diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 27e8dfb..1661531 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ tests/skill_engine/evolution/*
 !tests/cloud/
 tests/cloud/*
 !tests/cloud/test_upload_trust.py
+!tests/entrypoints/
+tests/entrypoints/*
+!tests/entrypoints/mcp/
+tests/entrypoints/mcp/*
+!tests/entrypoints/mcp/test_server_search.py
 scripts/
 
 # Local agent/project memory
diff --git a/openspace/entrypoints/mcp/server.py b/openspace/entrypoints/mcp/server.py
index c56f64c..45ec489 100644
--- a/openspace/entrypoints/mcp/server.py
+++ b/openspace/entrypoints/mcp/server.py
@@ -231,6 +231,46 @@ async def _get_runtime_store(*, required: bool = True):
     return None
 
 
+async def _get_local_search_context():
+    """Return local skills without booting the full agent runtime for search.
+
+    ``search_skills`` is a discovery-only MCP tool. Initializing OpenSpace here
+    also initializes grounding providers, memory, evolution, and model config,
+    which can take longer than a normal MCP tool timeout on Windows. Reuse the
+    runtime registry when it already exists; otherwise build the same canonical
+    registry directly and omit optional quality-store enrichment.
+    """
+
+    if _openspace_instance is not None and _openspace_instance.is_initialized():
+        host_skill_dirs_raw = os.environ.get("OPENSPACE_HOST_SKILL_DIRS", "")
+        if host_skill_dirs_raw:
+            env_dirs = [
+                directory.strip()
+                for directory in host_skill_dirs_raw.split(",")
+                if directory.strip()
+            ]
+            if env_dirs:
+                await _auto_register_skill_dirs(env_dirs)
+
+        registry = _openspace_instance.get_skill_registry()
+        if not registry:
+            return None, None
+        store = _openspace_instance.get_skill_store()
+        if store and getattr(store, "_closed", False):
+            store = None
+        return registry.list_skills(), store
+
+    from openspace.runtime.skill_registry import build_skill_registry
+
+    registry = await asyncio.to_thread(
+        build_skill_registry,
+        workspace_dir=os.environ.get("OPENSPACE_WORKSPACE"),
+    )
+    if not registry:
+        return None, None
+    return registry.list_skills(), None
+
+
 async def _get_cloud_mapping_store():
     from openspace.cloud.local_mapping import CloudLocalMappingStore
 
@@ -818,21 +858,7 @@ async def search_skills(
         if not q:
             return _json_ok({"results": [], "count": 0})
 
-        # Re-scan host skill directories so newly created skills are searchable.
-        local_skills = None
-        store = None
-        openspace = await _get_openspace()
-
-        host_skill_dirs_raw = os.environ.get("OPENSPACE_HOST_SKILL_DIRS", "")
-        if host_skill_dirs_raw:
-            env_dirs = [d.strip() for d in host_skill_dirs_raw.split(",") if d.strip()]
-            if env_dirs:
-                await _auto_register_skill_dirs(env_dirs)
-
-        registry = openspace.get_skill_registry()
-        if registry:
-            local_skills = registry.list_skills()
-            store = await _get_runtime_store(required=False)
+        local_skills, store = await _get_local_search_context()
 
         results = await hybrid_search_skills(
             query=q,
diff --git a/tests/entrypoints/mcp/test_server_search.py b/tests/entrypoints/mcp/test_server_search.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..032936e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/entrypoints/mcp/test_server_search.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+
+import pytest
+
+from openspace.entrypoints.mcp import server
+
+
+class _Registry:
+    def __init__(self, skills):
+        self._skills = skills
+
+    def list_skills(self):
+        return self._skills
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_local_search_context_builds_registry_without_full_runtime(
+    monkeypatch,
+):
+    expected = [SimpleNamespace(skill_id="skill-1")]
+    calls = []
+
+    def build_registry(*, workspace_dir=None):
+        calls.append(workspace_dir)
+        return _Registry(expected)
+
+    async def fail_if_full_runtime_starts():
+        raise AssertionError(
+            "local skill search must not initialize OpenSpace"
+        )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_openspace_instance", None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_openspace", fail_if_full_runtime_starts)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("OPENSPACE_WORKSPACE", "test-workspace")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "openspace.runtime.skill_registry.build_skill_registry",
+        build_registry,
+    )
+
+    skills, store = await server._get_local_search_context()
+
+    assert skills == expected
+    assert store is None
+    assert calls == ["test-workspace"]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_local_search_context_reuses_initialized_runtime(monkeypatch):
+    expected = [SimpleNamespace(skill_id="skill-1")]
+    store = SimpleNamespace(_closed=False)
+    runtime = SimpleNamespace(
+        is_initialized=lambda: True,
+        get_skill_registry=lambda: _Registry(expected),
+        get_skill_store=lambda: store,
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_openspace_instance", runtime)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("OPENSPACE_HOST_SKILL_DIRS", raising=False)
+
+    skills, actual_store = await server._get_local_search_context()
+
+    assert skills == expected
+    assert actual_store is store
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_local_search_context_ignores_closed_runtime_store(monkeypatch):
+    runtime = SimpleNamespace(
+        is_initialized=lambda: True,
+        get_skill_registry=lambda: _Registry([]),
+        get_skill_store=lambda: SimpleNamespace(_closed=True),
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_openspace_instance", runtime)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("OPENSPACE_HOST_SKILL_DIRS", raising=False)
+
+    skills, store = await server._get_local_search_context()
+
+    assert skills == []
+    assert store is None