perf(server): skip IdleTrackingBackgroundService timer in stateless mode

src/ModelContextProtocol.AspNetCore/IdleTrackingBackgroundService.cs

@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ public IdleTrackingBackgroundService(
         _logger = logger;
     }
 
+    public override Task StartAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        // In stateless mode there are no sessions to track, so skip starting the periodic timer entirely.
+        if (_options.Value.Stateless)
+        {
+            return Task.CompletedTask;
+        }
+
+        return base.StartAsync(cancellationToken);
+    }
+
     protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
     {
         try

tests/ModelContextProtocol.AspNetCore.Tests/HttpMcpServerBuilderExtensionsTests.cs

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Distributed;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 using ModelContextProtocol.AspNetCore.Tests.Utils;
 using ModelContextProtocol.Protocol;
@@ -184,6 +185,55 @@ public void SessionMigrationHandler_RemainsNull_WhenNothingIsRegistered()
         Assert.Null(options.SessionMigrationHandler);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task IdleTrackingBackgroundService_DoesNotStartTimer_WhenStateless()
+    {
+        Builder.Services
+            .AddMcpServer()
+            .WithHttpTransport(options => options.Stateless = true);
+
+        using var app = Builder.Build();
+
+        var idleTrackingService = GetIdleTrackingService(app.Services);
+        Assert.NotNull(idleTrackingService);
+
+        await idleTrackingService.StartAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
+        // BackgroundService.ExecuteTask is only set when ExecuteAsync has been kicked off via base.StartAsync.
+        // In stateless mode we early-return, so ExecuteTask should remain null.
+        Assert.Null(idleTrackingService.ExecuteTask);
+
+        await idleTrackingService.StopAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task IdleTrackingBackgroundService_StartsTimer_WhenStateful()
+    {
+        Builder.Services
+            .AddMcpServer()
+            .WithHttpTransport();
+
+        using var app = Builder.Build();
+
+        var idleTrackingService = GetIdleTrackingService(app.Services);
+        Assert.NotNull(idleTrackingService);
+
+        await idleTrackingService.StartAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+
+        // In the default (stateful) mode the timer loop must start, so ExecuteTask should be set.
+        Assert.NotNull(idleTrackingService.ExecuteTask);
+
+        await idleTrackingService.StopAsync(TestContext.Current.CancellationToken);
+    }
+
+    private static BackgroundService? GetIdleTrackingService(IServiceProvider services)
+    {
+        // IdleTrackingBackgroundService is internal, so look it up by type name from the registered IHostedService instances.
+        return services.GetServices<IHostedService>()
+            .OfType<BackgroundService>()
+            .FirstOrDefault(s => s.GetType().Name == "IdleTrackingBackgroundService");
+    }
+
     private sealed class StubSessionMigrationHandler : ISessionMigrationHandler
     {
         public ValueTask<InitializeRequestParams?> AllowSessionMigrationAsync(