diff --git a/mcp/mcp_test.go b/mcp/mcp_test.go
index f2573f44a1be6..1144d9265aa15 100644
--- a/mcp/mcp_test.go
+++ b/mcp/mcp_test.go
@@ -77,15 +77,12 @@ func TestCoderTools(t *testing.T) {
 		pty.WriteLine(ctr)
 		_ = pty.ReadLine(ctx) // skip the echo
 
-		templates, err := memberClient.Templates(ctx, codersdk.TemplateFilter{})
+		// Then: the response is a list of expected visible to the user.
+		expected, err := memberClient.Templates(ctx, codersdk.TemplateFilter{})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		templatesJSON, err := json.Marshal(templates)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-
-		// Then: the response is a list of templates visible to the user.
-		expected := makeJSONRPCTextResponse(t, string(templatesJSON))
-		actual := pty.ReadLine(ctx)
-		testutil.RequireJSONEq(t, expected, actual)
+		actual := unmarshalFromCallToolResult[[]codersdk.Template](t, pty.ReadLine(ctx))
+		require.Len(t, actual, 1)
+		require.Equal(t, expected[0].ID, actual[0].ID)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("coder_report_task", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -111,20 +108,16 @@ func TestCoderTools(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("coder_whoami", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// When: the coder_whoami tool is called
-		me, err := memberClient.User(ctx, codersdk.Me)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		meJSON, err := json.Marshal(me)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-
 		ctr := makeJSONRPCRequest(t, "tools/call", "coder_whoami", map[string]any{})
 
 		pty.WriteLine(ctr)
 		_ = pty.ReadLine(ctx) // skip the echo
 
 		// Then: the response is a valid JSON respresentation of the calling user.
-		expected := makeJSONRPCTextResponse(t, string(meJSON))
-		actual := pty.ReadLine(ctx)
-		testutil.RequireJSONEq(t, expected, actual)
+		expected, err := memberClient.User(ctx, codersdk.Me)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		actual := unmarshalFromCallToolResult[codersdk.User](t, pty.ReadLine(ctx))
+		require.Equal(t, expected.ID, actual.ID)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("coder_list_workspaces", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -138,15 +131,10 @@ func TestCoderTools(t *testing.T) {
 		pty.WriteLine(ctr)
 		_ = pty.ReadLine(ctx) // skip the echo
 
-		ws, err := memberClient.Workspaces(ctx, codersdk.WorkspaceFilter{})
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		wsJSON, err := json.Marshal(ws)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-
 		// Then: the response is a valid JSON respresentation of the calling user's workspaces.
-		expected := makeJSONRPCTextResponse(t, string(wsJSON))
-		actual := pty.ReadLine(ctx)
-		testutil.RequireJSONEq(t, expected, actual)
+		actual := unmarshalFromCallToolResult[codersdk.WorkspacesResponse](t, pty.ReadLine(ctx))
+		require.Len(t, actual.Workspaces, 1, "expected 1 workspace")
+		require.Equal(t, r.Workspace.ID, actual.Workspaces[0].ID, "expected the workspace to be the one we created in setup")
 	})
 
 	t.Run("coder_get_workspace", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -161,15 +149,12 @@ func TestCoderTools(t *testing.T) {
 		pty.WriteLine(ctr)
 		_ = pty.ReadLine(ctx) // skip the echo
 
-		ws, err := memberClient.Workspace(ctx, r.Workspace.ID)
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		wsJSON, err := json.Marshal(ws)
+		expected, err := memberClient.Workspace(ctx, r.Workspace.ID)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
 		// Then: the response is a valid JSON respresentation of the workspace.
-		expected := makeJSONRPCTextResponse(t, string(wsJSON))
-		actual := pty.ReadLine(ctx)
-		testutil.RequireJSONEq(t, expected, actual)
+		actual := unmarshalFromCallToolResult[codersdk.Workspace](t, pty.ReadLine(ctx))
+		require.Equal(t, expected.ID, actual.ID)
 	})
 
 	// NOTE: this test runs after the list_workspaces tool is called.
@@ -322,6 +307,25 @@ func makeJSONRPCTextResponse(t *testing.T, text string) string {
 	return string(bs)
 }
 
+func unmarshalFromCallToolResult[T any](t *testing.T, raw string) T {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var resp map[string]any
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(raw), &resp), "failed to unmarshal JSON RPC response")
+	res, ok := resp["result"].(map[string]any)
+	require.True(t, ok, "expected a result field in the response")
+	ct, ok := res["content"].([]any)
+	require.True(t, ok, "expected a content field in the result")
+	require.Len(t, ct, 1, "expected a single content item in the result")
+	ct0, ok := ct[0].(map[string]any)
+	require.True(t, ok, "expected a content item in the result")
+	txt, ok := ct0["text"].(string)
+	require.True(t, ok, "expected a text field in the content item")
+	var actual T
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal([]byte(txt), &actual), "failed to unmarshal content")
+	return actual
+}
+
 // startTestMCPServer is a helper function that starts a MCP server listening on
 // a pty. It is the responsibility of the caller to close the server.
 func startTestMCPServer(ctx context.Context, t testing.TB, stdin io.Reader, stdout io.Writer) (*server.MCPServer, func() error) {