diff --git a/cmd/acp.go b/cmd/acp.go
index e3147017..a4adbd78 100644
--- a/cmd/acp.go
+++ b/cmd/acp.go
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -37,8 +41,10 @@ func runACP(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 	defer agent.Close()
 
 	// Create the stdio connection. The SDK reads JSON-RPC from stdin and
-	// writes responses to stdout.
-	conn := acp.NewAgentSideConnection(agent, os.Stdout, os.Stdin)
+	// writes responses to stdout. We wrap stdin with a normalizer that
+	// fills in optional fields the SDK's generated validation requires
+	// (e.g. mcpServers) so clients that omit them still work.
+	conn := acp.NewAgentSideConnection(agent, os.Stdout, newACPNormalizer(os.Stdin))
 
 	// Wire the connection back to the agent so it can send session updates.
 	agent.SetAgentConnection(conn)
@@ -63,3 +69,91 @@ func runACP(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// acpNormalizer wraps an io.Reader carrying newline-delimited JSON-RPC and
+// patches incoming messages so that fields the SDK validates as required —
+// but that some clients (e.g. Zed) omit — are defaulted. This avoids
+// InvalidParams errors without forking the SDK.
+type acpNormalizer struct {
+	scanner *bufio.Scanner
+	buf     bytes.Buffer // leftover bytes from the last normalized line
+}
+
+func newACPNormalizer(r io.Reader) *acpNormalizer {
+	const maxMsg = 10 * 1024 * 1024 // 10 MB, matches SDK buffer
+	s := bufio.NewScanner(r)
+	s.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 1024*1024), maxMsg)
+	return &acpNormalizer{scanner: s}
+}
+
+// Read satisfies io.Reader. It feeds one normalized JSON line (plus newline)
+// per underlying scan, buffering across short caller reads.
+func (n *acpNormalizer) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	// Drain any leftover bytes from the previous line first.
+	if n.buf.Len() > 0 {
+		return n.buf.Read(p)
+	}
+
+	if !n.scanner.Scan() {
+		if err := n.scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+			return 0, err
+		}
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+
+	line := n.scanner.Bytes()
+	normalized := normalizeACPLine(line)
+	n.buf.Write(normalized)
+	n.buf.WriteByte('\n')
+	return n.buf.Read(p)
+}
+
+// normalizeACPLine ensures session/new and session/load params contain an
+// mcpServers array. Returns the original line unchanged for all other methods.
+func normalizeACPLine(line []byte) []byte {
+	// Quick check: if it already contains mcpServers, nothing to do.
+	if bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"mcpServers"`)) {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	// Only bother parsing if the method could be session/new or session/load.
+	if !bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"session/new"`)) &&
+		!bytes.Contains(line, []byte(`"session/load"`)) {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	var msg struct {
+		JSONRPC string          `json:"jsonrpc"`
+		ID      json.RawMessage `json:"id,omitempty"`
+		Method  string          `json:"method"`
+		Params  json.RawMessage `json:"params,omitempty"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(line, &msg); err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	if msg.Method != "session/new" && msg.Method != "session/load" {
+		return line
+	}
+
+	// Patch params to include mcpServers: [].
+	var params map[string]json.RawMessage
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(msg.Params, &params); err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	if _, ok := params["mcpServers"]; ok {
+		return line
+	}
+	params["mcpServers"] = json.RawMessage(`[]`)
+
+	patched, err := json.Marshal(params)
+	if err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	msg.Params = patched
+
+	out, err := json.Marshal(msg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return line
+	}
+	return out
+}