diff --git a/src/Abilities/AbilityRegistrar.php b/src/Abilities/AbilityRegistrar.php
index 6b14c6f..439044a 100644
--- a/src/Abilities/AbilityRegistrar.php
+++ b/src/Abilities/AbilityRegistrar.php
@@ -85,7 +85,13 @@ final class AbilityRegistrar
             'meta' => [
                 'annotations' => $ability->annotations(),
                 'show_in_rest' => false,
-                'mcp' => ['public' => true, 'type' => 'tool'],
+                // mcp.public only governs the adapter's meta-tools (discover/get-info/execute);
+                // direct tools are listed on the server explicitly. Direct-only abilities
+                // (image/resource results) would not work through execute, so hide them there.
+                'mcp' => [
+                    'public' => ! in_array($ability->name(), ExposurePolicy::DIRECT_ONLY, true),
+                    'type' => 'tool',
+                ],
             ],
         ];
 
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Abilities/AbilityRegistrarTest.php b/tests/Unit/Abilities/AbilityRegistrarTest.php
index 33b1ece..6b96417 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/Abilities/AbilityRegistrarTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/Abilities/AbilityRegistrarTest.php
@@ -69,6 +69,24 @@ final class AbilityRegistrarTest extends TestCase
         self::assertFalse($args['meta']['show_in_rest']);
     }
 
+    public function testDirectOnlyAbilitiesAreNotPublicForTheMetaTools(): void
+    {
+        $ability = Mockery::mock(Ability::class);
+        $ability->allows('name')->andReturn('lit/media-download');
+        $ability->allows('label')->andReturn('Download');
+        $ability->allows('description')->andReturn('Download');
+        $ability->allows('inputSchema')->andReturn(['type' => 'object', 'properties' => []]);
+        $ability->allows('outputSchema')->andReturn(null);
+        $ability->allows('annotations')->andReturn(['readonly' => true]);
+        $ability->allows('isDirect')->andReturn(true);
+
+        $args = $this->registrarFor($ability)->argsFor($ability);
+
+        self::assertFalse($args['meta']['mcp']['public']);
+        self::assertSame('tool', $args['meta']['mcp']['type']);
+        self::assertIsCallable($args['execute_callback']);
+    }
+
     public function testPermissionDeniedWithoutLitCapability(): void
     {
         Functions\when('current_user_can')->justReturn(false);