diff --git a/src/servers/mcp-server.ts b/src/servers/mcp-server.ts
index e3004d03..164f95a5 100644
--- a/src/servers/mcp-server.ts
+++ b/src/servers/mcp-server.ts
@@ -284,7 +284,17 @@ NEVER fetch full details without filtering first. 10x token savings.`,
     description: 'Step 1: Search memory. Returns index with IDs. Params: query, limit, project, type, obs_type, dateStart, dateEnd, offset, orderBy',
     inputSchema: {
       type: 'object',
-      properties: {},
+      properties: {
+        query: { type: 'string', description: 'Search query' },
+        limit: { type: 'number', description: 'Max results (default 20)' },
+        project: { type: 'string', description: 'Filter by project name' },
+        type: { type: 'string', description: 'Filter by observation type' },
+        obs_type: { type: 'string', description: 'Filter by obs_type field' },
+        dateStart: { type: 'string', description: 'Start date filter (ISO)' },
+        dateEnd: { type: 'string', description: 'End date filter (ISO)' },
+        offset: { type: 'number', description: 'Pagination offset' },
+        orderBy: { type: 'string', description: 'Sort order: date_desc or date_asc' }
+      },
       additionalProperties: true
     },
     handler: async (args: any) => {
@@ -297,7 +307,13 @@ NEVER fetch full details without filtering first. 10x token savings.`,
     description: 'Step 2: Get context around results. Params: anchor (observation ID) OR query (finds anchor automatically), depth_before, depth_after, project',
     inputSchema: {
       type: 'object',
-      properties: {},
+      properties: {
+        anchor: { type: 'number', description: 'Observation ID to center the timeline around' },
+        query: { type: 'string', description: 'Query to find anchor automatically' },
+        depth_before: { type: 'number', description: 'Items before anchor (default 3)' },
+        depth_after: { type: 'number', description: 'Items after anchor (default 3)' },
+        project: { type: 'string', description: 'Filter by project name' }
+      },
       additionalProperties: true
     },
     handler: async (args: any) => {
diff --git a/src/services/worker/SearchManager.ts b/src/services/worker/SearchManager.ts
index a72ce0d2..337b2df9 100644
--- a/src/services/worker/SearchManager.ts
+++ b/src/services/worker/SearchManager.ts
@@ -395,7 +395,9 @@ export class SearchManager {
    * Tool handler: timeline
    */
   async timeline(args: any): Promise<any> {
-    const { anchor, query, depth_before = 10, depth_after = 10, project } = args;
+    const { anchor, query, depth_before, depth_after, project } = args;
+    const depthBefore = depth_before != null ? Number(depth_before) : 10;
+    const depthAfter = depth_after != null ? Number(depth_after) : 10;
     const cwd = process.cwd();
 
     // Validate: must provide either anchor or query, not both
@@ -464,7 +466,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
       anchorId = topResult.id;
       anchorEpoch = topResult.created_at_epoch;
       logger.debug('SEARCH', 'Query mode: Using observation as timeline anchor', { observationId: topResult.id });
-      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(topResult.id, topResult.created_at_epoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(topResult.id, topResult.created_at_epoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
     }
     // MODE 2: Anchor-based timeline
     else if (typeof anchor === 'number') {
@@ -481,7 +483,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
       }
       anchorId = anchor;
       anchorEpoch = obs.created_at_epoch;
-      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(anchor, anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(anchor, anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
     } else if (typeof anchor === 'string') {
       // Session ID or ISO timestamp
       if (anchor.startsWith('S') || anchor.startsWith('#S')) {
@@ -499,7 +501,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
         }
         anchorEpoch = sessions[0].created_at_epoch;
         anchorId = `S${sessionNum}`;
-        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
       } else {
         // ISO timestamp
         const date = new Date(anchor);
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
         }
         anchorEpoch = date.getTime();
         anchorId = anchor;
-        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
       }
     } else {
       return {
@@ -533,15 +535,15 @@ export class SearchManager {
       ...(timelineData.prompts || []).map((prompt: any) => ({ type: 'prompt' as const, data: prompt, epoch: prompt.created_at_epoch }))
     ];
     items.sort((a, b) => a.epoch - b.epoch);
-    const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, anchorId, anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after);
+    const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, anchorId, anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter);
 
