diff --git a/lib/mcp/stdio_client.rb b/lib/mcp/stdio_client.rb
index 586dcac..be36dd5 100644
--- a/lib/mcp/stdio_client.rb
+++ b/lib/mcp/stdio_client.rb
@@ -2,15 +2,22 @@
 require "json"
 require "securerandom"
 require "digest"
+require "raix/version"
 
 module Raix
   module MCP
     # Client for communicating with MCP servers via stdio using JSON-RPC.
     class StdioClient
+      PROTOCOL_VERSION = "2024-11-05".freeze
+      JSONRPC_VERSION = "2.0".freeze
+
       # Creates a new client with a bidirectional pipe to the MCP server.
       def initialize(*args, env)
         @args = args
         @io = IO.popen(env, args, "w+")
+
+        # Initialize the MCP session
+        initialize_mcp_session
       end
 
       # Returns available tools from the server.
@@ -64,6 +71,33 @@ def unique_key
 
       private
 
+      # Initialize the MCP session according to the MCP lifecycle
+      def initialize_mcp_session
+        result = call(
+          "initialize",
+          protocolVersion: PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+          capabilities: {
+            roots: {},
+            sampling: {}
+          },
+          clientInfo: {
+            name: "Raix",
+            version: Raix::VERSION
+          }
+        )
+
+        # Send initialized notification if the server supports tool list changes
+        return unless result.dig("capabilities", "tools", "listChanged")
+
+        send_notification("notifications/initialized", {})
+      end
+
+      # Sends a notification (no response expected)
+      def send_notification(method, params = {})
+        @io.puts({ method:, params:, jsonrpc: JSONRPC_VERSION }.to_json)
+        @io.flush
+      end
+
       # Sends JSON-RPC request and returns the result.
       def call(method, **params)
         @io.puts({ id: SecureRandom.uuid, method:, params:, jsonrpc: JSONRPC_VERSION }.to_json)
diff --git a/spec/raix/mcp/stdio_client_spec.rb b/spec/raix/mcp/stdio_client_spec.rb
index 0be5f48..4f25c91 100644
--- a/spec/raix/mcp/stdio_client_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/raix/mcp/stdio_client_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 RSpec.describe Raix::MCP::StdioClient do
   let(:test_server_path) { File.join(__dir__, "../../support/mcp_server.rb") }
-  let(:client) { described_class.new("ruby", test_server_path, {}) }
 
   before do
     # Ensure the test server exists
@@ -12,7 +11,15 @@
   end
 
   after do
-    client&.close
+    # Only close if client was created and we're not in a mocked test
+    if instance_variable_defined?(:@client)
+      @client&.close
+    end
+  end
+
+  # Helper method to create and track the client
+  def client
+    @client ||= described_class.new("ruby", test_server_path, {})
   end
 
   describe "#initialize" do
@@ -147,7 +154,13 @@
       allow(IO).to receive(:popen).and_return(io_mock)
       allow(io_mock).to receive(:puts)
       allow(io_mock).to receive(:flush)
-      allow(io_mock).to receive(:gets).and_return('{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":"test","error":{"code":-32601,"message":"Method not found"}}')
+
+      # First return success for initialization, then error for tools/list
+      allow(io_mock).to receive(:gets).and_return(
+        '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":"test","result":{"capabilities":{}}}',
+        '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":"test","error":{"code":-32601,"message":"Method not found"}}'
+      )
+
       allow(io_mock).to receive(:close)
 
       test_client = described_class.new("ruby", test_server_path, {})
diff --git a/spec/support/mcp_server.rb b/spec/support/mcp_server.rb
index e4967d5..fafd3c6 100644
--- a/spec/support/mcp_server.rb
+++ b/spec/support/mcp_server.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class TestMCPServer
   def initialize
     $stdout.sync = true # Enable auto-flushing for immediate output
     @tools = build_tools
+    @initialized = false
   end
 
   def run
@@ -49,7 +50,17 @@ def handle_request(request)
     params = request["params"] || {}
     id = request["id"]
 
+    # Check if server is initialized for non-initialization methods
+    if !@initialized && method != "initialize" && method != "notifications/initialized"
+      return create_error_response(id, -32_002, "Server not initialized. Please call 'initialize' first.")
+    end
+
     case method
+    when "initialize"
+      handle_initialize(id, params)
+    when "notifications/initialized"
+      # Notifications don't require a response
+      nil
     when "tools/list"
       handle_tools_list(id)
     when "tools/call"
@@ -59,6 +70,32 @@ def handle_request(request)
     end
   end
 
+  def handle_initialize(id, params)
+    # Validate protocol version
+    protocol_version = params["protocolVersion"]
+    unless protocol_version == "2024-11-05"
+      return create_error_response(id, -32_602, "Unsupported protocol version: #{protocol_version}")
+    end
+
+    # Mark server as initialized
+    @initialized = true
+
+    create_response(id:, result: {
+                      protocolVersion: "2024-11-05",
+                      capabilities: {
+                        tools: {
+                          listChanged: true
+                        },
+                        prompts: {},
+                        resources: {}
+                      },
+                      serverInfo: {
+                        name: "Test MCP Server",
+                        version: "1.0.0"
+                      }
+                    })
+  end
+
   def handle_tools_list(id)
     tools_without_handlers = @tools.values.map do |tool|
       tool.except("handler")