diff --git a/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent.go b/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent.go
index ef5464d45..e25251d3c 100644
--- a/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent.go
+++ b/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent.go
@@ -216,12 +216,18 @@ func (a *MCPAgent) callMCPTool(ctx context.Context, toolName string, args any) (
 
 	// Process the response
 	if response == nil || len(response.Content) == 0 || response.Content[0].TextContent == nil || response.Content[0].TextContent.Text == "" {
-		log.Warn(ctx, "MCP tool returned empty or invalid response", "tool", toolName)
+		log.Warn(ctx, "MCP tool returned empty or invalid response structure", "tool", toolName)
 		return "", agents.ErrNotFound
 	}
 
-	// Return the text content
+	// Check if the returned text content itself indicates an error from the MCP tool
 	resultText := response.Content[0].TextContent.Text
+	if strings.HasPrefix(resultText, "handler returned an error:") {
+		log.Warn(ctx, "MCP tool returned an error message in its response", "tool", toolName, "mcpError", resultText)
+		return "", agents.ErrNotFound // Treat MCP tool errors as "not found"
+	}
+
+	// Return the successful text content
 	log.Debug(ctx, "Received response from MCP agent", "tool", toolName, "length", len(resultText))
 	return resultText, nil
 }
diff --git a/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent_test.go b/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent_test.go
index b23104ea9..c1f3d0e09 100644
--- a/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent_test.go
+++ b/core/agents/mcp/mcp_agent_test.go
@@ -130,6 +130,17 @@ var _ = Describe("MCPAgent", func() {
 			Expect(errors.Is(err, io.ErrClosedPipe)).To(BeTrue())
 			Expect(bio).To(BeEmpty())
 		})
+
+		It("should return ErrNotFound if MCP tool returns an error string", func() {
+			mcpErrorString := "handler returned an error: something went wrong on the server"
+			mockClient.CallToolFunc = func(ctx context.Context, toolName string, args any) (*mcp_client.ToolResponse, error) {
+				return mcp_client.NewToolResponse(mcp_client.NewTextContent(mcpErrorString)), nil
+			}
+
+			bio, err := agent.GetArtistBiography(ctx, "id1", "Artist Name", "mbid1")
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError(agents.ErrNotFound))
+			Expect(bio).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("GetArtistURL", func() {
@@ -185,5 +196,16 @@ var _ = Describe("MCPAgent", func() {
 			Expect(errors.Is(err, io.ErrClosedPipe)).To(BeTrue())
 			Expect(url).To(BeEmpty())
 		})
+
+		It("should return ErrNotFound if MCP tool returns an error string", func() {
+			mcpErrorString := "handler returned an error: could not find url"
+			mockClient.CallToolFunc = func(ctx context.Context, toolName string, args any) (*mcp_client.ToolResponse, error) {
+				return mcp_client.NewToolResponse(mcp_client.NewTextContent(mcpErrorString)), nil
+			}
+
+			url, err := agent.GetArtistURL(ctx, "id2", "Another Artist", "mbid2")
+			Expect(err).To(MatchError(agents.ErrNotFound))
+			Expect(url).To(BeEmpty())
+		})
 	})
 })