     if (!filteredItems || filteredItems.length === 0) {
       return {
         content: [{
           type: 'text' as const,
           text: query
-            ? `Found observation matching "${query}", but no timeline context available (${depth_before} records before, ${depth_after} records after).`
-            : `No context found around anchor (${depth_before} records before, ${depth_after} records after)`
+            ? `Found observation matching "${query}", but no timeline context available (${depthBefore} records before, ${depthAfter} records after).`
+            : `No context found around anchor (${depthBefore} records before, ${depthAfter} records after)`
         }]
       };
     }
@@ -559,7 +561,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
       lines.push(`# Timeline around anchor: ${anchorId}`);
     }
 
-    lines.push(`**Window:** ${depth_before} records before -> ${depth_after} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
+    lines.push(`**Window:** ${depthBefore} records before -> ${depthAfter} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
     lines.push('');
 
 
@@ -1443,7 +1445,9 @@ export class SearchManager {
    * Tool handler: get_context_timeline
    */
   async getContextTimeline(args: any): Promise<any> {
-    const { anchor, depth_before = 10, depth_after = 10, project } = args;
+    const { anchor, depth_before, depth_after, project } = args;
+    const depthBefore = depth_before != null ? Number(depth_before) : 10;
+    const depthAfter = depth_after != null ? Number(depth_after) : 10;
     const cwd = process.cwd();
     let anchorEpoch: number;
     let anchorId: string | number = anchor;
@@ -1463,7 +1467,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
         };
       }
       anchorEpoch = obs.created_at_epoch;
-      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(anchor, anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+      timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(anchor, anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
     } else if (typeof anchor === 'string') {
       // Session ID or ISO timestamp
       if (anchor.startsWith('S') || anchor.startsWith('#S')) {
@@ -1481,7 +1485,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
         }
         anchorEpoch = sessions[0].created_at_epoch;
         anchorId = `S${sessionNum}`;
-        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
       } else {
         // ISO timestamp
         const date = new Date(anchor);
@@ -1495,7 +1499,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
           };
         }
         anchorEpoch = date.getTime(); // Keep as milliseconds
-        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after, project);
+        timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundTimestamp(anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter, project);
       }
     } else {
       return {
@@ -1514,14 +1518,14 @@ export class SearchManager {
       ...timelineData.prompts.map(prompt => ({ type: 'prompt' as const, data: prompt, epoch: prompt.created_at_epoch }))
     ];
     items.sort((a, b) => a.epoch - b.epoch);
-    const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, anchorId, anchorEpoch, depth_before, depth_after);
+    const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, anchorId, anchorEpoch, depthBefore, depthAfter);
 
     if (!filteredItems || filteredItems.length === 0) {
       const anchorDate = new Date(anchorEpoch).toLocaleString();
       return {
         content: [{
           type: 'text' as const,
-          text: `No context found around ${anchorDate} (${depth_before} records before, ${depth_after} records after)`
+          text: `No context found around ${anchorDate} (${depthBefore} records before, ${depthAfter} records after)`
         }]
       };
     }
@@ -1531,7 +1535,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
 
     // Header
     lines.push(`# Timeline around anchor: ${anchorId}`);
-    lines.push(`**Window:** ${depth_before} records before -> ${depth_after} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
+    lines.push(`**Window:** ${depthBefore} records before -> ${depthAfter} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
     lines.push('');
 
 
@@ -1655,7 +1659,9 @@ export class SearchManager {
    * Tool handler: get_timeline_by_query
    */
   async getTimelineByQuery(args: any): Promise<any> {
-    const { query, mode = 'auto', depth_before = 10, depth_after = 10, limit = 5, project } = args;
+    const { query, mode = 'auto', depth_before, depth_after, limit = 5, project } = args;
+    const depthBefore = depth_before != null ? Number(depth_before) : 10;
+    const depthAfter = depth_after != null ? Number(depth_after) : 10;
     const cwd = process.cwd();
 
