diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.test.ts
index 578894845e..b75556f1cf 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.test.ts
@@ -217,6 +217,78 @@ describe('mcp list command', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('should display connected status even if ping fails', async () => {
+    const defaultMergedSettings = mergeSettings({}, {}, {}, {}, true);
+    mockedLoadSettings.mockReturnValue({
+      merged: {
+        ...defaultMergedSettings,
+        mcpServers: {
+          'test-server': { command: '/test/server' },
+        },
+      },
+      isTrusted: true,
+    });
+
+    mockClient.connect.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+    mockClient.ping.mockRejectedValue(new Error('Ping failed'));
+
+    await listMcpServers();
+
+    expect(debugLogger.log).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('test-server: /test/server  (stdio) - Connected'),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should use configured timeout for connection', async () => {
+    const defaultMergedSettings = mergeSettings({}, {}, {}, {}, true);
+    mockedLoadSettings.mockReturnValue({
+      merged: {
+        ...defaultMergedSettings,
+        mcpServers: {
+          'test-server': { command: '/test/server', timeout: 12345 },
+        },
+      },
+      isTrusted: true,
+    });
+
+    mockClient.connect.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+    await listMcpServers();
+
+    expect(mockClient.connect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.anything(),
+      expect.objectContaining({ timeout: 12345 }),
+    );
+    expect(mockClient.ping).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ timeout: 12345 }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should use default timeout for connection when not configured', async () => {
+    const defaultMergedSettings = mergeSettings({}, {}, {}, {}, true);
+    mockedLoadSettings.mockReturnValue({
+      merged: {
+        ...defaultMergedSettings,
+        mcpServers: {
+          'test-server': { command: '/test/server' },
+        },
+      },
+      isTrusted: true,
+    });
+
+    mockClient.connect.mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+    await listMcpServers();
+
+    expect(mockClient.connect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.anything(),
+      expect.objectContaining({ timeout: 5000 }),
+    );
+    expect(mockClient.ping).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ timeout: 5000 }),
+    );
+  });
+
   it('should merge extension servers with config servers', async () => {
     const defaultMergedSettings = mergeSettings({}, {}, {}, {}, true);
     mockedLoadSettings.mockReturnValue({
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.ts
index 2747c77f00..6e57789321 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/mcp/list.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ export async function getMcpServersFromConfig(
   return filteredResult;
 }
 
+const MCP_LIST_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MSEC = 5000;
+
 async function testMCPConnection(
   serverName: string,
   config: MCPServerConfig,
@@ -127,11 +129,22 @@ async function testMCPConnection(
   }
 
   try {
-    // Attempt actual MCP connection with short timeout
-    await client.connect(transport, { timeout: 5000 }); // 5s timeout
+    // Attempt actual MCP connection with timeout from config or default to 5s.
+    // We use a short default for the list command to keep it responsive.
+    const timeout = config.timeout ?? MCP_LIST_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MSEC;
+    await client.connect(transport, { timeout });
 
-    // Test basic MCP protocol by pinging the server
-    await client.ping();
+    // Test basic MCP protocol by pinging the server.
+    // Ping is optional per MCP spec - some servers (e.g. Google first-party)
+    // don't implement it. A successful connect() is sufficient proof of connectivity.
+    try {
+      await client.ping({ timeout });
+    } catch (e) {
+      debugLogger.debug(
+        `MCP ping failed for ${serverName}, but connect succeeded:`,
+        e,
+      );
+    }
 
     await client.close();
     return MCPServerStatus.CONNECTED;