

@@ -88,12 +88,14 @@ def test_service_rejects_reserved_connection_ids() -> None:
 def test_service_installs_builtin_stdlib_specs_by_default() -> None:
     service = WfMcpService(store=FileStore(local_temp_root() / "builtin_store"))
 
-    assert "wf.std.runtime_error" in service.capability_sources[
-        "wf.std"
-    ].capabilities.node_specs
-    assert "wf.mcp.call_tool" in service.capability_sources[
-        "wf.mcp"
-    ].capabilities.node_specs
+    assert (
+        "wf.std.runtime_error"
+        in service.capability_sources["wf.std"].capabilities.node_specs
+    )
+    assert (
+        "wf.mcp.call_tool"
+        in service.capability_sources["wf.mcp"].capabilities.node_specs
+    )
 
 
 def test_service_lists_all_capability_sources_with_owned_capability_names() -> None:

wf_mcp.config.json

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
       "id": "playwright.default",
       "server": "playwright",
       "account": "default",
-      "enabled": false,
+      "enabled": true,
       "metadata": {
         "transport": "stdio",
         "command": "pnpx",