diff --git a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
index 7a63dcde..c40f3f19 100644
--- a/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
+++ b/src/basic_memory/mcp/tools/memory.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Discussion context tools for Basic Memory MCP server."""
 
-from typing import Optional, List
+from typing import Optional, Literal
 
 from loguru import logger
 
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ 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
 
 
@@ -84,7 +83,7 @@ async def build_context(
     """,
 )
 async def recent_activity(
-    type: List[SearchItemType] = None,
+    type: Literal["entity", "observation", "relation"] = None,
     depth: Optional[int] = 1,
     timeframe: Optional[TimeFrame] = "7d",
     max_results: int = 10,
@@ -128,9 +127,16 @@ async def recent_activity(
     logger.info(
         f"Getting recent activity from {type}, depth={depth}, timeframe={timeframe}, max_results={max_results}"
     )
+    params = {
+        "depth": depth,
+        "timeframe": timeframe,
+        "max_results": max_results,
+        "type": type if type else None,
+    }
+
     response = await call_get(
         client,
         "/memory/recent",
-        params={"depth": depth, "timeframe": timeframe, "max_results": max_results, "type": type},
+        params=params,
     )
     return GraphContext.model_validate(response.json())
diff --git a/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py b/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
index 92c8a1ba..ddcd0ec2 100644
--- a/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
+++ b/tests/mcp/test_tool_memory.py
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 """Tests for discussion context MCP tool."""
+
 import pytest
 from datetime import datetime
 
-from httpx import HTTPStatusError
 from mcp.server.fastmcp.exceptions import ToolError
 
 from basic_memory.mcp.tools.memory import build_context, recent_activity
-from basic_memory.schemas.base import TimeFrame
-from basic_memory.schemas.memory import GraphContext, MemoryUrl
+from basic_memory.schemas.memory import (
+    GraphContext,
+    MemoryUrl,
+    EntitySummary,
+    ObservationSummary,
+    RelationSummary,
+)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -85,11 +90,7 @@ async def test_recent_activity_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
     # Test each valid timeframe
     for timeframe in valid_timeframes:
         try:
-            result = await recent_activity(
-                type=["entity"],
-                timeframe=timeframe,
-                max_results=1
-            )
+            result = await recent_activity(type=["entity"], timeframe=timeframe, max_results=1)
             assert result is not None
         except Exception as e:
             pytest.fail(f"Failed with valid timeframe '{timeframe}': {str(e)}")
@@ -100,6 +101,34 @@ async def test_recent_activity_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
             await recent_activity(timeframe=timeframe)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_recent_activity_type_filters(client, test_graph):
+    """Test that recent_activity correctly filters by types."""
+    # Test single type
+    result = await recent_activity(type=["entity"])
+    assert result is not None
+    assert all(isinstance(r, EntitySummary) for r in result.primary_results)
+
+    # Test multiple types
+    result = await recent_activity(type=["entity", "observation"])
+    assert result is not None
+    assert all(
+        isinstance(r, EntitySummary) or isinstance(r, ObservationSummary)
+        for r in result.primary_results
+    )
+
+    # Test all types
+    result = await recent_activity(type=["entity", "observation", "relation"])
+    assert result is not None
+    # Results can be any type
+    assert all(
+        isinstance(r, EntitySummary)
+        or isinstance(r, ObservationSummary)
+        or isinstance(r, RelationSummary)
+        for r in result.primary_results
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_build_context_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
     """Test that build_context accepts various timeframe formats."""
@@ -108,11 +137,7 @@ async def test_build_context_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
     # Test each valid timeframe
     for timeframe in valid_timeframes:
         try:
-            result = await build_context(
-                url=test_url,
-                timeframe=timeframe,
-                max_results=1
-            )
+            result = await build_context(url=test_url, timeframe=timeframe, max_results=1)
             assert result is not None
         except Exception as e:
             pytest.fail(f"Failed with valid timeframe '{timeframe}': {str(e)}")
@@ -121,5 +146,3 @@ async def test_build_context_timeframe_formats(client, test_graph):
     for timeframe in invalid_timeframes:
         with pytest.raises(ToolError):
             await build_context(url=test_url, timeframe=timeframe)
-
-