diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b9f0792..59917fe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,11 +24,16 @@ pip install brainctl
 
 Requires Python 3.11+. SQLite is built-in. No other mandatory dependencies.
 
+Optional features are pulled in via [extras](https://peps.python.org/pep-0508/#extras). Put them in the **same** install command (they are part of the `brainctl` package, not a separate step) — e.g. `pip install 'brainctl[mcp]'`. **To run the `brainctl-mcp` server you must install the `[mcp]` extra**; a plain `pip install brainctl` does not include it.
+
 ```bash
-pip install brainctl[mcp]     # MCP server — 100 visible tools for Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code
-pip install brainctl[vec]     # vector similarity search (sqlite-vec + Ollama)
-pip install brainctl[signing] # Ed25519-signed memory exports + optional Solana on-chain pinning
-pip install brainctl[all]     # everything
+pip install 'brainctl[mcp]'     # MCP server — 100 visible tools for Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code
+pip install 'brainctl[vec]'     # vector similarity search (sqlite-vec + Ollama)
+pip install 'brainctl[signing]' # Ed25519-signed memory exports + optional Solana on-chain pinning
+pip install 'brainctl[all]'     # everything
+
+# combine extras in one install:
+pip install 'brainctl[mcp,vec]'
 ```
 
 ## 5-line example
diff --git a/src/agentmemory/mcp_server.py b/src/agentmemory/mcp_server.py
index e16cf13..de79dd9 100755
--- a/src/agentmemory/mcp_server.py
+++ b/src/agentmemory/mcp_server.py
@@ -33,7 +33,24 @@
 # below at the former _surprise_score_mcp callsite.
 from agentmemory._impl import _surprise_score
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-from mcp.server import Server
+try:
+    from mcp.server import Server
+except ModuleNotFoundError as _mcp_import_err:
+    # The MCP SDK ships via the optional `[mcp]` extra. A plain
+    # `pip install brainctl` (or `pipx install brainctl`) doesn't pull it,
+    # so without this guard `brainctl-mcp` dies with a bare traceback and
+    # the MCP client only sees "failed to connect". Surface the actual fix.
+    if (_mcp_import_err.name or "").split(".")[0] != "mcp":
+        raise
+    sys.stderr.write(
+        "brainctl-mcp requires the MCP server extra, which is not installed.\n"
+        "Install it with:\n\n"
+        "    pip install 'brainctl[mcp]'\n\n"
+        "Or, if you installed brainctl with pipx:\n\n"
+        "    pipx inject brainctl 'mcp>=1.27.0' starlette 'uvicorn[standard]' "
+        "python-json-logger\n"
+    )
+    raise SystemExit(1)
 
 # Extension tool modules — each exports TOOLS: list[Tool] and DISPATCH: dict
 try:
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp_missing_extra.py b/tests/test_mcp_missing_extra.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abeb71c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_mcp_missing_extra.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""Regression test for the `[mcp]` extra not being installed.
+
+`brainctl-mcp` (entry point `agentmemory.mcp_server:run`) used to die with a
+bare `ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'mcp'` traceback when the optional
+`[mcp]` extra was absent — the MCP client only saw "failed to connect". The
+import is now guarded to exit with an actionable install hint instead.
+
+See issue #159.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+SRC = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "src"
+
+# A subprocess that hides the `mcp` package (it IS installed in the test env,
+# so we block it at import time) and then imports the MCP server module.
+_HIDE_MCP_AND_IMPORT = """
+import sys
+
+class _BlockMcp:
+    def find_spec(self, name, path, target=None):
+        if name == "mcp" or name.startswith("mcp."):
+            raise ModuleNotFoundError("No module named 'mcp'", name="mcp")
+        return None
+
+# Drop anything already cached, then refuse future imports of `mcp`.
+for _m in [m for m in sys.modules if m == "mcp" or m.startswith("mcp.")]:
+    del sys.modules[_m]
+sys.meta_path.insert(0, _BlockMcp())
+
+import agentmemory.mcp_server  # noqa: F401  (import is the thing under test)
+"""
+
+
+def _run_with_mcp_hidden() -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    return subprocess.run(
+        [sys.executable, "-c", _HIDE_MCP_AND_IMPORT],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        timeout=60,
+        env={**os.environ, "PYTHONPATH": str(SRC)},
+    )
+
+
+def test_missing_mcp_extra_exits_with_actionable_message():
+    proc = _run_with_mcp_hidden()
+
+    # Clean exit code, not an unhandled traceback (which would be 1 *with* a
+    # Traceback dump on stderr).
+    assert proc.returncode == 1, proc.stderr
+    assert "Traceback (most recent call last)" not in proc.stderr, proc.stderr
+
+    # The message must tell the user exactly how to fix it.
+    assert "brainctl[mcp]" in proc.stderr
+    assert "pip install" in proc.stderr
+    assert "MCP server extra" in proc.stderr