diff --git a/__tests__/mcp-startup-modules.test.ts b/__tests__/mcp-startup-modules.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7c9a47a57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/mcp-startup-modules.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/**
+ * Startup module graph: loading the MCP server entry (what every `serve --mcp`
+ * process does before it knows its mode) must not load the file watcher,
+ * extraction or resolution. Only a session that opens a project needs them,
+ * and they cost every other session memory.
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { execFileSync } from 'child_process';
+import * as path from 'path';
+
+const DIST = path.resolve(__dirname, '../dist');
+
+function loadedAfterRequire(entry: string): string[] {
+  const script = `require(${JSON.stringify(path.join(DIST, entry))});` +
+    `process.stdout.write(JSON.stringify(Object.keys(require.cache)));`;
+  const out = execFileSync(process.execPath, ['-e', script], { encoding: 'utf8' });
+  return (JSON.parse(out) as string[]).map((f) => path.relative(DIST, f).split(path.sep).join('/'));
+}
+
+describe('MCP startup modules', () => {
+  it('loading the server entry leaves the watcher, extraction and the CodeGraph core unloaded', () => {
+    const loaded = loadedAfterRequire('mcp/index.js');
+    expect(loaded).toContain('mcp/proxy.js');
+    for (const heavy of ['sync/watcher.js', 'extraction/index.js', 'resolution/index.js', 'codegraph.js']) {
+      expect(loaded).not.toContain(heavy);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/__tests__/query-pool.test.ts b/__tests__/query-pool.test.ts
index 7c28f48f0..5cf2f582a 100644
--- a/__tests__/query-pool.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/query-pool.test.ts
@@ -256,6 +256,18 @@ describe('QueryPool', () => {
     expect(pool.ready).toBe(false); // destroyed pool must not be selected
   });
 
