diff --git a/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchange.java b/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchange.java
index e27d6128f..d977ac96f 100644
--- a/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchange.java
+++ b/mcp-core/src/main/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchange.java
@@ -225,6 +225,13 @@ public Mono<McpSchema.ListRootsResult> listRoots() {
 	 * @return A Mono that emits the list of roots result containing
 	 */
 	public Mono<McpSchema.ListRootsResult> listRoots(String cursor) {
+		if (this.clientCapabilities == null) {
+			return Mono
+				.error(new IllegalStateException("Client must be initialized. Call the initialize method first!"));
+		}
+		if (this.clientCapabilities.roots() == null) {
+			return Mono.error(new IllegalStateException("Client must be configured with roots capabilities"));
+		}
 		return this.session.sendRequest(McpSchema.METHOD_ROOTS_LIST, new McpSchema.PaginatedRequest(cursor),
 				LIST_ROOTS_RESULT_TYPE_REF);
 	}
diff --git a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchangeTests.java b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchangeTests.java
index f4f76b159..6f3f7892d 100644
--- a/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchangeTests.java
+++ b/mcp-core/src/test/java/io/modelcontextprotocol/server/McpAsyncServerExchangeTests.java
@@ -207,6 +207,40 @@ void testListRootsUnmodifiabilityAfterAccumulation() {
 		}).verifyComplete();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void testListRootsWithNullCapabilities() {
+		// Given - Create exchange with null capabilities
+		McpAsyncServerExchange exchangeWithNullCapabilities = new McpAsyncServerExchange("testSessionId", mockSession,
+				null, clientInfo, McpTransportContext.EMPTY);
+
+		StepVerifier.create(exchangeWithNullCapabilities.listRoots()).verifyErrorSatisfies(error -> {
+			assertThat(error).isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
+				.hasMessage("Client must be initialized. Call the initialize method first!");
+		});
+
+		// Verify that sendRequest was never called due to null capabilities
+		verify(mockSession, never()).sendRequest(eq(McpSchema.METHOD_ROOTS_LIST), any(), any(TypeRef.class));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testListRootsWithoutRootsCapabilities() {
+		// Given - Create exchange without roots capabilities
+		McpSchema.ClientCapabilities capabilitiesWithoutRoots = McpSchema.ClientCapabilities.builder()
+			.sampling()
+			.build();
+
+		McpAsyncServerExchange exchangeWithoutRoots = new McpAsyncServerExchange("testSessionId", mockSession,
+				capabilitiesWithoutRoots, clientInfo, McpTransportContext.EMPTY);
+
+		StepVerifier.create(exchangeWithoutRoots.listRoots()).verifyErrorSatisfies(error -> {
+			assertThat(error).isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
+				.hasMessage("Client must be configured with roots capabilities");
+		});
+
+		// Verify that sendRequest was never called due to missing roots capabilities
+		verify(mockSession, never()).sendRequest(eq(McpSchema.METHOD_ROOTS_LIST), any(), any(TypeRef.class));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void testGetClientCapabilities() {
 		assertThat(exchange.getClientCapabilities()).isEqualTo(clientCapabilities);