diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d381a2de..6a671f1c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli node build/index.js --method prompts/l
 npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli https://my-mcp-server.example.com
 
 # Connect to a remote MCP server (with Streamable HTTP transport)
-npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli https://my-mcp-server.example.com --transport http
+npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli https://my-mcp-server.example.com --transport http --method tools/list
 
 # Call a tool on a remote server
 npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --cli https://my-mcp-server.example.com --method tools/call --tool-name remotetool --tool-arg param=value
diff --git a/cli/scripts/cli-tests.js b/cli/scripts/cli-tests.js
index 51bda553..0c5a6f2d 100755
--- a/cli/scripts/cli-tests.js
+++ b/cli/scripts/cli-tests.js
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ async function runTests() {
   // Test 26: HTTP transport with explicit --transport http flag
   await runBasicTest(
     "http_transport_with_explicit_flag",
-    "http://127.0.0.1:3001",
+    "http://127.0.0.1:3001/mcp",
     "--transport",
     "http",
     "--cli",
@@ -710,6 +710,26 @@ async function runTests() {
     "tools/list",
   );
 
+  // Test 29: HTTP transport without URL (should fail)
+  await runErrorTest(
+    "http_transport_without_url",
+    "--transport",
+    "http",
+    "--cli",
+    "--method",
+    "tools/list",
+  );
+
+  // Test 30: SSE transport without URL (should fail)
+  await runErrorTest(
+    "sse_transport_without_url",
+    "--transport",
+    "sse",
+    "--cli",
+    "--method",
+    "tools/list",
+  );
+
   // Kill HTTP server
   try {
     process.kill(-httpServer.pid);
diff --git a/cli/src/transport.ts b/cli/src/transport.ts
index e0d67b4e..b6276356 100644
--- a/cli/src/transport.ts
+++ b/cli/src/transport.ts
@@ -14,24 +14,6 @@ export type TransportOptions = {
   url?: string;
 };
 
-function createSSETransport(options: TransportOptions): Transport {
-  const baseUrl = new URL(options.url ?? "");
-  const sseUrl = baseUrl.pathname.endsWith("/sse")
-    ? baseUrl
-    : new URL("/sse", baseUrl);
-
-  return new SSEClientTransport(sseUrl);
-}
-
-function createHTTPTransport(options: TransportOptions): Transport {
-  const baseUrl = new URL(options.url ?? "");
-  const mcpUrl = baseUrl.pathname.endsWith("/mcp")
-    ? baseUrl
-    : new URL("/mcp", baseUrl);
-
-  return new StreamableHTTPClientTransport(mcpUrl);
-}
-
 function createStdioTransport(options: TransportOptions): Transport {
   let args: string[] = [];
 
@@ -75,12 +57,18 @@ export function createTransport(options: TransportOptions): Transport {
       return createStdioTransport(options);
     }
 
+    // If not STDIO, then it must be either SSE or HTTP.
+    if (!options.url) {
+      throw new Error("URL must be provided for SSE or HTTP transport types.");
+    }
+    const url = new URL(options.url);
+
     if (transportType === "sse") {
-      return createSSETransport(options);
+      return new SSEClientTransport(url);
     }
 
     if (transportType === "http") {
-      return createHTTPTransport(options);
+      return new StreamableHTTPClientTransport(url);
     }
 
     throw new Error(`Unsupported transport type: ${transportType}`);