diff --git a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/memory_router.py b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/memory_router.py
index aebfbc94..d751f197 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/api/routers/memory_router.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/api/routers/memory_router.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ async def to_graph_context(context, entity_repository: EntityRepository):
 async def recent(
     context_service: ContextServiceDep,
     entity_repository: EntityRepositoryDep,
-    types: Annotated[list[SearchItemType] | None, Query()] = None,
+    type: Annotated[list[SearchItemType] | None, Query()] = None,
     depth: int = 1,
     timeframe: TimeFrame = "7d",
     max_results: int = 10,
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ async def recent(
     # return all types by default
     types = (
         [SearchItemType.ENTITY, SearchItemType.RELATION, SearchItemType.OBSERVATION]
-        if not types
-        else types
+        if not type
+        else type
     )
 
     logger.debug(
diff --git a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
index ffa6b51f..2bc39f9c 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ from loguru import logger
 
 from basic_memory.mcp.async_client import client
 from basic_memory.mcp.server import mcp
-from basic_memory.mcp.tools.utils import call_get
 from basic_memory.schemas.memory import GraphContext, MemoryUrl
 from basic_memory.schemas.search import SearchItemType
 from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
@@ -16,7 +15,7 @@ from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
     description="""Build context from a memory:// URI to continue conversations naturally.
     
     Use this to follow up on previous discussions or explore related topics.
-    Timeframes use natural language support - examples:
+    Timeframes support natural language like:
     - "2 days ago"
     - "last week" 
     - "today"
@@ -25,10 +24,10 @@ from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
     """,
 )
 async def build_context(
-    url: MemoryUrl,
-    depth: Optional[int] = 1,
-    timeframe: Optional[TimeFrame] = "7d",
-    max_results: int = 10,
+    url: MemoryUrl, 
+    depth: Optional[int] = 1, 
+    timeframe: Optional[TimeFrame] = "7d", 
+    max_results: int = 10
 ) -> GraphContext:
     """Get context needed to continue a discussion.
 
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ async def build_context(
     Returns:
         GraphContext containing:
             - primary_results: Content matching the memory:// URI
-            - related_results: Connected content via relations
+            - related_results: Connected content via relations 
             - metadata: Context building details
 
     Examples:
@@ -62,10 +61,8 @@ async def build_context(
         build_context("memory://features/knowledge-graph", timeframe="3 months ago")
     """
     logger.info(f"Building context from {url}")
-    # Map directly to the memory endpoint
     memory_url = MemoryUrl.validate(url)
-    response = await call_get(
-        client,
+    response = await client.get(
         f"/memory/{memory_url.relative_path()}",
         params={"depth": depth, "timeframe": timeframe, "max_results": max_results},
     )
@@ -76,27 +73,33 @@ async def build_context(
     description="""Get recent activity from across the knowledge base.
     
     Timeframe supports natural language formats like:
-    - "2 days ago"
+    - "2 days ago"  
     - "last week"
-    - "3 weeks"
-    - "2 months"
-    - "yesterday"
+    - "yesterday" 
     - "today"
-    Or standard formats like "7d", "24h"
+    - "3 weeks ago"
+    Or standard formats like "7d"
     """,
 )
 async def recent_activity(
-    types: List[SearchItemType] = None,
-    depth: Optional[int] = 1,
-    timeframe: Optional[TimeFrame] = "7d",
-    max_results: int = 10,
+    type: List[SearchItemType] = None, 
+    depth: Optional[int] = 1, 
+    timeframe: Optional[TimeFrame] = "7d", 
+    max_results: int = 10
 ) -> GraphContext:
     """Get recent activity across the knowledge base.
 
