diff --git a/helpers/AccessPolicy.php b/helpers/AccessPolicy.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..071000b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helpers/AccessPolicy.php
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Who may use Tinker Tickets at all. Shared by the web login
+ * (AuthMiddleware, from Authelia's Remote-Groups header) and the MCP endpoint
+ * (from the OAuth access token's groups claim), so both entry points enforce
+ * one rule instead of two copies that can drift apart.
+ */
+class AccessPolicy
+{
+    /** Membership in any of these grants access. */
+    private const REQUIRED_GROUPS = ['admin', 'employee'];
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $groups Comma-separated group names (Remote-Groups format)
+     */
+    public static function hasAppAccess(string $groups): bool
+    {
+        if ($groups === '') {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        // Filter to safe characters only to prevent header injection attacks
+        $userGroups = array_filter(
+            array_map('trim', explode(',', strtolower($groups))),
+            fn($g) => preg_match('/^[a-z0-9_\-]+$/', $g)
+        );
+
+        return !empty(array_intersect($userGroups, self::REQUIRED_GROUPS));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mcp/server.php b/mcp/server.php
index e9e2dca..1c65b5d 100644
--- a/mcp/server.php
+++ b/mcp/server.php
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ RateLimitMiddleware::apply('api', false);
 
 require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/config/config.php';
 require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/vendor/autoload.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/helpers/Database.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/helpers/AccessPolicy.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/helpers/UrlHelper.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/models/UserModel.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/models/TicketModel.php';
+require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/models/CommentModel.php';
 
 use Laminas\HttpHandlerRunner\Emitter\SapiEmitter;
 use Mcp\Server;
@@ -24,7 +30,6 @@ use Mcp\Server\Session\FileSessionStore;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\Middleware\AuthorizationMiddleware;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\Middleware\CorsMiddleware;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\Middleware\DnsRebindingProtectionMiddleware;
-use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\Middleware\OAuthRequestMetaMiddleware;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\Middleware\ProtectedResourceMetadataMiddleware;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\OAuth\JwksProvider;
 use Mcp\Server\Transport\Http\OAuth\JwtTokenValidator;
@@ -35,6 +40,9 @@ use Nyholm\Psr7\Factory\Psr17Factory;
 use Nyholm\Psr7Server\ServerRequestCreator;
 use Symfony\Component\Cache\Adapter\FilesystemAdapter;
 use Symfony\Component\Cache\Psr16Cache;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth\IdentityMiddleware;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth\ToolScopeMiddleware;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\ToolCatalog;
 
 $resourceUrl = $GLOBALS['config']['MCP_RESOURCE_URL'] ?? null;
 $issuer      = $GLOBALS['config']['MCP_OAUTH_ISSUER'] ?? null;
@@ -99,11 +107,15 @@ $metadata = new ProtectedResourceMetadata(
     ])),
 );
 
-$server = Server::builder()
-    ->setServerInfo('Tinker Tickets', '1.0.0')
-    // Handshake-era clients (pre-2026-07-28) still use protocol sessions.
-    ->setSession(new FileSessionStore(sys_get_temp_dir() . '/tinker_mcp_sessions'))
-    ->build();
+$conn = Database::getConnection();
+
+$server = ToolCatalog::register(
+    Server::builder()
+        ->setServerInfo('Tinker Tickets', '1.0.0')
+        // Handshake-era clients (pre-2026-07-28) still use protocol sessions.
+        ->setSession(new FileSessionStore(sys_get_temp_dir() . '/tinker_mcp_sessions')),
+    $conn
+)->build();
 
 $transport = new StreamableHttpTransport(
     $request,
@@ -115,7 +127,14 @@ $transport = new StreamableHttpTransport(
         new DnsRebindingProtectionMiddleware([$canonical['host']]),
         new ProtectedResourceMetadataMiddleware($metadata),
         new AuthorizationMiddleware($validator, $metadata),
-        new OAuthRequestMetaMiddleware(),
+        // Identity comes from the validated token's server-side request
+        // attributes, never from client-writable JSON-RPC `_meta` (so the
+        // SDK's OAuthRequestMetaMiddleware is intentionally not used).
