diff --git a/pentestagent/interface/tui.py b/pentestagent/interface/tui.py
index a7aefa4..1070c1c 100644
--- a/pentestagent/interface/tui.py
+++ b/pentestagent/interface/tui.py
@@ -1323,8 +1323,20 @@ class PentestAgentTUI(App):
                 from ..mcp import MCPManager
 
                 self.mcp_manager = MCPManager()
-                # connected servers are available synchronously
-                mcp_server_count = len(self.mcp_manager.get_all_servers())
+                # Start background connect without registering tools into the
+                # TUI process and suppress noisy prints. This keeps the MCP
+                # connection and control socket available while keeping the
+                # TUI's tool list unchanged for the operator.
+                try:
+                    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+                    loop.create_task(self.mcp_manager.connect_all(register=False, quiet=True))
+                except RuntimeError:
+                    # No running loop (unlikely in Textual worker), run in thread
+                    try:
+                        asyncio.run(self.mcp_manager.connect_all(register=False, quiet=True))
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
+                mcp_server_count = len(self.mcp_manager.list_configured_servers())
             except Exception:
                 self.mcp_manager = None
                 mcp_server_count = 0
diff --git a/pentestagent/mcp/manager.py b/pentestagent/mcp/manager.py
index c340a65..ac65ba6 100644
--- a/pentestagent/mcp/manager.py
+++ b/pentestagent/mcp/manager.py
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ class MCPManager:
             for n, s in servers.items()
         ]
 
-    async def connect_all(self) -> List[Any]:
+    async def connect_all(self, register: bool = True, quiet: bool = False) -> List[Any]:
         servers_config = self._load_config()
         all_tools = []
         # Connect to any configured servers but DO NOT auto-start vendored adapters.
@@ -314,16 +314,18 @@ class MCPManager:
                 self.servers[name] = server
                 for tool_def in server.tools:
                     tool = create_mcp_tool(tool_def, server, self)
-                    # Register tool into global registry so it appears in `tools list`
-                    try:
-                        register_tool_instance(tool)
-                    except Exception:
-                        pass
+                    if register:
+                        # Register tool into global registry so it appears in `tools list`
+                        try:
+                            register_tool_instance(tool)
+                        except Exception:
+                            pass
                     all_tools.append(tool)
-                print(f"[MCP] Connected to {name} with {len(server.tools)} tools")
+                if not quiet:
+                    print(f"[MCP] Connected to {name} with {len(server.tools)} tools")
         return all_tools
 
-    async def connect_server(self, name: str) -> Optional[MCPServer]:
+    async def connect_server(self, name: str, register: bool = True, quiet: bool = False) -> Optional[MCPServer]:
         servers_config = self._load_config()
         if name not in servers_config:
             return None
@@ -369,12 +371,18 @@ class MCPManager:
             try:
                 for tool_def in server.tools:
                     tool = create_mcp_tool(tool_def, server, self)
-                    try:
-                        register_tool_instance(tool)
-                    except Exception:
-                        pass
+                    if register:
+                        try:
+                            register_tool_instance(tool)
+                        except Exception:
+                            pass
             except Exception:
                 pass
+            if not quiet:
+                try:
+                    print(f"[MCP] Connected to {name} with {len(server.tools)} tools")
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
         return server
 
     async def _connect_server(self, config: MCPServerConfig) -> Optional[MCPServer]: