diff --git a/packages/client/src/client/probeClassifier.ts b/packages/client/src/client/probeClassifier.ts
index e23d011a2a..cbe3233051 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/client/probeClassifier.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/client/probeClassifier.ts
@@ -311,9 +311,12 @@ function classifyNetworkError(error: unknown, context: ProbeClassifierContext):
     }
     return {
         kind: 'error',
-        error: new SdkError(SdkErrorCode.EraNegotiationFailed, `Version negotiation probe failed: ${describeError(error)}`, {
-            cause: error
-        })
+        error: new SdkError(
+            SdkErrorCode.EraNegotiationFailed,
+            `Version negotiation probe failed: ${describeError(error)}`,
+            undefined,
+            { cause: error }
+        )
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/core-internal/src/errors/sdkErrors.ts b/packages/core-internal/src/errors/sdkErrors.ts
index 0bc8f9a1ad..1763aa8655 100644
--- a/packages/core-internal/src/errors/sdkErrors.ts
+++ b/packages/core-internal/src/errors/sdkErrors.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,27 @@ export enum SdkErrorCode {
  * }
  * ```
  */
+/**
+ * Peel a mistaken `{ cause }` off the `data` bag so it can be forwarded to
+ * `Error`'s options. Call sites historically passed `{ cause }` as the third
+ * argument because TypeScript accepts any `data`; without this peel the
+ * underlying error lands in `.data.cause` and never on `.cause`, which breaks
+ * pino / Sentry cause-chain walkers.
+ */
+function splitSdkErrorData(data: unknown): { data?: unknown; cause?: unknown } {
+    if (data === null || typeof data !== 'object' || Array.isArray(data)) {
+        return { data };
+    }
+    if (!('cause' in data)) {
+        return { data };
+    }
+    const { cause, ...rest } = data as Record<string, unknown>;
+    return {
+        cause,
+        data: Object.keys(rest).length > 0 ? rest : undefined
+    };
+}
+
 export class SdkError extends Error {
     static {
         Object.defineProperty(this, 'mcpBrand', { value: 'mcp.SdkError' });
@@ -144,12 +165,18 @@ export class SdkError extends Error {
         return brandedHasInstance(this, value);
     }
 
-    constructor(
-        public readonly code: SdkErrorCode,
-        message: string,
-        public readonly data?: unknown
-    ) {
-        super(message);
+    /**
+     * Optional structured payload (HTTP status fields, timeout ms, etc.).
+     * Distinct from {@link Error.cause} — pass causes via `options` or as a
+     * `{ cause }` key inside `data` (peeled into `.cause` for back-compat).
+     */
+    public readonly data?: unknown;
+
+    constructor(public readonly code: SdkErrorCode, message: string, data?: unknown, options?: ErrorOptions) {
+        const split = splitSdkErrorData(data);
+        const cause = options?.cause ?? split.cause;
+        super(message, cause !== undefined ? { ...options, cause } : options);
+        this.data = split.data;
         this.name = 'SdkError';
         stampErrorBrands(this, new.target);
     }
@@ -187,8 +214,8 @@ export class SdkHttpError extends SdkError {
 
     declare readonly data: SdkHttpErrorData;
 
-    constructor(code: SdkErrorCode, message: string, data: SdkHttpErrorData) {
-        super(code, message, data);
+    constructor(code: SdkErrorCode, message: string, data: SdkHttpErrorData, options?: ErrorOptions) {
+        super(code, message, data, options);
         this.name = 'SdkHttpError';
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/core-internal/test/errors/sdkError.cause.test.ts b/packages/core-internal/test/errors/sdkError.cause.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c8ae0f5a70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core-internal/test/errors/sdkError.cause.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { SdkError, SdkErrorCode, SdkHttpError } from '../../src/index';
+
+describe('SdkError cause forwarding', () => {
+    it('forwards ErrorOptions.cause onto Error.cause', () => {
+        const root = new TypeError('fetch failed');
+        const error = new SdkError(SdkErrorCode.EraNegotiationFailed, 'probe failed', undefined, { cause: root });
+
+        expect(error.cause).toBe(root);
+        expect(error.data).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it('peels a mistaken { cause } out of the data bag onto Error.cause', () => {
+        const root = new TypeError('fetch failed');
+        Object.defineProperty(root, 'cause', {
+            value: new Error('getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND does-not-resolve.invalid'),
+            configurable: true
+        });
+
+        // Historical call shape: third arg is `data`, but sites passed `{ cause }`.
+        const error = new SdkError(SdkErrorCode.EraNegotiationFailed, 'Version negotiation probe failed: fetch failed', {
+            cause: root
+        });
+
+        expect(error.cause).toBe(root);
+        expect(error.data).toBeUndefined();
+        expect((error.cause as Error).cause).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+        expect(((error.cause as Error).cause as Error).message).toContain('ENOTFOUND');
+    });
+
+    it('keeps sibling data fields when peeling cause', () => {
+        const root = new Error('boom');
+        const error = new SdkError(SdkErrorCode.RequestTimeout, 'timed out', { timeout: 5_000, cause: root });
+
+        expect(error.cause).toBe(root);
+        expect(error.data).toEqual({ timeout: 5_000 });
+    });
+
+    it('does not invent a cause for ordinary data bags', () => {
+        const error = new SdkError(SdkErrorCode.RequestTimeout, 'timed out', { timeout: 5_000 });
+
+        expect(error.cause).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(error.data).toEqual({ timeout: 5_000 });
+    });
+
+    it('preserves SdkHttpError status data while allowing an options cause', () => {
+        const root = new Error('socket hang up');
+        const error = new SdkHttpError(
+            SdkErrorCode.ClientHttpFailedToOpenStream,
+            'stream failed',
+            { status: 502, statusText: 'Bad Gateway' },
+            { cause: root }
+        );
+
+        expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(SdkHttpError);
+        expect(error.status).toBe(502);
+        expect(error.cause).toBe(root);
+    });
+});