+        new IdentityMiddleware($conn, $psr17, $psr17),
+        new ToolScopeMiddleware(
+            $psr17,
+            $canonical['scheme'] . '://' . $canonical['host'] . $metadata->getPrimaryMetadataPath()
+        ),
     ],
 );
 
diff --git a/mcp/src/Auth/IdentityMiddleware.php b/mcp/src/Auth/IdentityMiddleware.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c130cdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/Auth/IdentityMiddleware.php
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth;
+
+use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseFactoryInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\ServerRequestInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\StreamFactoryInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Server\MiddlewareInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Server\RequestHandlerInterface;
+
+/**
+ * Maps a validated access token to a Tinker Tickets user, applying exactly
+ * the same rules as the web login (AuthMiddleware): the shared
+ * AccessPolicy::hasAppAccess() group check, then
+ * UserModel::syncUserFromAuthelia() to create/update the user row and derive
+ * is_admin from groups.
+ *
+ * Must run after the SDK's AuthorizationMiddleware, which has already
+ * verified the token's signature, issuer, audience and expiry and attached
+ * its claims as `oauth.claims` / `oauth.scopes` request attributes.
+ */
+final class IdentityMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
+{
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly \mysqli $conn,
+        private readonly ResponseFactoryInterface $responseFactory,
+        private readonly StreamFactoryInterface $streamFactory,
+    ) {
+    }
+
+    public function process(ServerRequestInterface $request, RequestHandlerInterface $handler): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        $claims = $request->getAttribute('oauth.claims');
+        $scopes = $request->getAttribute('oauth.scopes') ?? [];
+        if (!is_array($claims)) {
+            // Only reachable if the stack is misordered; never serve anonymously.
+            return $this->deny(500, 'Identity unavailable');
+        }
+
+        $username = is_string($claims['preferred_username'] ?? null) ? trim($claims['preferred_username']) : '';
+        if ($username === '') {
+            return $this->deny(403, 'Access token has no preferred_username claim');
+        }
+
+        $groupsClaim = $claims['groups'] ?? [];
+        $groups = implode(',', array_filter(
+            is_array($groupsClaim) ? $groupsClaim : [$groupsClaim],
+            'is_string'
+        ));
+
+        if (!\AccessPolicy::hasAppAccess($groups)) {
+            return $this->deny(403, 'Your account is not permitted to use Tinker Tickets');
+        }
+
+        $user = (new \UserModel($this->conn))->syncUserFromAuthelia(
+            $username,
+            is_string($claims['name'] ?? null) ? $claims['name'] : '',
+            is_string($claims['email'] ?? null) ? $claims['email'] : '',
+            $groups
+        );
+
+        McpIdentity::set($user, array_values(array_filter($scopes, 'is_string')));
+
+        return $handler->handle($request);
+    }
+
+    private function deny(int $status, string $message): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        return $this->responseFactory->createResponse($status)
+            ->withHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json')
+            ->withBody($this->streamFactory->createStream(json_encode([
+                'jsonrpc' => '2.0',
+                'id' => null,
+                'error' => ['code' => -32001, 'message' => $message],
+            ])));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mcp/src/Auth/McpIdentity.php b/mcp/src/Auth/McpIdentity.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbc30ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/Auth/McpIdentity.php
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth;
+
+/**
+ * The Tinker Tickets user an MCP request runs as, plus the token's scopes.
+ *
+ * Set once per HTTP request by IdentityMiddleware from the *validated* access
+ * token, which is held as server-side PSR-7 request attributes. It is
+ * deliberately NOT read from the JSON-RPC `_meta` field: clients can write
+ * to `_meta`, and the SDK's OAuthRequestMetaMiddleware only overwrites the
+ * keys the validator happens to set.
+ *
+ * Static state is request-scoped here: PHP-FPM serves one HTTP request per
+ * process lifecycle, and the whole MCP call (including SDK fibers) runs
+ * inside it.
+ */
+final class McpIdentity
+{
+    public const SCOPE_READ = 'tickets:read';
+    public const SCOPE_WRITE = 'tickets:write';
+
+    private static ?array $user = null;
+    /** @var list<string> */
+    private static array $scopes = [];
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $user
+     * @param list<string>         $scopes
+     */
+    public static function set(array $user, array $scopes): void
+    {
+        self::$user = $user;
+        self::$scopes = $scopes;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    public static function user(): array
+    {
+        if (self::$user === null) {
+            // Unreachable if the middleware stack is intact; fail closed.
