diff --git a/internal/mcp/connection.go b/internal/mcp/connection.go
index 89aa1c38..477143f0 100644
--- a/internal/mcp/connection.go
+++ b/internal/mcp/connection.go
@@ -71,6 +71,58 @@ type Connection struct {
 	httpTransportType HTTPTransportType // Type of HTTP transport in use
 }
 
+// newMCPClient creates a new MCP SDK client with standard implementation details
+func newMCPClient() *sdk.Client {
+	return sdk.NewClient(&sdk.Implementation{
+		Name:    "awmg",
+		Version: "1.0.0",
+	}, nil)
+}
+
+// newHTTPConnection creates a new HTTP Connection struct with common fields
+func newHTTPConnection(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, client *sdk.Client, session *sdk.ClientSession, url string, headers map[string]string, httpClient *http.Client, transportType HTTPTransportType) *Connection {
+	return &Connection{
+		client:            client,
+		session:           session,
+		ctx:               ctx,
+		cancel:            cancel,
+		isHTTP:            true,
+		httpURL:           url,
+		headers:           headers,
+		httpClient:        httpClient,
+		httpTransportType: transportType,
+	}
+}
+
+// createJSONRPCRequest creates a JSON-RPC 2.0 request map
+func createJSONRPCRequest(requestID uint64, method string, params interface{}) map[string]interface{} {
+	return map[string]interface{}{
+		"jsonrpc": "2.0",
+		"id":      requestID,
+		"method":  method,
+		"params":  params,
+	}
+}
+
+// setupHTTPRequest creates and configures an HTTP request with standard headers
+func setupHTTPRequest(ctx context.Context, url string, requestBody []byte, headers map[string]string) (*http.Request, error) {
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "POST", url, bytes.NewReader(requestBody))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create HTTP request: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Set standard headers
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Accept", "application/json, text/event-stream")
+
+	// Add configured headers (e.g., Authorization)
+	for key, value := range headers {
+		httpReq.Header.Set(key, value)
+	}
+
+	return httpReq, nil
+}
+
 // NewConnection creates a new MCP connection using the official SDK
 func NewConnection(ctx context.Context, command string, args []string, env map[string]string) (*Connection, error) {
 	logger.LogInfo("backend", "Creating new MCP backend connection, command=%s, args=%v", command, args)
@@ -78,10 +130,7 @@ func NewConnection(ctx context.Context, command string, args []string, env map[s
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	// Create MCP client
-	client := sdk.NewClient(&sdk.Implementation{
-		Name:    "awmg",
-		Version: "1.0.0",
-	}, nil)
+	client := newMCPClient()
 
 	// Expand Docker -e flags that reference environment variables
 	// Docker's `-e VAR_NAME` expects VAR_NAME to be in the environment
@@ -239,10 +288,7 @@ func NewHTTPConnection(ctx context.Context, url string, headers map[string]strin
 // tryStreamableHTTPTransport attempts to connect using the streamable HTTP transport (2025-03-26 spec)
 func tryStreamableHTTPTransport(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, url string, headers map[string]string, httpClient *http.Client) (*Connection, error) {
 	// Create MCP client
-	client := sdk.NewClient(&sdk.Implementation{
-		Name:    "awmg",
-		Version: "1.0.0",
-	}, nil)
+	client := newMCPClient()
 
 	// Create streamable HTTP transport
 	transport := &sdk.StreamableClientTransport{
@@ -261,17 +307,7 @@ func tryStreamableHTTPTransport(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc,
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("streamable HTTP transport connect failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	conn := &Connection{
-		client:            client,
-		session:           session,
-		ctx:               ctx,
-		cancel:            cancel,
-		isHTTP:            true,
-		httpURL:           url,
-		headers:           headers,
-		httpClient:        httpClient,
-		httpTransportType: HTTPTransportStreamable,
-	}
+	conn := newHTTPConnection(ctx, cancel, client, session, url, headers, httpClient, HTTPTransportStreamable)
 
 	logger.LogInfo("backend", "Streamable HTTP transport connected successfully")
 	logConn.Printf("Connected with streamable HTTP transport")
@@ -281,10 +317,7 @@ func tryStreamableHTTPTransport(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc,
 // trySSETransport attempts to connect using the SSE transport (2024-11-05 spec)
 func trySSETransport(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, url string, headers map[string]string, httpClient *http.Client) (*Connection, error) {
 	// Create MCP client
-	client := sdk.NewClient(&sdk.Implementation{
-		Name:    "awmg",
-		Version: "1.0.0",
-	}, nil)
+	client := newMCPClient()
 
