diff --git a/.serena/memories/mcp/core.md b/.serena/memories/mcp/core.md
index 7aeb784470..9d55a13105 100644
--- a/.serena/memories/mcp/core.md
+++ b/.serena/memories/mcp/core.md
@@ -94,3 +94,9 @@ In the normal Penpot devenv MCP path, the browser plugin does not discover or ro
 The live plugin connection registry is in-memory inside each MCP server process (`PluginBridge.connectedClients` / `clientsByToken`). The database only stores MCP access tokens and profile props such as `mcp-enabled`; it does not manage which plugin is connected to which MCP server.
 
 For parallel devenvs, prefer same-origin MCP routing: each Penpot instance should expose `/mcp/ws` through its own nginx/Caddy path to the MCP server running inside the same main container. Keep container-internal ports fixed (MCP defaults `4401/4402/4403`, backend/exporter/frontend defaults, etc.) and only offset host-side published ports per instance. If internal ports are offset, hardcoded local proxy config such as `docker/devenv/files/nginx.conf` will misroute unless templated too.
+
+## Plugin reconnect policy
+
+- The plugin treats WebSocket close code `1008` (policy violation) as terminal: it stops auto-reconnecting and stays disconnected until the user explicitly reconnects. Other close codes keep the capped-backoff retry. The decision lives in `ReconnectPolicy.ts` (`shouldReconnectAfterClose`), kept as a pure module so it is unit-testable without DOM/CSS.
+- The MCP server emits `1008` for a duplicate connection on the same user token (`PluginBridge`) and for a missing `userToken` in multi-user mode.
+- A tab rejected with `1008` never reaches `connected`, so the frontend's 60s reconnect watcher (`start-reconnect-watcher` in `app.main.data.workspace.mcp`, started only on `connected`) does not engage; recovery is manual via "Connect here".
diff --git a/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.test.ts b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4fe356ce4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import test from "node:test";
+import { WS_CLOSE_POLICY_VIOLATION, shouldReconnectAfterClose } from "./ReconnectPolicy.ts";
+
+test("names the policy violation close code used by the MCP server", () => {
+    assert.equal(WS_CLOSE_POLICY_VIOLATION, 1008);
+});
+
+test("does not reconnect after a policy violation close", () => {
+    assert.equal(shouldReconnectAfterClose(WS_CLOSE_POLICY_VIOLATION), false);
+});
+
+test("reconnects after transient close codes", () => {
+    const transientCodes = [
+        { code: 1000, meaning: "normal closure" },
+        { code: 1001, meaning: "going away" },
+        { code: 1005, meaning: "no status received" },
+        { code: 1006, meaning: "abnormal closure" },
+    ];
+
+    for (const { code, meaning } of transientCodes) {
+        assert.equal(shouldReconnectAfterClose(code), true, `expected reconnect for ${code} (${meaning})`);
+    }
+});
diff --git a/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.ts b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d2947894d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/ReconnectPolicy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/**
+ * WebSocket close code the MCP server uses for policy violations.
+ *
+ * The server rejects a second plugin connection for the same user token, and
+ * connections missing a token in multi-user mode, with this code.
+ */
+export const WS_CLOSE_POLICY_VIOLATION = 1008;
+
+/**
+ * Returns whether a WebSocket close should trigger an automatic reconnect.
+ *
+ * Policy violations are terminal: the server refuses the connection again
+ * immediately, so retrying only repeats the rejection. Other closes (for
+ * example a dropped or restarted server) are retried with backoff.
+ */
+export function shouldReconnectAfterClose(code: number): boolean {
+    return code !== WS_CLOSE_POLICY_VIOLATION;
+}
diff --git a/mcp/packages/plugin/src/main.ts b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/main.ts
index 4b57738974..f787cd9298 100644
--- a/mcp/packages/plugin/src/main.ts
+++ b/mcp/packages/plugin/src/main.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import "./style.css";
+import { shouldReconnectAfterClose } from "./ReconnectPolicy";
 
 /**
  * the maximum allowed size for task responses sent back to the MCP server in the integrated remote MCP mode.
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ function connectToMcpServer(baseUrl?: string, token?: string): void {
                 updateCurrentTask(null);
             }
             ws = null;
-            if (event.code === 1008) {
+            if (!shouldReconnectAfterClose(event.code)) {
                 // Policy violation (e.g. duplicate connection for the same user
                 // token - another tab already holds the connection). Retrying
                 // would be refused again immediately, so stay disconnected