+            throw new \LogicException('MCP identity requested before IdentityMiddleware ran');
+        }
+        return self::$user;
+    }
+
+    /** tickets:write implies tickets:read (scope hierarchy, MCP spec §Scope Challenge Handling). */
+    public static function canRead(array $scopes): bool
+    {
+        return in_array(self::SCOPE_READ, $scopes, true) || in_array(self::SCOPE_WRITE, $scopes, true);
+    }
+
+    public static function canWrite(array $scopes): bool
+    {
+        return in_array(self::SCOPE_WRITE, $scopes, true);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mcp/src/Auth/ToolScopeMiddleware.php b/mcp/src/Auth/ToolScopeMiddleware.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..395a984
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/Auth/ToolScopeMiddleware.php
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth;
+
+use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseFactoryInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\ResponseInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Message\ServerRequestInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Server\MiddlewareInterface;
+use Psr\Http\Server\RequestHandlerInterface;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\ToolCatalog;
+
+/**
+ * Per-operation scope enforcement, before anything is dispatched.
+ *
+ * - Lifecycle messages (initialize, ping, notifications/*, server/discover)
+ *   need only a valid token.
+ * - tools/call on a write tool needs tickets:write.
+ * - Everything else (tools/list, read tools, ...) needs tickets:read, which
+ *   tickets:write implies.
+ *
+ * Denials use the MCP spec's step-up challenge: HTTP 403 +
+ * WWW-Authenticate: Bearer error="insufficient_scope", listing every scope
+ * the request needs in one go.
+ */
+final class ToolScopeMiddleware implements MiddlewareInterface
+{
+    private const LIFECYCLE_METHODS = ['initialize', 'ping', 'server/discover'];
+
+    public function __construct(
+        private readonly ResponseFactoryInterface $responseFactory,
+        private readonly string $resourceMetadataUrl,
+    ) {
+    }
+
+    public function process(ServerRequestInterface $request, RequestHandlerInterface $handler): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        if ($request->getMethod() !== 'POST') {
+            return $handler->handle($request);
+        }
+
+        $payload = json_decode((string)$request->getBody(), true);
+        $request->getBody()->rewind();
+        if (!is_array($payload)) {
+            return $handler->handle($request); // the SDK answers malformed JSON-RPC itself
+        }
+
+        $messages = array_is_list($payload) ? $payload : [$payload];
+        $needWrite = false;
+        $needRead = false;
+        foreach ($messages as $message) {
+            if (!is_array($message) || !is_string($message['method'] ?? null)) {
+                continue; // responses to server->client requests carry no method
+            }
+            $method = $message['method'];
+            if (in_array($method, self::LIFECYCLE_METHODS, true) || str_starts_with($method, 'notifications/')) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            if ($method === 'tools/call' && ToolCatalog::isWriteTool((string)($message['params']['name'] ?? ''))) {
+                $needWrite = true;
+            } else {
+                $needRead = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        $scopes = $request->getAttribute('oauth.scopes') ?? [];
+        if ($needWrite && !McpIdentity::canWrite($scopes)) {
+            return $this->insufficient(McpIdentity::SCOPE_WRITE, 'This operation requires the tickets:write scope.');
+        }
+        if ($needRead && !McpIdentity::canRead($scopes)) {
+            return $this->insufficient(
+                $needWrite ? McpIdentity::SCOPE_WRITE : McpIdentity::SCOPE_READ,
+                'This operation requires the tickets:read scope.'
+            );
+        }
+
+        return $handler->handle($request);
+    }
+
+    private function insufficient(string $scope, string $description): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        return $this->responseFactory->createResponse(403)->withHeader(
+            'WWW-Authenticate',
+            sprintf(
+                'Bearer error="insufficient_scope", scope="%s", resource_metadata="%s", error_description="%s"',
+                $scope,
+                $this->resourceMetadataUrl,
+                $description
+            )
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mcp/src/ToolCatalog.php b/mcp/src/ToolCatalog.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b09825d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/ToolCatalog.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace TinkerTickets\Mcp;
+
+use Mcp\Schema\ToolAnnotations;
+use Mcp\Server\Builder;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\Tools\TicketReadTools;
+
+/**
+ * The single list of MCP tools: registration, plus which ones need the
+ * tickets:write scope (read by ToolScopeMiddleware). Keeping both here means
+ * a new write tool can't be registered without also being scope-gated.
