fix: return an explicit error when application creation yields an empty response

src/okta_mcp_server/tools/applications/applications.py

@@ -215,7 +215,16 @@ async def create_application(ctx: Context, app_config: Dict[str, Any], activate:
             logger.error(f"Okta API error while creating application: {err}")
             return {"error": str(err)}
 
-        logger.info(f"Successfully created application")
+        if not app:
+            logger.error("Okta returned no application and no error while creating application")
+            return {
+                "error": (
+                    "Application creation returned an empty response with no error. "
+                    "The configuration may have been rejected by Okta."
+                )
+            }
+
+        logger.info("Successfully created application")
         return app
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Exception while creating application: {type(e).__name__}: {e}")

tests/test_create_application.py

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# The Okta software accompanied by this notice is provided pursuant to the following terms:
+# Copyright © 2026-Present, Okta, Inc.
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
+
+"""Tests for create_application — error handling when the SDK returns no app."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
+
+import okta.models as okta_models
+import pytest
+
+from okta_mcp_server.tools.applications.applications import create_application
+
+
+SAML_CONFIG = {
+    "signOnMode": "SAML_2_0",
+    "label": "Test SAML App",
+    "name": "testorg_testsamlapp_1",
+}
+
+
+def _make_ctx():
+    from tests.conftest import FakeLifespanContext, FakeOktaAuthManager
+
+    request_context = MagicMock()
+    request_context.lifespan_context = FakeLifespanContext(
+        okta_auth_manager=FakeOktaAuthManager()
+    )
+    ctx = MagicMock()
+    ctx.request_context = request_context
+    return ctx
+
+
+class TestCreateApplicationEmptyResponse:
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    @patch("okta_mcp_server.tools.applications.applications.get_okta_client")
+    async def test_empty_response_returns_explicit_error(self, mock_get_client):
+        """SDK returning no app and no error must surface a clear error, not an empty result."""
+        client = AsyncMock()
+        client.create_application.return_value = (None, MagicMock(), None)
+        mock_get_client.return_value = client
+
+        result = await create_application(ctx=_make_ctx(), app_config=SAML_CONFIG)
+
+        assert isinstance(result, dict)
+        assert "error" in result
+        assert "empty response" in result["error"]
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    @patch("okta_mcp_server.tools.applications.applications.get_okta_client")
+    async def test_api_error_is_passed_through(self, mock_get_client):
+        client = AsyncMock()
+        client.create_application.return_value = (None, None, "Error: invalid config")
+        mock_get_client.return_value = client
+
+        result = await create_application(ctx=_make_ctx(), app_config=SAML_CONFIG)
+
+        assert result == {"error": "Error: invalid config"}
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    @patch("okta_mcp_server.tools.applications.applications.get_okta_client")
+    async def test_success_returns_app_and_sends_typed_model(self, mock_get_client):
+        app = MagicMock()
+        app.id = "0oaTESTAPP0000001"
+        client = AsyncMock()
+        client.create_application.return_value = (app, MagicMock(), None)
+        mock_get_client.return_value = client
+
+        result = await create_application(ctx=_make_ctx(), app_config=SAML_CONFIG, activate=True)
+
+        assert result is app
+        call_args = client.create_application.call_args[0]
+        assert isinstance(call_args[0], okta_models.SamlApplication)
+        assert call_args[1] is True