diff --git a/src/utils/clinicalMcpClient.js b/src/utils/clinicalMcpClient.js
index be30a17..12f4d75 100644
--- a/src/utils/clinicalMcpClient.js
+++ b/src/utils/clinicalMcpClient.js
@@ -15,6 +15,23 @@ function positiveInt(value, fallback) {
   return Number.isFinite(n) && n > 0 ? Math.floor(n) : fallback;
 }
 
+// The MCP server builds a Nextcloud client per session and closes it only when the
+// session ends. A session is replaced every time the TTL expires, so without this
+// the abandoned clients hold their Nextcloud connections open in CLOSE-WAIT until
+// the server runs out of file descriptors and every search fails.
+// Best effort by design: the session being discarded is already unusable, so a
+// failed teardown must never surface to the caller.
+async function endMcpSession(session) {
+  if (!session || !session.sessionId) return;
+  try {
+    await axios.delete(session.mcpUrl || _lastGoodMcpUrl, {
+      headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json, text/event-stream', 'mcp-session-id': session.sessionId },
+      timeout: MCP_INITIALIZE_TIMEOUT_MS,
+      validateStatus: function() { return true; }
+    });
+  } catch (e) { /* the server reaps abandoned sessions on its own schedule */ }
+}
+
 async function semanticSearch(query, opts) {
   opts = opts || {};
   return callMcpTool('nc_semantic_search', {
@@ -72,7 +89,9 @@ async function callMcpToolUnlocked(name, args) {
     search = await mcpRequest(payload, session.sessionId, session.mcpUrl);
   } catch (e) {
     if (!isInvalidMcpSessionError(e)) throw e;
+    var rejected = _mcpSession;
     _mcpSession = null;
+    if (rejected) endMcpSession(rejected);
     session = await getMcpSession();
     payload.id = nextMcpRequestId();
     search = await mcpRequest(payload, session.sessionId, session.mcpUrl);
@@ -90,8 +109,12 @@ async function getMcpSession() {
   var now = Date.now();
   if (_mcpSession && _mcpSession.sessionId && _mcpSession.expiresAt > now) return _mcpSession;
   if (_mcpSessionPromise) return _mcpSessionPromise;
+  // Captured before the replacement lands so the expired session can be closed.
+  var stale = _mcpSession;
+  _mcpSession = null;
   _mcpSessionPromise = initializeMcpSession().then(function(session) {
     _mcpSession = session;
+    if (stale) endMcpSession(stale);
     return session;
   }).finally(function() {
     _mcpSessionPromise = null;
diff --git a/test/clinical-mcp-session-lifecycle.test.js b/test/clinical-mcp-session-lifecycle.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..114ce7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/clinical-mcp-session-lifecycle.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+const { test } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const path = require('node:path');
+const Module = require('node:module');
+
+// The MCP server closes its Nextcloud client only when a session ends. These tests
+// pin the teardown, because without it expired sessions leak sockets until the
+// server exhausts its file descriptors and every clinical search fails.
+function loadClientWithFakeAxios(calls) {
+  const axiosStub = {
+    post: async function(url, payload, config) {
+      calls.push({ method: 'POST', url, payload, headers: (config || {}).headers || {} });
+      return {
+        status: 200,
+        config: { url },
+        headers: { 'mcp-session-id': 'session-' + calls.filter(c => c.payload && c.payload.method === 'initialize').length },
+        data: JSON.stringify({ jsonrpc: '2.0', result: { content: [] } })
+      };
+    },
+    delete: async function(url, config) {
+      calls.push({ method: 'DELETE', url, headers: (config || {}).headers || {} });
+      return { status: 204 };
+    },
+    get: async function(url) { calls.push({ method: 'GET', url }); return { status: 200, data: {} }; }
+  };
+
+  const target = require.resolve('../src/utils/clinicalMcpClient');
+  delete require.cache[target];
+  const original = Module._load;
+  Module._load = function(request, parent, isMain) {
+    if (request === 'axios') return axiosStub;
+    return original.apply(this, arguments);
+  };
+  try { return require(target); } finally { Module._load = original; }
+}
+
+test('an expired session is closed when it is replaced, not abandoned', async () => {
+  const calls = [];
+  process.env.CLINICAL_ASSISTANT_MCP_SESSION_TTL_MS = '1';
+  const client = loadClientWithFakeAxios(calls);
+
+  await client.semanticSearch('bronchiolitis', { limit: 4 });
+  await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 5)); // let the 1ms TTL lapse
+  await client.semanticSearch('croup', { limit: 4 });
+
+  const deletes = calls.filter(c => c.method === 'DELETE');
+  assert.equal(deletes.length, 1, 'the expired session should be deleted exactly once');
+  assert.equal(deletes[0].headers['mcp-session-id'], 'session-1');
+
+  const initializes = calls.filter(c => c.payload && c.payload.method === 'initialize');
+  assert.equal(initializes.length, 2, 'a lapsed TTL should open a fresh session');
+  delete process.env.CLINICAL_ASSISTANT_MCP_SESSION_TTL_MS;
+});
+
+test('a live session is reused and never closed between calls', async () => {
+  const calls = [];
+  process.env.CLINICAL_ASSISTANT_MCP_SESSION_TTL_MS = String(10 * 60 * 1000);
+  const client = loadClientWithFakeAxios(calls);
+
+  await client.semanticSearch('asthma', { limit: 4 });
+  await client.semanticSearch('sepsis', { limit: 4 });
+
+  assert.equal(calls.filter(c => c.method === 'DELETE').length, 0,
+    'deleting a session still in use would force a re-initialize on every search');
+  assert.equal(calls.filter(c => c.payload && c.payload.method === 'initialize').length, 1);
+  delete process.env.CLINICAL_ASSISTANT_MCP_SESSION_TTL_MS;
+});