+ */
+final class ToolCatalog
+{
+    /** Tool names that mutate data and require tickets:write. */
+    private const WRITE_TOOLS = [];
+
+    public static function isWriteTool(string $name): bool
+    {
+        return in_array($name, self::WRITE_TOOLS, true);
+    }
+
+    public static function register(Builder $builder, \mysqli $conn): Builder
+    {
+        $read = new TicketReadTools($conn);
+        $readOnly = new ToolAnnotations(readOnlyHint: true, destructiveHint: false, idempotentHint: true, openWorldHint: false);
+
+        return $builder
+            ->addTool([$read, 'searchTickets'], 'search_tickets', 'Search tickets', null, $readOnly)
+            ->addTool([$read, 'getTicket'], 'get_ticket', 'Get ticket', null, $readOnly);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/mcp/src/Tools/TicketReadTools.php b/mcp/src/Tools/TicketReadTools.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a9f5cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/src/Tools/TicketReadTools.php
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace TinkerTickets\Mcp\Tools;
+
+use Mcp\Exception\ToolCallException;
+use TinkerTickets\Mcp\Auth\McpIdentity;
+
+/**
+ * Read-only tools. Everything goes through the same model methods and
+ * visibility checks the web UI uses, as the signed-in user, so MCP can never
+ * show more than that user could see in their browser.
+ */
+final class TicketReadTools
+{
+    private const MAX_COMMENTS = 200;
+
+    public function __construct(private readonly \mysqli $conn)
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Search and list tickets you can see (same visibility rules as the web UI).
+     *
+     * @param string|null $query    Free-text search over ticket titles and descriptions.
+     * @param string|null $status   Comma-separated statuses, e.g. "Open,In Progress". Omit for every status except Closed; use "all" for every status.
+     * @param int|null    $priority Exact priority: 1 (critical) to 5 (minimal).
+     * @param string|null $category Exact category name.
+     * @param string|null $assignee "me", "unassigned", or a username.
+     * @param int         $page     Page number, starting at 1.
+     * @param int         $limit    Tickets per page, 1-50.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    public function searchTickets(
+        ?string $query = null,
+        ?string $status = null,
+        ?int $priority = null,
+        ?string $category = null,
+        ?string $assignee = null,
+        int $page = 1,
+        int $limit = 20,
+    ): array {
+        $user = McpIdentity::user();
+
+        $allStatuses = $GLOBALS['config']['TICKET_STATUSES'] ?? ['Open', 'Pending', 'In Progress', 'Closed'];
+        if ($status === null || trim($status) === '') {
+            $statusFilter = implode(',', array_filter($allStatuses, fn($s) => $s !== 'Closed'));
+        } elseif (strtolower(trim($status)) === 'all') {
+            $statusFilter = null;
+        } else {
+            $requested = array_map('trim', explode(',', $status));
+            $unknown = array_diff($requested, $allStatuses);
+            if ($unknown) {
+                throw new ToolCallException('Unknown status: ' . implode(', ', $unknown)
+                    . '. Valid statuses: ' . implode(', ', $allStatuses));
+            }
+            $statusFilter = implode(',', $requested);
+        }
+
+        $filters = [];
+        if ($priority !== null) {
+            if ($priority < 1 || $priority > 5) {
+                throw new ToolCallException('priority must be between 1 and 5');
+            }
+            $filters['priority_min'] = $priority;
+            $filters['priority_max'] = $priority;
+        }
+        if ($assignee !== null && trim($assignee) !== '') {
+            $filters['assigned_to'] = $this->resolveAssigneeFilter(trim($assignee), $user);
+        }
+
+        $page = max(1, $page);
+        $limit = min(50, max(1, $limit));
+
+        $result = (new \TicketModel($this->conn))->getAllTickets(
+            $page,
+            $limit,
+            $statusFilter,
+            'updated_at',
+            'desc',
+            ($category !== null && trim($category) !== '') ? trim($category) : null,
+            null,
+            ($query !== null && trim($query) !== '') ? trim($query) : null,
+            $filters,
+            $user
+        );
+
+        return [
+            'tickets' => array_map([$this, 'summarize'], $result['tickets']),
+            'page' => $result['current_page'],
+            'pages' => $result['pages'],
+            'total' => $result['total'],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get one ticket's full details and its comments.
