diff --git a/semantica/mcp_server/__init__.py b/semantica/mcp_server/__init__.py
index cb22b434..19fe0bf4 100644
--- a/semantica/mcp_server/__init__.py
+++ b/semantica/mcp_server/__init__.py
@@ -45,14 +45,16 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 import sys
-from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
 from typing import Any
 
-try:
-    _SEMANTICA_VERSION = version("semantica")
-except PackageNotFoundError:
-    # Preserve direct source-tree execution when distribution metadata is absent.
-    from semantica import __version__ as _SEMANTICA_VERSION
+# `semantica.__version__` is the authoritative package version — it is kept in
+# sync with pyproject.toml's static `version` field by the release process and
+# is always present whenever this submodule is importable.  Using it directly
+# is simpler and more reliable than `importlib.metadata.version("semantica")`,
+# which reads dist-info written at install time and can lag the source in
+# editable installs (egg-info / dist-info is not regenerated on every version
+# bump, so it can reflect a stale value).
+from semantica import __version__ as _SEMANTICA_VERSION
 
 # ── logging ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 _log_level = getattr(logging, os.environ.get("SEMANTICA_LOG_LEVEL", "WARNING").upper(), logging.WARNING)
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp_server_version.py b/tests/test_mcp_server_version.py
index 9dd9f9a4..fbe03d1d 100644
--- a/tests/test_mcp_server_version.py
+++ b/tests/test_mcp_server_version.py
@@ -1,35 +1,93 @@
-"""Regression tests for MCP server version reporting."""
+"""Regression tests for MCP server version reporting (issue #863).
+
+Both public MCP version surfaces must derive from the same authoritative
+package version rather than a hardcoded stale literal:
+  1. MCP ``initialize`` → ``serverInfo.version``
+  2. ``semantica://schema/info`` → ``version``
+
+The authoritative source of truth is ``semantica.__version__``, which is
+maintained in sync with ``pyproject.toml``'s static ``version`` field by
+the release process.  We assert equality against that value rather than
+duplicating the version-resolution logic here, so the tests remain valid
+through future version bumps without modification.
+
+The ``assertNotEqual(..., "0.4.0")`` canaries guard against regression to
+the original stale literal that triggered issue #863.
+"""
 
 import unittest
-from importlib.metadata import PackageNotFoundError, version
 
 import semantica
 from semantica import mcp_server
 
+_EXPECTED = semantica.__version__
+
 
 class TestMCPServerVersion(unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_server_info_uses_distribution_version(self):
-        try:
-            expected = version("semantica")
-        except PackageNotFoundError:
-            expected = semantica.__version__
 
-        self.assertEqual(mcp_server.SERVER_INFO["version"], expected)
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+    # SERVER_INFO (used directly in the initialize response)
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
 
-    def test_initialize_reports_package_version(self):
+    def test_server_info_version_matches_package(self):
+        """SERVER_INFO['version'] must equal the authoritative package version."""
+        self.assertEqual(mcp_server.SERVER_INFO["version"], _EXPECTED)
+
+    def test_server_info_version_is_not_stale_literal(self):
+        """Guard: SERVER_INFO must not report the original hardcoded 0.4.0."""
+        self.assertNotEqual(mcp_server.SERVER_INFO["version"], "0.4.0")
+
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+    # MCP initialize → serverInfo.version
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+
+    def test_initialize_server_info_version_matches_package(self):
+        """The MCP initialize response must report the authoritative package version."""
         response = mcp_server._handle(
             {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "initialize"}
         )
-
         self.assertIsNotNone(response)
         self.assertEqual(
-            response["result"]["serverInfo"]["version"], semantica.__version__
+            response["result"]["serverInfo"]["version"],
+            _EXPECTED,
         )
 
-    def test_schema_info_resource_reports_package_version(self):
-        resource = mcp_server._read_resource("semantica://schema/info")
+    def test_initialize_server_info_version_is_not_stale_literal(self):
+        """Guard: initialize must not report the original hardcoded 0.4.0."""
+        response = mcp_server._handle(
+            {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "initialize"}
+        )
+        self.assertNotEqual(response["result"]["serverInfo"]["version"], "0.4.0")
 
-        self.assertEqual(resource["version"], semantica.__version__)
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+    # semantica://schema/info → version
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+
+    def test_schema_info_resource_version_matches_package(self):
+        """The semantica://schema/info resource must report the authoritative package version."""
+        resource = mcp_server._read_resource("semantica://schema/info")
+        self.assertEqual(resource["version"], _EXPECTED)
+
+    def test_schema_info_resource_version_is_not_stale_literal(self):
+        """Guard: schema/info must not report the original hardcoded 0.4.0."""
+        resource = mcp_server._read_resource("semantica://schema/info")
+        self.assertNotEqual(resource["version"], "0.4.0")
+
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+    # Both surfaces must agree
+    # ------------------------------------------------------------------ #
+
+    def test_both_version_surfaces_are_identical(self):
+        """SERVER_INFO and schema/info must report the exact same version string,
+        confirming both surfaces derive from a single authoritative value."""
+        init_response = mcp_server._handle(
+            {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "initialize"}
+        )
+        schema_resource = mcp_server._read_resource("semantica://schema/info")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            init_response["result"]["serverInfo"]["version"],
+            schema_resource["version"],
+        )
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":