diff --git a/src/mcp/client.rs b/src/mcp/client.rs
index 73ecddf..49fd0b5 100644
--- a/src/mcp/client.rs
+++ b/src/mcp/client.rs
@@ -364,11 +364,25 @@ impl McpClientManager {
                 let reader = BufReader::new(child_stderr);
                 let mut lines = reader.lines();
                 while let Ok(Some(line)) = lines.next_line().await {
-                    tracing::warn!(
-                        server_key = %server_key_owned,
-                        stderr = %line,
-                        "MCP child process stderr"
-                    );
+                    // Escalate real warnings/errors; demote normal diagnostics to debug
+                    let lower = line.to_lowercase();
+                    let is_warning = lower.contains("error")
+                        || lower.contains("warn")
+                        || lower.contains("panic")
+                        || lower.contains("fatal");
+                    if is_warning {
+                        tracing::warn!(
+                            server_key = %server_key_owned,
+                            stderr = %line,
+                            "MCP child process stderr"
+                        );
+                    } else {
+                        tracing::debug!(
+                            server_key = %server_key_owned,
+                            stderr = %line,
+                            "MCP child process stderr"
+                        );
+                    }
                     // Also collect into the shared buffer (cap at 50 lines)
                     if let Ok(mut buf) = stderr_lines_for_task.lock() {
                         if buf.len() < 50 {