Summary:
When a tool request arrives without an arguments field (valid for no-arg tools), the desktop renderer crashes with:
Cannot convert undefined or null to object

** Detailed analysis and fix proposal (with codex) **:
bugreport_goose_matlab_mcp_gui_crash_2026-02-10.zip

Environment:

• Goose Desktop GUI (observed on Windows)
• Date observed: February 10, 2026
• MATLAB MCP extension/tooling
• CLI mode does not reproduce

Repro steps:

1. Start Goose Desktop GUI.
2. Trigger an MCP tool call that has no arguments (example: MATLAB toolbox detection tool).
3. Observe tool call event processed successfully in backend/server logs.
4. GUI crashes to the error screen ("Honk!") with Cannot convert undefined or null to object.

Expected:
GUI should render the tool call normally, even if arguments is absent.

Actual:
Renderer throws and crashes.

Root cause:
In ui/desktop/src/components/ToolCallWithResponse.tsx, tool description fallback does:
Object.entries(args) where args is cast from toolCall.arguments without defaulting.
If arguments is missing, this throws.

Proposed fix:
Use a safe default:
const args = (toolCall.arguments ?? {}) as Record<string, ToolCallArgumentValue>;
and keep local types aligned with arguments?: ....

Regression test:
Add a component test rendering a toolRequest with:
toolCall: { status: 'success', value: { name: 'matlab__detect_matlab_toolboxes' } }
(no arguments) and assert render does not throw.

Screenshots
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Please provide the following information

• OS & Arch: windows 6.2.9200 x86_64
• Interface: UI
• Version: 1.23.2
• Extensions enabled: developer, Extension Manager, Matlab, Excel
• Provider & Model: openai – gpt-4.1

Additional context
Add any other context about the problem here.