modelcontextprotocol / modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk
tools/call with null arguments returns -32603 (InternalError) instead of being accepted
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Description
When a client sends a tools/call request where arguments is null (rather than omitted or {}), the SDK returns -32603 InternalError with a raw Zod validation message instead of accepting the request.
This affects every server built on the TypeScript SDK. Clients that serialize missing/empty fields as null (common in Go, Java, and C# JSON libraries) cannot call tools without arguments.
Reproduce
Send this over stdio to any server built with @modelcontextprotocol/sdk:
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"initialize","id":1,"params":{"clientInfo":{"name":"test","version":"1.0"},"protocolVersion":"2025-11-25","capabilities":{}}}
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"tools/call","id":2,"params":{"name":"echo","arguments":null}}
Expected
Request accepted (arguments treated as empty/undefined).
Actual
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 2,
"error": {
"code": -32603,
"message": "[\n {\n \"expected\": \"record\",\n \"code\": \"invalid_type\",\n \"path\": [\"params\", \"arguments\"],\n \"message\": \"Invalid input: expected record, received null\"\n }\n]"
}
}
Two problems:
-
nullrejected for an optional field.CallToolRequestParamsSchemauses.optional()which acceptsundefinedbut notnull. The MCP spec says arguments is optional;nullshould be treated as absent. -
Wrong error code. The error is
-32603(InternalError) instead of-32602(InvalidParams). The protocol handler usesschema.parse()which throws a ZodError on failure. ZodError has no numericcodeproperty, so the error handler atprotocol.ts:672falls back toProtocolErrorCode.InternalError.
Impact
Tested against @modelcontextprotocol/server-everything: all 13 tools fail with this error when called with null arguments. Any Go, Java, or C# client that serializes missing fields as null will hit this on every server built with the TypeScript SDK.
Versions
@modelcontextprotocol/sdkmain branch (also confirmed on published npm package)- Node.js v25.8.2
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with CallToolRequestParamsSchema and the protocol handler around protocol.ts:672, then reproduce the request over stdio using the JSON shown. Done means tools/call accepts null arguments as absent and invalid request data produces the protocol's InvalidParams error rather than InternalError.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- typescript
- Domain
- api, backend
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 66/100