diff --git a/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClient.java b/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClient.java
index 502b23f6b..cd071b690 100644
--- a/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClient.java
+++ b/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClient.java
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ public Mono<Void> addRoot(Root root) {
 
 		logger.debug("Added root: {}", root);
 
-		if (this.clientCapabilities.roots().listChanged()) {
+		if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(this.clientCapabilities.roots().listChanged())) {
 			if (this.isInitialized()) {
 				return this.rootsListChangedNotification();
 			}
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ public Mono<Void> removeRoot(String rootUri) {
 
 		if (removed != null) {
 			logger.debug("Removed Root: {}", rootUri);
-			if (this.clientCapabilities.roots().listChanged()) {
+			if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(this.clientCapabilities.roots().listChanged())) {
 				if (this.isInitialized()) {
 					return this.rootsListChangedNotification();
 				}
diff --git a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClientTest.java b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClientTest.java
index dea7d42e9..e4403f5b1 100644
--- a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClientTest.java
+++ b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpAsyncClientTest.java
@@ -12,11 +12,15 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
+import reactor.test.StepVerifier;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatCode;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
+import static org.mockito.ArgumentMatchers.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 /**
@@ -179,4 +183,26 @@ void noElicitationFromCapabilities() {
 
 	}
 
+	@Nested
+	class Roots {
+
+		@Test
+		void addAndRemoveRootWithUnsetListChanged() {
+			McpClientTransport transport = mock(McpClientTransport.class);
+			when(transport.protocolVersions()).thenReturn(List.of("2024-11-05"));
+			var client = McpClient.async(transport)
+				.capabilities(McpSchema.ClientCapabilities.builder().roots(null).build())
+				.jsonSchemaValidator(mock(JsonSchemaValidator.class))
+				.build();
+
+			assertThat(client.getClientCapabilities().roots().listChanged()).isNull();
+
+			StepVerifier.create(client.addRoot(new McpSchema.Root("file:///added", "added"))).verifyComplete();
+			StepVerifier.create(client.removeRoot("file:///added")).verifyComplete();
+
+			verify(transport, never()).sendMessage(any());
+		}
+
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpSyncClientTest.java b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpSyncClientTest.java
index 9790dea6a..0d611b4c4 100644
--- a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpSyncClientTest.java
+++ b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/client/McpSyncClientTest.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatCode;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -91,4 +92,23 @@ void noElicitationFromCapabilities() {
 
 	}
 
+	@Nested
+	class Roots {
+
+		@Test
+		void addAndRemoveRootWithUnsetListChanged() {
+			McpClientTransport transport = mock(McpClientTransport.class);
+			when(transport.protocolVersions()).thenReturn(List.of("2024-11-05"));
+			var client = McpClient.sync(transport)
+				.capabilities(McpSchema.ClientCapabilities.builder().roots(null).build())
+				.jsonSchemaValidator(mock(JsonSchemaValidator.class))
+				.build();
+
+			assertThatCode(() -> client.addRoot(new McpSchema.Root("file:///added", "added")))
+				.doesNotThrowAnyException();
+			assertThatCode(() -> client.removeRoot("file:///added")).doesNotThrowAnyException();
+		}
+
+	}
+
 }