+     *
+     * @param string $ticket_id        The ticket ID (digits only, e.g. "123456789").
+     * @param bool   $include_comments Include the ticket's comments, newest first.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    public function getTicket(string $ticket_id, bool $include_comments = true): array
+    {
+        $user = McpIdentity::user();
+        $ticketModel = new \TicketModel($this->conn);
+
+        $ticketId = trim($ticket_id);
+        $ticket = preg_match('/^\d+$/', $ticketId) ? $ticketModel->getTicketById($ticketId) : null;
+        // Same "not found" for missing and not-visible, so a restricted
+        // ticket's existence isn't revealed.
+        if (!$ticket || !$ticketModel->canUserAccessTicket($ticket, $user)) {
+            throw new ToolCallException("Ticket {$ticketId} not found");
+        }
+
+        $details = $this->summarize($ticket) + [
+            'description' => $ticket['description'] ?? '',
+            'visibility_groups' => $ticket['visibility_groups'] ?? null,
+            'closed_at' => $ticket['closed_at'] ?? null,
+            'updated_by' => $ticket['updater_display_name'] ?? $ticket['updater_username'] ?? null,
+        ];
+
+        if ($include_comments) {
+            $comments = (new \CommentModel($this->conn))->getCommentsByTicketId($ticketId, false);
+            $details['comment_count'] = count($comments);
+            $details['comments'] = array_map(fn(array $c) => [
+                'comment_id' => (int)$c['comment_id'],
+                'author' => $c['display_name'] ?? $c['username'] ?? $c['user_name'] ?? null,
+                'created_at' => $c['created_at'] ?? null,
+                'reply_to' => isset($c['parent_comment_id']) ? (int)$c['parent_comment_id'] : null,
+                'text' => $c['comment_text'] ?? '',
+            ], array_slice($comments, 0, self::MAX_COMMENTS));
+            if (count($comments) > self::MAX_COMMENTS) {
+                $details['comments_truncated'] = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $details;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $user
+     */
+    private function resolveAssigneeFilter(string $assignee, array $user): int|string
+    {
+        $lower = strtolower($assignee);
+        if ($lower === 'me') {
+            return (int)$user['user_id'];
+        }
+        if ($lower === 'unassigned') {
+            return 'unassigned';
+        }
+        $match = (new \UserModel($this->conn))->getUserByUsername($assignee);
+        if (!$match) {
+            throw new ToolCallException("Unknown user: {$assignee}");
+        }
+        return (int)$match['user_id'];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param array<string, mixed> $t
+     *
+     * @return array<string, mixed>
+     */
+    private function summarize(array $t): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'ticket_id' => (string)$t['ticket_id'],
+            'title' => $t['title'] ?? '',
+            'status' => $t['status'] ?? null,
+            'priority' => isset($t['priority']) ? (int)$t['priority'] : null,
+            'category' => $t['category'] ?? null,
+            'type' => $t['type'] ?? null,
+            'visibility' => $t['visibility'] ?? 'public',
+            'assigned_to' => $t['assigned_display_name'] ?? $t['assigned_username'] ?? null,
+            'created_by' => $t['creator_display_name'] ?? $t['creator_username'] ?? null,
+            'created_at' => $t['created_at'] ?? null,
+            'updated_at' => $t['updated_at'] ?? null,
+            'url' => \UrlHelper::ticketUrl((string)$t['ticket_id']),
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/middleware/AuthMiddleware.php b/middleware/AuthMiddleware.php
index 27686fb..9d68ab8 100644
--- a/middleware/AuthMiddleware.php
+++ b/middleware/AuthMiddleware.php
@@ -263,21 +263,8 @@ class AuthMiddleware
      */
     private function checkGroupAccess($groups)
     {
-        if (empty($groups)) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        // Check for admin or employee group membership
-        // Filter to safe characters only to prevent header injection attacks
-        $userGroups = array_filter(
-            array_map('trim', explode(',', strtolower($groups))),
-            function ($g) {
-                return preg_match('/^[a-z0-9_\-]+$/', $g);
-            }
-        );
-        $requiredGroups = ['admin', 'employee'];
-
-        return !empty(array_intersect($userGroups, $requiredGroups));
+        require_once dirname(__DIR__) . '/helpers/AccessPolicy.php';
+        return AccessPolicy::hasAppAccess((string)($groups ?? ''));
     }
 
     /**