diff --git a/docs/configs/mcp.md b/docs/configs/mcp.md
index 20182efbb..6a86469dc 100644
--- a/docs/configs/mcp.md
+++ b/docs/configs/mcp.md
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ http://your-homepage-instance/api/mcp
 
 ## Authentication
 
-If Homepage auth is enabled with `HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED`, requests from an authenticated Homepage session are allowed.
+The MCP endpoint requires authentication. Requests from an authenticated Homepage session are allowed when Homepage auth is enabled with `HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED`.
 
-For MCP clients that cannot use the browser session, set `HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN`. Requests can then include either of the following headers:
+For MCP clients that cannot use the browser session, set `HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN`. An MCP token is required when Homepage auth is not enabled. Requests can include either of the following headers:
 
 ```txt
 Authorization: Bearer your-token
diff --git a/src/pages/api/mcp/index.js b/src/pages/api/mcp/index.js
index b7971a432..b76a6b7a3 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/mcp/index.js
+++ b/src/pages/api/mcp/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { getServerSession } from "next-auth/next";
 
 import { authOptions } from "pages/api/auth/[...nextauth]";
-import { handleMcpRequest, mcpAuthorized, mcpEnabled } from "utils/mcp/homepage-mcp";
+import { handleMcpRequest, mcpEnabled, mcpTokenAuthorized } from "utils/mcp/homepage-mcp";
 
 async function hasHomepageSession(req, res) {
   if (!process.env.HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED) return false;
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default async function handler(req, res) {
     return res.status(404).end("Not Found");
   }
 
-  if (!mcpAuthorized(req) && !(await hasHomepageSession(req, res))) {
+  if (!mcpTokenAuthorized(req) && !(await hasHomepageSession(req, res))) {
     return res.status(401).json({ error: "Unauthorized" });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/pages/api/mcp/index.test.js b/src/pages/api/mcp/index.test.js
index f41757903..266ea7fe3 100644
--- a/src/pages/api/mcp/index.test.js
+++ b/src/pages/api/mcp/index.test.js
@@ -69,6 +69,19 @@ describe("pages/api/mcp", () => {
     expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
   });
 
+  it("rejects requests when neither Homepage auth nor an MCP token is configured", async () => {
+    process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_ENABLED = "true";
+    delete process.env.HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED;
+    delete process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN;
+    const handler = await loadHandler();
+    const res = mockResponse();
+
+    await handler({ method: "POST", headers: {}, body: { jsonrpc: "2.0", id: 1, method: "tools/list" } }, res);
+
+    expect(getServerSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(401);
+  });
+
   it("handles JSON-RPC requests when enabled and authorized", async () => {
     process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_ENABLED = "true";
     process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN = "secret";
@@ -143,10 +156,18 @@ describe("pages/api/mcp", () => {
 
   it("returns 202 for JSON-RPC notifications", async () => {
     process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_ENABLED = "true";
+    process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN = "secret";
     const handler = await loadHandler();
     const res = mockResponse();
 
-    await handler({ method: "POST", headers: {}, body: { jsonrpc: "2.0", method: "notifications/initialized" } }, res);
+    await handler(
+      {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { authorization: "Bearer secret" },
+        body: { jsonrpc: "2.0", method: "notifications/initialized" },
+      },
+      res,
+    );
 
     expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(202);
     expect(res.end).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
@@ -154,10 +175,11 @@ describe("pages/api/mcp", () => {
 
   it("rejects non-POST requests", async () => {
     process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_ENABLED = "true";
+    process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN = "secret";
     const handler = await loadHandler();
     const res = mockResponse();
 
-    await handler({ method: "GET", headers: {}, body: {} }, res);
+    await handler({ method: "GET", headers: { authorization: "Bearer secret" }, body: {} }, res);
 
     expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(405);
     expect(res.setHeader).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Allow", "POST");
diff --git a/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.js b/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.js
index aa8eba466..0eea0a57b 100644
--- a/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.js
+++ b/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.js
@@ -61,10 +61,6 @@ function requiredToken() {
   return process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN;
 }
 
-function authEnabled() {
-  return Boolean(process.env.HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED);
-}
-
 function jsonRpcResult(id, result) {
   return { jsonrpc: "2.0", id, result };
 }
@@ -447,10 +443,6 @@ export function mcpTokenAuthorized(req) {
   return authHeader === `Bearer ${token}` || req.headers["x-homepage-mcp-token"] === token;
 }
 
-export function mcpAuthorized(req) {
-  return mcpTokenAuthorized(req) || (!requiredToken() && !authEnabled());
-}
-
 export function handleMcpRequest(message) {
   if (!message || message.jsonrpc !== "2.0" || typeof message.method !== "string") {
     return jsonRpcError(message?.id, -32600, "Invalid JSON-RPC request");
diff --git a/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.test.js b/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.test.js
index b0f87a610..7eb5b111c 100644
--- a/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.test.js
+++ b/src/utils/mcp/homepage-mcp.test.js
@@ -617,19 +617,14 @@ describe("utils/mcp/homepage-mcp", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("checks MCP token and auth mode authorization", async () => {
+  it("requires a matching MCP token for token authorization", async () => {
     const mod = await loadMcpWithConfigDir(mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), "homepage-mcp-test-")));
 
     expect(mod.mcpTokenAuthorized({ headers: {} })).toBe(false);
-    expect(mod.mcpAuthorized({ headers: {} })).toBe(true);
-
-    process.env.HOMEPAGE_AUTH_ENABLED = "true";
-    expect(mod.mcpAuthorized({ headers: {} })).toBe(false);
 
     process.env.HOMEPAGE_MCP_TOKEN = "secret";
     expect(mod.mcpTokenAuthorized({ headers: { authorization: "Bearer secret" } })).toBe(true);
     expect(mod.mcpTokenAuthorized({ headers: { "x-homepage-mcp-token": "secret" } })).toBe(true);
     expect(mod.mcpTokenAuthorized({ headers: { authorization: "Bearer wrong" } })).toBe(false);
-    expect(mod.mcpAuthorized({ headers: { authorization: "Bearer secret" } })).toBe(true);
   });
 });