+  it('a pool with no default project starts its first worker on warm()', async () => {
+    let created = 0;
+    const pool = new QueryPool({ root: null, size: 2, createWorker: () => { created++; return new FakeWorker((m) => ({ result: ok(`r:${m.toolName}`) })); } });
+    expect(created).toBe(0);
+    pool.warm();
+    pool.warm(); // one worker, however many calls ask
+    expect(created).toBe(1);
+    await sleep(5);
+    expect(pool.ready).toBe(true);
+    await pool.destroy();
+  });
+
   it('retires a failed cold start and serves queued work on its replacement', async () => {
     const workers: FakeWorker[] = [];
     const pool = new QueryPool({
@@ -395,10 +407,14 @@ describe('MCP query pool with real projects (#1465)', () => {
     fs.mkdirSync(workspace);
     const activeEngine = await start(hasDefault ? alpha : workspace);
     expect(pool).not.toBeNull();
-    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(pool!.ready).toBe(true), { timeout: 15000 });
+    // A rootless pool starts no worker until its first call.
+    expect(pool!.liveWorkers).toBe(hasDefault ? 1 : 0);
     const handler = activeEngine.getToolHandler();
     // Drain catch-up before comparing the worker and in-process paths.
     await handler.execute('codegraph_status', { projectPath: alpha });
+    // The first read call starts the worker and runs in-process meanwhile.
+    await handler.execute('codegraph_explore', { projectPath: alpha, query: 'alphaSymbol' });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(pool!.ready).toBe(true), { timeout: 15000 });
     const session = new ExploreSessionState();
     const calls = Array.from({ length: 6 }, (_, i) => {
       const projectPath = i % 2 ? beta : alpha;
diff --git a/src/mcp/project-lifecycle.ts b/src/mcp/project-lifecycle.ts
index 453ef26fc..cc151ba13 100644
--- a/src/mcp/project-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/src/mcp/project-lifecycle.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import { realpathSync } from 'fs';
 import type { Socket } from 'net';
 import type CodeGraph from '../index';
 import { canonicalProjectRoot, isInitialized } from '../directory';
-import { LockUnavailableError, watchDisabledReason } from '../sync';
+import { LockUnavailableError } from '../sync/lock-unavailable';
+import { watchDisabledReason } from '../sync/watch-policy';
 import { getDaemonSocketCandidates } from './daemon-paths';
 import { connectWithHello } from './proxy';
 import { markWriterReady, readWriterLock, releaseWriterLock, tryAcquireWriterLock } from './writer-lock';
diff --git a/src/mcp/query-pool.ts b/src/mcp/query-pool.ts
index 630191ab4..09ac847ed 100644
--- a/src/mcp/query-pool.ts
+++ b/src/mcp/query-pool.ts
@@ -210,7 +210,17 @@ export class QueryPool {
       this.retireTimer.unref?.();
     }
     this.startSettleMs = opts.startSettleMs ?? WORKER_START_SETTLE_MS;
-    this.spawnOne(); // one eager warm worker, ready for the first call
+    // One eager warm worker, ready for the first call. A pool with no default
+    // project waits for its first call instead: most such sessions never query.
+    if (this.root !== null) this.spawnOne();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Start a worker if none is running. Calls are served in-process until one is
+   * ready, so the call that triggers this does not wait for it.
+   */
+  warm(): void {
+    if (this.workers.size === 0 && this.healthy) this.spawnOne();
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/mcp/tools.ts b/src/mcp/tools.ts
index ad55bd827..31766409f 100644
--- a/src/mcp/tools.ts
+++ b/src/mcp/tools.ts
@@ -3175,6 +3175,7 @@ export class ToolHandler {
       // The default may have appeared after the workers started. Pass the
       // main thread's current root explicitly; with no root or projectPath,
       // keep the main handler's workspace-specific not-indexed guidance.
+      if (args.projectPath ?? this.cg) this.queryPool?.warm();
       const pooled = !!(this.queryPool && this.queryPool.healthy && this.queryPool.ready);
       const projectPath = pooled ? args.projectPath ?? this.cg?.getProjectRoot() : undefined;
       const wasDegraded = project.isWatcherDegraded?.();
diff --git a/src/sync/lock-unavailable.ts b/src/sync/lock-unavailable.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9639fad24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sync/lock-unavailable.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/**
+ * Thrown by a `syncFn` to signal that the underlying sync couldn't acquire
+ * the cross-process write lock (#449). The watcher treats this as "no
+ * progress" — preserves `pendingFiles`, skips `onSyncComplete`, and the
+ * `finally` block reschedules. Quiet (debug-only) because a long-running
+ * external indexer can hit this every debounce cycle.
+ */
+export class LockUnavailableError extends Error {
+  constructor(message = 'CodeGraph file lock unavailable; another process is writing') {
+    super(message);
+    this.name = 'LockUnavailableError';
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/sync/watcher.ts b/src/sync/watcher.ts
index 350524cd5..08a44444c 100644
--- a/src/sync/watcher.ts
+++ b/src/sync/watcher.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import { logDebug, logWarn } from '../errors';
 import { normalizePath } from '../utils';
 import { isCodeGraphDataDir } from '../directory';
 import { watchDisabledReason } from './watch-policy';
+import { LockUnavailableError } from './lock-unavailable';
 
 /**
  * Number of consecutive lock-contention retries the watcher tolerates before
@@ -217,19 +218,7 @@ export interface WatchOptions {
   inertForTests?: boolean;
 }
 
-/**
- * Thrown by a `syncFn` to signal that the underlying sync couldn't acquire
- * the cross-process write lock (#449). The watcher treats this as "no
- * progress" — preserves `pendingFiles`, skips `onSyncComplete`, and the
- * `finally` block reschedules. Quiet (debug-only) because a long-running
- * external indexer can hit this every debounce cycle.
- */
-export class LockUnavailableError extends Error {
-  constructor(message = 'CodeGraph file lock unavailable; another process is writing') {
-    super(message);
-    this.name = 'LockUnavailableError';
-  }
-}
+export { LockUnavailableError };
 
 /**
  * Per-file pending entry — tracks a source file the watcher saw an event for