perf(cli): instant MCP startup — WS connects in background

Move startClients() to run after server.connect(), not before.
MCP server is available to Claude Code in <0.5s instead of ~30s.
Tool handlers gracefully return errors until WS is ready.
Push event wiring happens in background callback.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

apps/cli/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "claudemesh-cli",
-  "version": "0.9.0",
+  "version": "0.9.1",
   "description": "Claude Code MCP client for claudemesh — peer mesh messaging between Claude sessions.",
   "keywords": [
     "claude-code",

apps/cli/src/mcp/server.ts

@@ -1733,12 +1733,21 @@ Your message mode is "${messageMode}".
     }
   });
 
-  // Start broker clients for every joined mesh BEFORE MCP connects.
+  // Start MCP transport IMMEDIATELY so Claude Code discovers tools/prompts/resources
-  await startClients(config);
+  // without waiting for WS connections. Tool handlers gracefully return errors when
-
+  // not connected. WS connects in background; push wiring happens once ready.
   const transport = new StdioServerTransport();
   await server.connect(transport);
 
+  // Connect to broker WS in background — don't block MCP startup.
+  startClients(config).then(() => {
+    wirePushHandlers();
+  }).catch(() => {
+    // Connect failed — clients are in reconnecting state, push wiring still needed
+    wirePushHandlers();
+  });
+
+  async function wirePushHandlers() {
     // Wire WSS pushes → MCP channel notifications. Each inbound push on
     // any mesh's broker connection becomes a <channel source="claudemesh">
     // system reminder injected into Claude Code's context.
@@ -1890,12 +1899,11 @@ Your message mode is "${messageMode}".
     }
 
     // Welcome notification: give Claude immediate context on connect.
-  // Triggers Claude to call mesh_info/list_peers without user input.
+    // No delay needed — WS is already connected at this point.
-  setTimeout(async () => {
+    const welcomeClient = allClients()[0];
-    const client = allClients()[0];
+    if (welcomeClient && welcomeClient.status === "open") {
-    if (!client || client.status !== "open") return;
       try {
-      const peers = await client.listPeers();
+        const peers = await welcomeClient.listPeers();
         const peerNames = peers
           .filter(p => p.displayName !== myName)
           .map(p => p.displayName)
@@ -1903,12 +1911,13 @@ Your message mode is "${messageMode}".
         await server.notification({
           method: "notifications/claude/channel",
           params: {
-          content: `[system] Connected as ${myName} to mesh ${client.meshSlug}. ${peers.length} peer(s) online: ${peerNames}. Call mesh_info for full details or set_summary to announce yourself.`,
+            content: `[system] Connected as ${myName} to mesh ${welcomeClient.meshSlug}. ${peers.length} peer(s) online: ${peerNames}. Call mesh_info for full details or set_summary to announce yourself.`,
-          meta: { kind: "welcome", mesh_slug: client.meshSlug },
+            meta: { kind: "welcome", mesh_slug: welcomeClient.meshSlug },
           },
         });
       } catch { /* best effort */ }
-  }, 3_000); // 3s delay: let WS connect + hello_ack complete first
+    }
+  } // end wirePushHandlers
 
   // Event loop keepalive: Node.js stdout to a pipe is buffered. Without
   // periodic event loop activity, stdout.write() from WS callbacks may not