 	// Create SSE transport
 	transport := &sdk.SSEClientTransport{
@@ -302,17 +335,7 @@ func trySSETransport(ctx context.Context, cancel context.CancelFunc, url string,
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("SSE transport connect failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	conn := &Connection{
-		client:            client,
-		session:           session,
-		ctx:               ctx,
-		cancel:            cancel,
-		isHTTP:            true,
-		httpURL:           url,
-		headers:           headers,
-		httpClient:        httpClient,
-		httpTransportType: HTTPTransportSSE,
-	}
+	conn := newHTTPConnection(ctx, cancel, client, session, url, headers, httpClient, HTTPTransportSSE)
 
 	logger.LogInfo("backend", "SSE transport connected successfully")
 	logConn.Printf("Connected with SSE transport")
@@ -455,12 +478,7 @@ func (c *Connection) initializeHTTPSession() (string, error) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	request := map[string]interface{}{
-		"jsonrpc": "2.0",
-		"id":      requestID,
-		"method":  "initialize",
-		"params":  initParams,
-	}
+	request := createJSONRPCRequest(requestID, "initialize", initParams)
 
 	requestBody, err := json.Marshal(request)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -469,27 +487,18 @@ func (c *Connection) initializeHTTPSession() (string, error) {
 
 	logConn.Printf("Sending initialize request: %s", string(requestBody))
 
-	// Create HTTP request
-	httpReq, err := http.NewRequest("POST", c.httpURL, bytes.NewReader(requestBody))
+	// Create HTTP request with standard headers
+	httpReq, err := setupHTTPRequest(context.Background(), c.httpURL, requestBody, c.headers)
 	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create HTTP request: %w", err)
+		return "", err
 	}
 
-	// Set headers
-	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	httpReq.Header.Set("Accept", "application/json, text/event-stream")
-
 	// Generate a temporary session ID for the initialize request
 	// Some backends may require this header even during initialization
 	tempSessionID := fmt.Sprintf("awmg-init-%d", requestID)
 	httpReq.Header.Set("Mcp-Session-Id", tempSessionID)
 	logConn.Printf("Sending initialize with temporary session ID: %s", tempSessionID)
 
-	// Add configured headers (e.g., Authorization)
-	for key, value := range c.headers {
-		httpReq.Header.Set(key, value)
-	}
-
 	logConn.Printf("Sending initialize to %s", c.httpURL)
 
 	// Send request
@@ -568,28 +577,19 @@ func (c *Connection) sendHTTPRequest(ctx context.Context, method string, params
 	requestID := atomic.AddUint64(&requestIDCounter, 1)
 
 	// Create JSON-RPC request
-	request := map[string]interface{}{
-		"jsonrpc": "2.0",
-		"id":      requestID,
-		"method":  method,
-		"params":  params,
-	}
+	request := createJSONRPCRequest(requestID, method, params)
 
 	requestBody, err := json.Marshal(request)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal request: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Create HTTP request
-	httpReq, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "POST", c.httpURL, bytes.NewReader(requestBody))
+	// Create HTTP request with standard headers
+	httpReq, err := setupHTTPRequest(ctx, c.httpURL, requestBody, c.headers)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create HTTP request: %w", err)
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Set headers
-	httpReq.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	httpReq.Header.Set("Accept", "application/json, text/event-stream")
-
 	// Add Mcp-Session-Id header with priority:
 	// 1) Context session ID (if explicitly provided for this request)
 	// 2) Stored httpSessionID from initialization
@@ -608,11 +608,6 @@ func (c *Connection) sendHTTPRequest(ctx context.Context, method string, params
 		logConn.Printf("No session ID available (backend may not require session management)")
 	}
 
-	// Add configured headers
-	for key, value := range c.headers {
-		httpReq.Header.Set(key, value)
-	}
-
 	logConn.Printf("Sending HTTP request to %s: method=%s, id=%d", c.httpURL, method, requestID)
 
