diff --git a/apps/website/content/docs/core-concepts/tools.mdx b/apps/website/content/docs/core-concepts/tools.mdx
index b4876d8c8..1522c94e9 100644
--- a/apps/website/content/docs/core-concepts/tools.mdx
+++ b/apps/website/content/docs/core-concepts/tools.mdx
@@ -455,3 +455,34 @@ export default async function getData() {
   };
 }
 ```
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Tool Loading Errors
+
+When `xmcp` starts, it loads every file under your tools directory.
+
+- Empty tool files are skipped with a friendly warning
+- Files without a `default` export are skipped with a friendly warning
+- Real syntax or import errors still fail normally so you can see the full stack trace
+
+For example, if `src/tools/draft.ts` is empty, startup will log:
+
+```txt
+[xmcp] Failed to load tool file: src/tools/draft.ts
+   -> File is empty.
+[xmcp] 1 tool skipped due to empty files or missing default exports
+```
+
+If the file exists but does not export a default handler, startup will log:
+
+```txt
+[xmcp] Failed to load tool file: src/tools/draft.ts
+   -> File does not export a default tool handler.
+```
+
+<Callout variant="info">
+  Friendly handling is intentionally limited to empty files and missing default
+  exports. Invalid implementations and real import/syntax errors still surface
+  as normal runtime errors.
+</Callout>
diff --git a/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/adapters/nextjs/handler/server-lifecycle.ts b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/adapters/nextjs/handler/server-lifecycle.ts
index 9e4fc8468..49db18c44 100644
--- a/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/adapters/nextjs/handler/server-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/adapters/nextjs/handler/server-lifecycle.ts
@@ -37,11 +37,16 @@ export function setupCleanupHandlers(
  * Initializes and configures the MCP server with tools, prompts, and resources
  */
 export async function initializeMcpServer(): Promise<McpServer> {
-  const [toolPromises, toolModules] = loadTools();
+  const toolModulesPromise = loadTools();
   const [promptPromises, promptModules] = loadPrompts();
   const [resourcePromises, resourceModules] = loadResources();
 
-  await Promise.all([...toolPromises, ...promptPromises, ...resourcePromises]);
+  await Promise.all([
+    toolModulesPromise,
+    ...promptPromises,
+    ...resourcePromises,
+  ]);
+  const toolModules = await toolModulesPromise;
 
   const server = new McpServer(INJECTED_CONFIG);
 
diff --git a/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/server.ts b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/server.ts
index fb54f0d99..5ef7fd20f 100644
--- a/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/server.ts
+++ b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/server.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { ZodRawShape } from "zod/v3";
 import { addResourcesToServer } from "./resources";
 import { ResourceMetadata } from "@/types/resource";
 import { uIResourceRegistry } from "./ext-apps-registry";
+import { loadToolModules, reportToolLoadIssues } from "./tool-loader";
 
 export type ToolFile = {
   metadata: ToolMetadata;
@@ -68,16 +69,10 @@ export async function configureServer(
   return server;
 }
 
-export function loadTools() {
-  const toolModules = new Map<string, ToolFile>();
-
-  const toolPromises = Object.keys(injectedTools).map((path) =>
-    injectedTools[path]().then((toolModule) => {
-      toolModules.set(path, toolModule);
-    })
-  );
-
-  return [toolPromises, toolModules] as const;
+export async function loadTools() {
+  const { toolModules, skippedTools } = await loadToolModules(injectedTools);
+  reportToolLoadIssues(skippedTools);
+  return toolModules;
 }
 
 export function loadPrompts() {
@@ -106,11 +101,10 @@ export function loadResources() {
 
 export async function createServer() {
   const server = new McpServer(INJECTED_CONFIG);
-  const [toolPromises, toolModules] = loadTools();
+  const toolModulesPromise = loadTools();
   const [promptPromises, promptModules] = loadPrompts();
   const [resourcePromises, resourceModules] = loadResources();
-  await Promise.all(toolPromises);