     Args:
-        types: Filter by entity types (["entity", "relation", "observation"]). If None, returns all types.
-        depth: How many relation hops to traverse when building context (1-3 recommended)
-        timeframe: How far back to look. Supports natural language like "2 days ago", "last week"
+        type: Filter by content type(s). Valid options:
+            - ["entity"] for knowledge entities
+            - ["relation"] for connections between entities
+            - ["observation"] for notes and observations 
+            Multiple types can be combined: ["entity", "relation"]
+        depth: How many relation hops to traverse (1-3 recommended)
+        timeframe: Time window to search. Supports natural language:
+            - Relative: "2 days ago", "last week", "yesterday"
+            - Points in time: "2024-01-01", "January 1st"
+            - Standard format: "7d", "24h"
         max_results: Maximum number of results to return (default: 10)
 
     Returns:
@@ -106,28 +109,23 @@ async def recent_activity(
             - metadata: Query details and statistics
 
     Examples:
-        # Get all activity from last week
-        recent_activity(timeframe="last week")
+        # Get all entities from yesterday
+        recent_activity(type=["entity"], timeframe="yesterday")
 
-        # Get only entity changes from yesterday
-        recent_activity(types=["entity"], timeframe="yesterday")
+        # Get recent relations and observations
+        recent_activity(type=["relation", "observation"], timeframe="today")
 
-        # Track recent specification changes
-        recent_activity(types=["entity"], depth=2, timeframe="3 days ago")
-
-        # Follow recent relation changes
-        recent_activity(types=["relation"], timeframe="today")
+        # Look back further with more context
+        recent_activity(type=["entity"], depth=2, timeframe="2 weeks ago")
 
     Notes:
         - Higher depth values (>3) may impact performance with large result sets
         - For focused queries, consider using build_context with a specific URI
         - Max timeframe is 1 year in the past
     """
-    logger.info(
-        f"Getting recent activity from {types}, depth={depth}, timeframe={timeframe}, max_results={max_results}"
-    )
+    logger.info(f"Getting recent activity from {type}, depth={depth}, timeframe={timeframe}, max_results={max_results}")
     response = await client.get(
-        "/memory/recent",
-        params={"depth": depth, "timeframe": timeframe, "max_results": max_results, "types": types},
+        f"/memory/recent",
+        params={"depth": depth, "timeframe": timeframe, "max_results": max_results, "type": type},
     )
     return GraphContext.model_validate(response.json())
diff --git a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/utils.py b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/utils.py
index 2b39ac7f..c674b882 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/utils.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/utils.py
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ async def call_get(
     timeout: TimeoutTypes | UseClientDefault = USE_CLIENT_DEFAULT,
     extensions: RequestExtensions | None = None,
 ) -> Response:
+    
+    logger.debug(f"Calling GET '{url}' params: '{params}'")
     try:
         response = await client.get(
             url,
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ async def call_get(
         return response
     except HTTPStatusError as e:
         logger.error(f"Error calling GET {url}: {e}")
-        raise ToolError(f"Error calling tool: {e}") from e
+        raise ToolError(f"Error calling tool: {e}. Response: {response.text}") from e
 
 
 async def call_put(
diff --git a/tests/api/test_memory_router.py b/tests/api/test_memory_router.py
index 0ac37a9f..b4285cf5 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_memory_router.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_memory_router.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 import pytest
 
-from basic_memory.schemas.memory import GraphContext
+from basic_memory.schemas.memory import GraphContext, RelationSummary, EntitySummary, ObservationSummary
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -86,3 +86,29 @@ async def test_not_found(client):
     context = GraphContext(**response.json())
     assert len(context.primary_results) == 0
     assert len(context.related_results) == 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_recent_activity(client, test_graph):
+    """Test handling of non-existent paths."""
+    response = await client.get("/memory/recent")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    context = GraphContext(**response.json())
+    assert len(context.primary_results) > 0
+    assert len(context.related_results) > 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_recent_activity_by_type(client, test_graph):
+    """Test handling of non-existent paths."""
+    response = await client.get("/memory/recent?type=relation&type=observation")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    context = GraphContext(**response.json())
+    assert len(context.primary_results) > 0
+
+    for r in context.primary_results:
+        assert isinstance(r, RelationSummary | ObservationSummary)
+
+    assert len(context.related_results) > 0
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
index f2558e71..92c8a1ba 100644
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
+++ b/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ async def test_recent_activity_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
     for timeframe in valid_timeframes:
         try:
             result = await recent_activity(
-                types=["entity"],
+                type=["entity"],
                 timeframe=timeframe,
                 max_results=1
             )
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ async def test_recent_activity_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
 
     # Test invalid timeframes should raise ValidationError
     for timeframe in invalid_timeframes:
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(ToolError):
             await recent_activity(timeframe=timeframe)