diff --git a/.changeset/mcp-card-optional.md b/.changeset/mcp-card-optional.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5283c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/mcp-card-optional.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+"agentimization": patch
+"@agentimization/core": patch
+---
+
+make the MCP server card check optional so content sites aren't penalized:
+
+- an absent `/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json` now reports `info` instead of `fail`, so it no longer drags down the score (matches how the sibling `api-catalog` and `mcp-tool-count` checks already treat absent origin-level signals). A present-but-broken card still `warn`s and a valid one still `pass`es.
+- show the suggestion arrow for `info` results in the CLI so the "add a server-card.json" hint stays visible (also surfaces previously-hidden suggestions on `api-catalog`, content-signals, and link-headers).
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/ui/check-list.tsx b/apps/cli/src/ui/check-list.tsx
index 27bf617..e04bb6a 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/ui/check-list.tsx
+++ b/apps/cli/src/ui/check-list.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ const CheckLine = ({ check, loaderColor }: { check: CheckState; loaderColor?: st
     const r = check.result
     const icon = STATUS_ICONS[r.status] ?? "?"
     const color = STATUS_COLORS[r.status] ?? "white"
-    const showSuggestion = r.suggestion && (r.status === "fail" || r.status === "warn")
+    const showSuggestion = r.suggestion && (r.status === "fail" || r.status === "warn" || r.status === "info")
 
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" paddingLeft={2}>
diff --git a/packages/core/src/checks/agent-protocols.ts b/packages/core/src/checks/agent-protocols.ts
index d022ad4..041fdf9 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/checks/agent-protocols.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/checks/agent-protocols.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ const mcpServerCard: CheckDefinition = {
         id: "mcp-server-card",
         name: "MCP Server Card",
         category: "agent-protocols",
-        status: "fail",
-        message: "No MCP server card found at /.well-known/mcp/server-card.json",
+        status: "info",
+        message: "No MCP server card found at /.well-known/mcp/server-card.json (optional)",
         suggestion: "Add a server-card.json at /.well-known/mcp/server-card.json describing your MCP server's tools, authentication, and capabilities. This lets AI agents discover what they can do with your site before connecting.",
       }
     }