-  await Promise.all(promptPromises);
-  await Promise.all(resourcePromises);
+  await Promise.all([toolModulesPromise, ...promptPromises, ...resourcePromises]);
+  const toolModules = await toolModulesPromise;
   return configureServer(server, toolModules, promptModules, resourceModules);
 }
diff --git a/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/tool-loader.ts b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/tool-loader.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7718fc624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/xmcp/src/runtime/utils/tool-loader.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+import type { ToolFile } from "./server";
+
+const EMPTY_TOOL_FILE_MESSAGE = "File is empty.";
+const MISSING_DEFAULT_EXPORT_MESSAGE =
+  "File does not export a default tool handler.";
+const INVALID_DEFAULT_EXPORT_MESSAGE =
+  "Default export must be a tool handler function.";
+
+type ToolLoadIssue = {
+  path: string;
+  message: string;
+};
+
+function createToolLoadIssue(path: string): ToolLoadIssue {
+  return {
+    path,
+    message: EMPTY_TOOL_FILE_MESSAGE,
+  };
+}
+
+function createInvalidToolImplementationError(path: string): Error {
+  return new Error(
+    `[xmcp] Invalid tool file: ${path}\n   -> ${INVALID_DEFAULT_EXPORT_MESSAGE}`
+  );
+}
+
+function classifyToolModule(
+  toolModule: unknown,
+  path: string
+): "empty" | "missing-default" | "valid" {
+  if (typeof toolModule !== "object" || toolModule === null) {
+    throw createInvalidToolImplementationError(path);
+  }
+
+  const moduleRecord = toolModule as Record<string, unknown>;
+  const keys = Object.keys(moduleRecord);
+  if (keys.length === 0) {
+    return "empty";
+  }
+
+  if (!("default" in moduleRecord) || moduleRecord.default === undefined) {
+    return "missing-default";
+  }
+
+  if (typeof moduleRecord.default !== "function") {
+    throw createInvalidToolImplementationError(path);
+  }
+
+  return "valid";
+}
+
+function toToolFile(toolModule: unknown): ToolFile {
+  return toolModule as ToolFile;
+}
+
+export async function loadToolModules(
+  loaders: Record<string, () => Promise<unknown>>
+) {
+  const toolModules = new Map<string, ToolFile>();
+  const skippedTools: ToolLoadIssue[] = [];
+
+  const results = await Promise.all(
+    Object.entries(loaders).map(async ([path, loadTool]) => {
+      const toolModule = await loadTool();
+      const classification = classifyToolModule(toolModule, path);
+
+      if (classification === "empty") {
+        return {
+          skipped: true as const,
+          issue: createToolLoadIssue(path),
+        };
+      }
+
+      if (classification === "missing-default") {
+        return {
+          skipped: true as const,
+          issue: {
+            path,
+            message: MISSING_DEFAULT_EXPORT_MESSAGE,
+          },
+        };
+      }
+
+      return {
+        skipped: false as const,
+        path,
+        toolModule: toToolFile(toolModule),
+      };
+    })
+  );
+
+  for (const result of results) {
+    if (result.skipped) {
+      skippedTools.push(result.issue);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    toolModules.set(result.path, result.toolModule);
+  }
+
+  return {
+    toolModules,
+    skippedTools,
+  };
+}
+
+function createToolLoadIssueReporter(
+  logger: Pick<Console, "warn"> = console
+) {
+  let lastReportedSummaryKey = "";
+
+  return (skippedTools: ToolLoadIssue[]) => {
+    const summaryKey = skippedTools
+      .map(({ path, message }) => `${path}:${message}`)
+      .sort()
+      .join("|");
+
+    if (summaryKey === lastReportedSummaryKey) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    lastReportedSummaryKey = summaryKey;
+
+    if (skippedTools.length === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    skippedTools.forEach(({ path, message }) => {
+      logger.warn(`[xmcp] Failed to load tool file: ${path}\n   -> ${message}`);
+    });
+
+    const count = skippedTools.length;
+    logger.warn(
+      `[xmcp] ${count} tool${count === 1 ? "" : "s"} skipped due to empty files or missing default exports`
+    );
+  };
+}
+
+export const reportToolLoadIssues = createToolLoadIssueReporter();