diff --git a/src/tools/screenshot.ts b/src/tools/screenshot.ts
index 5160f2e..9544737 100644
--- a/src/tools/screenshot.ts
+++ b/src/tools/screenshot.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ const screenshot = defineTool({
 
   handle: async (context, params) => {
     const tab = context.currentTabOrDie();
-    const snapshot = tab.snapshotOrDie();
     const fileType = params.raw ? 'png' : 'jpeg';
     const fileName = await outputFile(context.config, params.filename ?? `page-${new Date().toISOString()}.${fileType}`);
     const options: playwright.PageScreenshotOptions = {
@@ -70,7 +69,8 @@ const screenshot = defineTool({
       `// Screenshot ${screenshotTarget} and save it as ${fileName}`,
     ];
 
-    const locator = params.ref ? snapshot.refLocator({ element: params.element || '', ref: params.ref }) : null;
+    // Only get snapshot when element screenshot is needed
+    const locator = params.ref ? tab.snapshotOrDie().refLocator({ element: params.element || '', ref: params.ref }) : null;
 
     if (locator)
       code.push(`await page.${await generateLocator(locator)}.screenshot(${javascript.formatObject(options)});`);
diff --git a/tests/screenshot.spec.ts b/tests/screenshot.spec.ts
index 78dc09d..a90ae69 100644
--- a/tests/screenshot.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/screenshot.spec.ts
@@ -250,3 +250,31 @@ test('browser_take_screenshot (fullPage with element should error)', async ({ st
   expect(result.isError).toBe(true);
   expect(result.content?.[0]?.text).toContain('fullPage cannot be used with element screenshots');
 });
+
+test('browser_take_screenshot (viewport without snapshot)', async ({ startClient, server }, testInfo) => {
+  const { client } = await startClient({
+    config: { outputDir: testInfo.outputPath('output') },
+  });
+
+  // Ensure we have a tab but don't navigate anywhere (no snapshot captured)
+  expect(await client.callTool({
+    name: 'browser_tab_list',
+  })).toContainTextContent('about:blank');
+
+  // This should work without requiring a snapshot since it's a viewport screenshot
+  expect(await client.callTool({
+    name: 'browser_take_screenshot',
+  })).toEqual({
+    content: [
+      {
+        data: expect.any(String),
+        mimeType: 'image/jpeg',
+        type: 'image',
+      },
+      {
+        text: expect.stringContaining(`Screenshot viewport and save it as`),
+        type: 'text',
+      },
+    ],
+  });
+});