 	// Send request using the reusable HTTP client
diff --git a/internal/mcp/connection_test.go b/internal/mcp/connection_test.go
index c5b6d14f..bb4d4cca 100644
--- a/internal/mcp/connection_test.go
+++ b/internal/mcp/connection_test.go
@@ -564,3 +564,142 @@ data: {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":` + idStr + `,"result":{"tools":[]}}
 
 	t.Logf("Successfully parsed SSE-formatted response from server")
 }
+
+// TestNewMCPClient tests the newMCPClient helper function
+func TestNewMCPClient(t *testing.T) {
+	client := newMCPClient()
+	require.NotNil(t, client, "newMCPClient should return a non-nil client")
+}
+
+// TestCreateJSONRPCRequest tests the createJSONRPCRequest helper function
+func TestCreateJSONRPCRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		requestID uint64
+		method    string
+		params    interface{}
+	}{
+		{
+			name:      "simple request with nil params",
+			requestID: 1,
+			method:    "initialize",
+			params:    nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "request with map params",
+			requestID: 42,
+			method:    "tools/list",
+			params:    map[string]interface{}{"filter": "test"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:      "request with struct params",
+			requestID: 100,
+			method:    "tools/call",
+			params:    struct{ Name string }{Name: "test-tool"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			request := createJSONRPCRequest(tt.requestID, tt.method, tt.params)
+
+			assert.Equal(t, "2.0", request["jsonrpc"], "jsonrpc version should be 2.0")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.requestID, request["id"], "id should match requestID")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.method, request["method"], "method should match")
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.params, request["params"], "params should match")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestSetupHTTPRequest tests the setupHTTPRequest helper function
+func TestSetupHTTPRequest(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name           string
+		url            string
+		requestBody    []byte
+		headers        map[string]string
+		expectError    bool
+		expectedMethod string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "basic request with no custom headers",
+			url:            "http://example.com/mcp",
+			requestBody:    []byte(`{"test": "data"}`),
+			headers:        map[string]string{},
+			expectError:    false,
+			expectedMethod: "POST",
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "request with custom headers",
+			url:         "http://example.com/mcp",
+			requestBody: []byte(`{"test": "data"}`),
+			headers: map[string]string{
+				"Authorization": "Bearer token123",
+				"X-Custom":      "value",
+			},
+			expectError:    false,
+			expectedMethod: "POST",
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "request with empty body",
+			url:            "http://example.com/mcp",
+			requestBody:    []byte{},
+			headers:        map[string]string{},
+			expectError:    false,
+			expectedMethod: "POST",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			ctx := context.Background()
+			req, err := setupHTTPRequest(ctx, tt.url, tt.requestBody, tt.headers)
+
+			if tt.expectError {
+				assert.Error(t, err, "Expected error")
+				return
+			}
+
+			require.NoError(t, err, "setupHTTPRequest should not return error")
+			require.NotNil(t, req, "Request should not be nil")
+
+			// Verify method
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectedMethod, req.Method, "Method should be POST")
+
+			// Verify URL
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.url, req.URL.String(), "URL should match")
+
+			// Verify standard headers
+			assert.Equal(t, "application/json", req.Header.Get("Content-Type"), "Content-Type should be application/json")
+			assert.Equal(t, "application/json, text/event-stream", req.Header.Get("Accept"), "Accept header should be set")
+
+			// Verify custom headers
+			for key, value := range tt.headers {
+				assert.Equal(t, value, req.Header.Get(key), "Custom header %s should match", key)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestNewHTTPConnection tests the newHTTPConnection helper function
+func TestNewHTTPConnection(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	client := newMCPClient()
+	url := "http://example.com/mcp"
+	headers := map[string]string{"Authorization": "test"}
+	httpClient := &http.Client{}
+
+	conn := newHTTPConnection(ctx, cancel, client, nil, url, headers, httpClient, HTTPTransportStreamable)
+
+	require.NotNil(t, conn, "Connection should not be nil")
+	assert.Equal(t, client, conn.client, "Client should match")
+	assert.Equal(t, ctx, conn.ctx, "Context should match")
+	assert.NotNil(t, conn.cancel, "Cancel function should not be nil")
+	assert.True(t, conn.isHTTP, "isHTTP should be true")
+	assert.Equal(t, url, conn.httpURL, "URL should match")
+	assert.Equal(t, headers, conn.headers, "Headers should match")
+	assert.Equal(t, httpClient, conn.httpClient, "HTTP client should match")
+	assert.Equal(t, HTTPTransportStreamable, conn.httpTransportType, "Transport type should match")
+}