diff --git a/crates/rmcp/src/transport/common/server_side_http.rs b/crates/rmcp/src/transport/common/server_side_http.rs
index 09df6d285..ba248ba82 100644
--- a/crates/rmcp/src/transport/common/server_side_http.rs
+++ b/crates/rmcp/src/transport/common/server_side_http.rs
@@ -195,10 +195,12 @@ pub(crate) const fn internal_error_response<E: Display>(
     }
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn unexpected_message_response(expect: &str) -> Response<BoxBody<Bytes, Infallible>> {
+/// MCP spec: servers that require a session ID SHOULD respond to requests
+/// without one (other than initialization) with 400 Bad Request.
+pub(crate) fn session_id_required_response() -> Response<BoxBody<Bytes, Infallible>> {
     Response::builder()
-        .status(http::StatusCode::UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY)
-        .body(Full::new(Bytes::from(format!("Unexpected message, expect {expect}"))).boxed())
+        .status(http::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST)
+        .body(Full::new(Bytes::from("Bad Request: Session ID is required")).boxed())
         .expect("valid response")
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/rmcp/src/transport/streamable_http_server/tower.rs b/crates/rmcp/src/transport/streamable_http_server/tower.rs
index ab541ff31..597547bc6 100644
--- a/crates/rmcp/src/transport/streamable_http_server/tower.rs
+++ b/crates/rmcp/src/transport/streamable_http_server/tower.rs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ use crate::{
             mcp_headers,
             server_side_http::{
                 BoxResponse, ServerSseMessage, accepted_response, expect_json,
-                internal_error_response, sse_stream_response, unexpected_message_response,
+                internal_error_response, session_id_required_response, sse_stream_response,
             },
         },
     },
@@ -1914,11 +1914,7 @@ where
             .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok())
             .map(|s| s.to_owned().into());
         let Some(session_id) = session_id else {
-            // MCP spec: servers that require a session ID SHOULD respond with 400 Bad Request
-            return Ok(Response::builder()
-                .status(http::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST)
-                .body(Full::new(Bytes::from("Bad Request: Session ID is required")).boxed())
-                .expect("valid response"));
+            return Ok(session_id_required_response());
         };
         // check if session exists
         let has_session = self
@@ -2159,7 +2155,7 @@ where
                 let stored_init_params = match &mut message {
                     ClientJsonRpcMessage::Request(req) => {
                         let ClientRequest::InitializeRequest(init_req) = &req.request else {
-                            return Err(unexpected_message_response("initialize request").into());
+                            return Err(session_id_required_response().into());
                         };
                         // Reject mismatched MCP-Protocol-Version header before binding the session to anything.
                         validate_header_matches_init_body(
@@ -2177,7 +2173,7 @@ where
                         stored_init_params
                     }
                     _ => {
-                        return Err(unexpected_message_response("initialize request").into());
+                        return Err(session_id_required_response().into());
                     }
                 };
                 let service = self
@@ -2382,11 +2378,7 @@ where
             .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok())
             .map(|s| s.to_owned().into());
         let Some(session_id) = session_id else {
-            // MCP spec: servers that require a session ID SHOULD respond with 400 Bad Request
-            return Ok(Response::builder()
-                .status(http::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST)
-                .body(Full::new(Bytes::from("Bad Request: Session ID is required")).boxed())
-                .expect("valid response"));
+            return Ok(session_id_required_response());
         };
         // Validate MCP-Protocol-Version header (per 2025-06-18 spec)
         validate_protocol_version_header(request.headers(), false)?;
diff --git a/crates/rmcp/tests/test_streamable_http_protocol_version.rs b/crates/rmcp/tests/test_streamable_http_protocol_version.rs
index d4388d143..2adf54532 100644
--- a/crates/rmcp/tests/test_streamable_http_protocol_version.rs
+++ b/crates/rmcp/tests/test_streamable_http_protocol_version.rs
@@ -240,6 +240,41 @@ async fn stateful_init_rejects_when_header_mismatches_body() -> anyhow::Result<(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// MCP spec (Streamable HTTP, Session Management): servers that require a
+/// session ID SHOULD respond to requests without an `Mcp-Session-Id` header
+/// (other than initialization) with HTTP 400 Bad Request.
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn stateful_post_without_session_id_is_bad_request() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let session_manager = Arc::new(LocalSessionManager::default());
+    let (client, url, ct) =
+        spawn_server_with_manager(stateful_config(), session_manager.clone()).await;
+
+    let response = post_non_initialize(&client, &url).await;
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), 400);
+    assert_eq!(
+        response.text().await?,
+        "Bad Request: Session ID is required"
+    );
+
+    let response = client
+        .post(&url)
+        .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+        .header("Accept", "application/json, text/event-stream")
+        .body(r#"{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"notifications/initialized"}"#)
+        .send()
+        .await?;
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), 400);
+    assert_eq!(
+        response.text().await?,
+        "Bad Request: Session ID is required"
+    );
+
+    assert_eq!(session_manager.sessions.read().await.len(), 0);
+
+    ct.cancel();
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn stateful_rejected_initial_posts_do_not_create_sessions() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let session_manager = Arc::new(LocalSessionManager::default());
@@ -247,7 +282,7 @@ async fn stateful_rejected_initial_posts_do_not_create_sessions() -> anyhow::Res
         spawn_server_with_manager(stateful_config(), session_manager.clone()).await;
 
     let response = post_non_initialize(&client, &url).await;
-    assert_eq!(response.status(), 422);
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), 400);
     assert_eq!(session_manager.sessions.read().await.len(), 0);
 
     let response = post_init(&client, &url, Some("2024-11-05"), "2025-11-25").await;