diff --git a/havre/src/server.js b/havre/src/server.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf7ce95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/havre/src/server.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { McpServer } from "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk/server/mcp.js";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+// Stateless by construction: a fresh server per connection, handlers are pure functions of their input.
+// Add tools here; nothing in this file may read or write disk, a database, or a stored secret.
+export function createServer() {
+  const server = new McpServer({ name: "havre", version: "0.0.0" });
+  server.registerTool(
+    "havre_ping",
+    { description: "Placeholder tool: echoes a message back (default 'pong').", inputSchema: { message: z.string().max(200).optional() } },
+    async ({ message }) => ({ content: [{ type: "text", text: message ?? "pong" }] }),
+  );
+  return server;
+}