diff --git a/src/tools/localServer.test.mjs b/src/tools/localServer.test.mjs
index 19e09516b..3cb61ebbb 100644
--- a/src/tools/localServer.test.mjs
+++ b/src/tools/localServer.test.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { PassThrough } from 'node:stream';
 import { createLocalMcpServer } from '../../server/mcp/server.js';
 import { createApiFetch } from '../../server/mcp/services.js';
 import { parseArgs, serveStdio } from '../../server/mcp/stdio.js';
-import { coreTools } from './index.js';
+import { coreTools, toolsForSurface } from './index.js';
 
 const usgs = {
   type: 'FeatureCollection',
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ test('the stdio server answers newline-delimited requests using only its data so
   // Every Core tool's services are composed locally.
   assert.deepEqual(
     byId.get(2).result.tools.map((tool) => tool.name),
-    coreTools.map((tool) => tool.name),
+    toolsForSurface(coreTools, 'mcp').map((tool) => tool.name),
   );
   assert.equal(
     byId.get(3).result.content[0].text,
diff --git a/src/tools/surfaces.js b/src/tools/surfaces.js
index 73a45e499..7b1030f88 100644
--- a/src/tools/surfaces.js
+++ b/src/tools/surfaces.js
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
  * Which surfaces offer each tool. A tool is on every surface unless this
  * table turns it off; edit an entry to turn a tool on or off for MCP, voice,
  * or both. Applications can pass overrides when they compose a surface.
+ * Tools off a surface stay reachable from tools that combine others, such as
+ * situation_brief using get_weather.
  */
 
 import { ToolError } from './catalog.js';
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@ import { ToolError } from './catalog.js';
 export const SURFACES = Object.freeze(['mcp', 'voice']);
 
 const voiceOff = Object.freeze({ voice: false });
+const mcpOff = Object.freeze({ mcp: false });
 
 export const TOOL_SURFACES = Object.freeze({
   // Voice runs inside the app, so a link to it adds nothing.
@@ -19,8 +22,8 @@ export const TOOL_SURFACES = Object.freeze({
   get_weather_map: voiceOff,
   get_recent_imagery: voiceOff,
   get_cctv_snapshot: voiceOff,
-  // Voice shows the HUD caption in the app itself.
-  get_hud_caption: voiceOff,
+  // The app shows its HUD caption itself, and assistants write their own.
+  get_hud_caption: Object.freeze({ voice: false, mcp: false }),
   // Voice answers these from the loaded layers with analyst_query.
   aircraft_in_area: voiceOff,
   vessels_in_area: voiceOff,
@@ -30,6 +33,17 @@ export const TOOL_SURFACES = Object.freeze({
   get_active_fires: voiceOff,
   find_infrastructure: voiceOff,
   satellites_overhead: voiceOff,
+  // MCP leads with what the globe shows; assistants already search places,
+  // plan routes and report weather, and these layers add little in a chat.
+  search_places: mcpOff,
+  places_nearby: mcpOff,
+  plan_route: mcpOff,
+  get_weather: mcpOff,
+  get_wind: mcpOff,
+  get_regional_brief: mcpOff,
+  find_radio_stations: mcpOff,
+  get_bike_share: mcpOff,
+  get_transit_vehicles: mcpOff,
 });
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/tools/surfaces.test.mjs b/src/tools/surfaces.test.mjs
index 5fc7424da..255b7c9fd 100644
--- a/src/tools/surfaces.test.mjs
+++ b/src/tools/surfaces.test.mjs
@@ -11,17 +11,32 @@ import {
 
 const names = (tools) => tools.map((tool) => tool.name);
 
-test('MCP offers every tool and voice leaves out the table entries', () => {
-  assert.deepEqual(names(toolsForSurface(coreTools, 'mcp')), names(coreTools));
+test('each surface offers the tools the table does not turn off', () => {
+  for (const surface of ['mcp', 'voice']) {
+    const offered = names(toolsForSurface(coreTools, surface));
+    const expected = names(coreTools).filter(
+      (name) => TOOL_SURFACES[name]?.[surface] !== false,
+    );
+    assert.deepEqual(offered, expected, surface);
+  }
+  const mcp = names(toolsForSurface(coreTools, 'mcp'));
+  for (const name of [
+    'open_in_gods_eye_view',
+    'situation_brief',
+    'aircraft_in_area',
+  ])
+    assert.ok(mcp.includes(name), name);
+  for (const name of [
+    'search_places',
+    'plan_route',
+    'get_weather',
+    'get_hud_caption',
+  ])
+    assert.ok(!mcp.includes(name), name);
   const voice = names(toolsForSurface(coreTools, 'voice'));
-  assert.equal(
-    voice.length,
-    coreTools.length - Object.keys(TOOL_SURFACES).length,
-  );
-  for (const name of Object.keys(TOOL_SURFACES))
-    assert.ok(!voice.includes(name), name);
   assert.ok(voice.includes('get_weather'));
   assert.ok(voice.includes('military_awareness'));
+  assert.ok(!voice.includes('aircraft_in_area'));
 });
 
 test('overrides turn a tool on or off for one surface', () => {
@@ -44,7 +59,8 @@ test('every table entry names a core tool and a known surface', () => {
   const names = new Set(coreTools.map((tool) => tool.name));
   for (const [name, entry] of Object.entries(TOOL_SURFACES)) {
     assert.ok(names.has(name), name);
-    assert.deepEqual(Object.keys(entry), ['voice']);
+    for (const key of Object.keys(entry))
+      assert.ok(['voice', 'mcp'].includes(key), `${name}: ${key}`);
   }
 });