     // Step 1: Search for observations
@@ -1736,8 +1742,8 @@ export class SearchManager {
       const timelineData = this.sessionStore.getTimelineAroundObservation(
         topResult.id,
         topResult.created_at_epoch,
-        depth_before,
-        depth_after,
+        depthBefore,
+        depthAfter,
         project
       );
 
@@ -1748,13 +1754,13 @@ export class SearchManager {
         ...(timelineData.prompts || []).map(prompt => ({ type: 'prompt' as const, data: prompt, epoch: prompt.created_at_epoch }))
       ];
       items.sort((a, b) => a.epoch - b.epoch);
-      const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, topResult.id, 0, depth_before, depth_after);
+      const filteredItems = this.timelineService.filterByDepth(items, topResult.id, 0, depthBefore, depthAfter);
 
       if (!filteredItems || filteredItems.length === 0) {
         return {
           content: [{
             type: 'text' as const,
-            text: `Found observation #${topResult.id} matching "${query}", but no timeline context available (${depth_before} records before, ${depth_after} records after).`
+            text: `Found observation #${topResult.id} matching "${query}", but no timeline context available (${depthBefore} records before, ${depthAfter} records after).`
           }]
         };
       }
@@ -1765,7 +1771,7 @@ export class SearchManager {
       // Header
       lines.push(`# Timeline for query: "${query}"`);
       lines.push(`**Anchor:** Observation #${topResult.id} - ${topResult.title || 'Untitled'}`);
-      lines.push(`**Window:** ${depth_before} records before -> ${depth_after} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
+      lines.push(`**Window:** ${depthBefore} records before -> ${depthAfter} records after | **Items:** ${filteredItems?.length ?? 0}`);
       lines.push('');
 
 
diff --git a/tests/servers/mcp-tool-schemas.test.ts b/tests/servers/mcp-tool-schemas.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1db787b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/servers/mcp-tool-schemas.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for MCP tool inputSchema declarations (fix for #1384 / #1413)
+ *
+ * Validates that search and timeline tools declare their parameters explicitly
+ * so MCP clients (Claude Code) can expose them to the LLM.
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
+
+// Static schema validation — reads source as text, no server startup needed
+const mcpServerPath = new URL('../../src/servers/mcp-server.ts', import.meta.url).pathname;
+
+describe('MCP tool inputSchema declarations', () => {
+  let tools: any[];
+
+  // Load tools by reading the source and extracting the exported structure
+  // We test the schema shape directly from the source constants
+  it('search tool declares query parameter', async () => {
+    const src = await Bun.file(mcpServerPath).text();
+
+    // Verify search properties are declared (not empty)
+    expect(src).toContain("name: 'search'");
+    // Check query is declared in properties after the search tool definition
+    const searchSection = src.slice(src.indexOf("name: 'search'"), src.indexOf("name: 'timeline'"));
+    expect(searchSection).toContain("query:");
+    expect(searchSection).toContain("limit:");
+    expect(searchSection).toContain("project:");
+    expect(searchSection).toContain("orderBy:");
+    expect(searchSection).not.toContain("properties: {}");
+  });
+
+  it('timeline tool declares anchor and query parameters', async () => {
+    const src = await Bun.file(mcpServerPath).text();
+
+    const timelineSection = src.slice(
+      src.indexOf("name: 'timeline'"),
+      src.indexOf("name: 'get_observations'")
+    );
+    expect(timelineSection).toContain("anchor:");
+    expect(timelineSection).toContain("query:");
+    expect(timelineSection).toContain("depth_before:");
+    expect(timelineSection).toContain("depth_after:");
+    expect(timelineSection).toContain("project:");
+    expect(timelineSection).not.toContain("properties: {}");
+  });
+
+  it('get_observations still declares ids (regression check)', async () => {
+    const src = await Bun.file(mcpServerPath).text();
+
+    const getObsSection = src.slice(src.indexOf("name: 'get_observations'"));
+    expect(getObsSection).toContain("ids:");
+    expect(getObsSection).toContain("required:");
+  });
+});