diff --git a/src/mcp.rs b/src/mcp.rs
index dc420f5..13e3b79 100644
--- a/src/mcp.rs
+++ b/src/mcp.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ fn tool_schemas() -> Value {
                         "text": { "type": "string", "description": "todo text" },
                         "priority": { "type": "string", "enum": ["low", "medium", "high", "critical"] },
                         "tags": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string" } },
-                        "no_project": { "type": "boolean" }
+                        "no_project": { "type": "boolean" },
+                        "project": { "type": "string", "description": "explicit project path, use when the server cannot auto-detect git repos (e.g. running in a container)" }
                     },
                     "required": ["text"]
                 }
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ fn tool_schemas() -> Value {
                         "priority": { "type": "string", "enum": ["low", "medium", "high", "critical"] },
                         "search": { "type": "string" },
                         "here": { "type": "boolean", "description": "only show todos for current repo" },
+                        "project": { "type": "string", "description": "explicit project path to filter by, use when the server cannot auto-detect git repos (e.g. running in a container)" },
                         "all": { "type": "boolean", "description": "include completed todos" }
                     }
                 }
@@ -156,7 +158,12 @@ async fn dispatch(pool: &Pool, name: &str, args: &Value) -> Value {
                 .unwrap_or_default();
             let tags = str_array(args, "tags");
             let no_project = args.get("no_project").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
-            let project = if no_project { None } else { db::detect_project() };
+            let explicit_project = args.get("project").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).map(String::from);
+            let project = if no_project {
+                None
+            } else {
+                explicit_project.or_else(db::detect_project)
+            };
             db::insert_todo(pool, text, &priority, project.as_deref(), &tags)
                 .await
                 .map(|t| serde_json::to_string(&t).unwrap())
@@ -168,7 +175,8 @@ async fn dispatch(pool: &Pool, name: &str, args: &Value) -> Value {
             let search = args.get("search").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).map(String::from);
             let here = args.get("here").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
             let all = args.get("all").and_then(|v| v.as_bool()).unwrap_or(false);
-            let project = if here { db::detect_project() } else { None };
+            let explicit_project = args.get("project").and_then(|v| v.as_str()).map(String::from);
+            let project = explicit_project.or_else(|| if here { db::detect_project() } else { None });
             db::list_todos(
                 pool,
                 ListFilters {