diff --git a/src/mcp/shared/auth.py b/src/mcp/shared/auth.py
index ca5b7b45a..18da98e22 100644
--- a/src/mcp/shared/auth.py
+++ b/src/mcp/shared/auth.py
@@ -71,11 +71,14 @@ def validate_scope(self, requested_scope: str | None) -> list[str] | None:
         if requested_scope is None:
             return None
         requested_scopes = requested_scope.split(" ")
-        allowed_scopes = [] if self.scope is None else self.scope.split(" ")
+        if self.scope is None:
+            # No scope restrictions registered; all requested scopes are allowed
+            return requested_scopes
+        allowed_scopes = self.scope.split(" ")
         for scope in requested_scopes:
-            if scope not in allowed_scopes:  # pragma: no branch
+            if scope not in allowed_scopes:
                 raise InvalidScopeError(f"Client was not registered with scope {scope}")
-        return requested_scopes  # pragma: no cover
+        return requested_scopes
 
     def validate_redirect_uri(self, redirect_uri: AnyUrl | None) -> AnyUrl:
         if redirect_uri is not None:
diff --git a/tests/shared/test_auth.py b/tests/shared/test_auth.py
index cd3c35332..f0a6f2ff7 100644
--- a/tests/shared/test_auth.py
+++ b/tests/shared/test_auth.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """Tests for OAuth 2.0 shared code."""
 
-from mcp.shared.auth import OAuthMetadata
+import pytest
+from pydantic import AnyUrl
+
+from mcp.shared.auth import InvalidScopeError, OAuthClientMetadata, OAuthMetadata
 
 
 def test_oauth():
@@ -58,3 +61,43 @@ def test_oauth_with_jarm():
             "token_endpoint_auth_methods_supported": ["client_secret_basic", "client_secret_post"],
         }
     )
+
+
+def test_validate_scope_none_required_scopes_accepts_all():
+    """When client has no scope restrictions (scope=None), all requested scopes should be accepted."""
+    client = OAuthClientMetadata(
+        redirect_uris=[AnyUrl("http://localhost:3030/callback")],
+        scope=None,
+    )
+    result = client.validate_scope("read write admin")
+    assert result == ["read", "write", "admin"]
+
+
+def test_validate_scope_none_requested_scope_returns_none():
+    """When no scope is requested, validate_scope should return None."""
+    client = OAuthClientMetadata(
+        redirect_uris=[AnyUrl("http://localhost:3030/callback")],
+        scope="read write",
+    )
+    result = client.validate_scope(None)
+    assert result is None
+
+
+def test_validate_scope_rejects_unauthorized_scope():
+    """When client has specific allowed scopes, unauthorized scopes should be rejected."""
+    client = OAuthClientMetadata(
+        redirect_uris=[AnyUrl("http://localhost:3030/callback")],
+        scope="read",
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidScopeError, match="write"):
+        client.validate_scope("read write")
+
+
+def test_validate_scope_accepts_authorized_scope():
+    """When client has specific allowed scopes, authorized scopes should be accepted."""
+    client = OAuthClientMetadata(
+        redirect_uris=[AnyUrl("http://localhost:3030/callback")],
+        scope="read write",
+    )
+    result = client.validate_scope("read write")
+    assert result == ["read", "write"]