diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 311092f..a019212 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ ensuring safe exploration without risk of data modification or corruption.
   - `type` - Optional filter by object type  
   - `limit` - Number of results per page (default: 1)
   - `page_num` - Page number to retrieve, 0-based (default: 0)
+- `count_objects` - Count the total number of objects matching a query.
+  - `query` - Lucene/Solr compatible search query
+  - `type` - Optional filter by object type  
 
 ## Configuration
 
diff --git a/src/cordra_mcp/server.py b/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
index efbbc20..501f95a 100644
--- a/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
+++ b/src/cordra_mcp/server.py
@@ -87,6 +87,51 @@ async def search_objects(
         raise RuntimeError(f"Search failed: {e}") from e
 
 
+@mcp.tool(
+    name="count_objects",
+    title="Count Cordra Objects matching a query",
+    description="""Count the total number of digital objects matching a search query.
+
+Examples:
+- /title:report - Count objects with 'report' in title
+- /author:smith - Count objects by author Smith
+- /name:John AND type:Person - Complex queries
+
+Returns the count of objects as integer.
+""",
+)
+async def count_objects(
+    query: str,
+    type: str | None = None,
+) -> str:
+    """Count digital objects in the Cordra repository matching a search query.
+
+    Args:
+        query: The search query string (Lucene/Solr compatible). Examples:
+               - "/title:report" - Count objects with "report" in title
+               - "/author:smith" - Count objects by author Smith
+               - "/name:John AND type:Person" - Complex queries
+        type: Optional filter by object type (e.g., "Person", "Document", "Project")
+
+    Returns:
+        integer with the number of objects matching the criteria.
+    """
+    try:
+        # Use page_size=1 to get minimal data, we only need the total count
+        search_result = await cordra_client.find(
+            query, object_type=type, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+        total_size: int = search_result["total_size"]
+        return str(total_size)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Invalid search parameters: {e}") from e
+    except CordraAuthenticationError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Authentication failed: {e}") from e
+    except CordraClientError as e:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Count failed: {e}") from e
+
+
 @mcp.resource(
     "cordra://objects/{prefix}/{suffix}",
     name="cordra-object",
@@ -220,7 +265,6 @@ async def register_schema_resources() -> None:
         logger.warning(f"Failed to register schema resources: {e}")
 
 
-
 async def initialize_server() -> None:
     """Initialize server resources before starting."""
     logger.info("Initializing Cordra MCP server...")
diff --git a/tests/test_server.py b/tests/test_server.py
index 1603dd0..4d4a90c 100644
--- a/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_server.py
@@ -604,3 +604,110 @@ class TestGetCordraDesign:
         assert "type" in parsed_result
         assert "content" in parsed_result
         assert "metadata" in parsed_result
+
+
+class TestCountObjects:
+    """Test the count_objects tool."""
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_success(self, mock_client):
+        """Test successful object count."""
+        mock_search_result = {
+            "results": [{"id": "people/john-doe", "type": "Person"}],
+            "total_size": 42,
+            "page_num": 0,
+            "page_size": 1,
+        }
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_search_result)
+
+        result = await count_objects("name:John")
+
+        # Verify the result is a string representation of the count
+        assert result == "42"
+
+        # Verify the client was called with correct parameters
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "name:John", object_type=None, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_with_type_filter(self, mock_client):
+        """Test object count with type filter."""
+        mock_search_result = {
+            "results": [{"id": "people/john-doe", "type": "Person"}],
+            "total_size": 15,
+            "page_num": 0,
+            "page_size": 1,
+        }
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_search_result)
+
+        result = await count_objects("name:John", type="Person")
+
+        # Verify the result is a string representation of the count
+        assert result == "15"
+
+        # Verify the client was called with type filter
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "name:John", object_type="Person", page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_zero_results(self, mock_client):
+        """Test object count with zero results."""
+        mock_search_result = {
+            "results": [],
+            "total_size": 0,
+            "page_num": 0,
+            "page_size": 1,
+        }
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_search_result)
+
+        result = await count_objects("nonexistent:data")
+
+        # Verify the result is "0"
+        assert result == "0"
+
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "nonexistent:data", object_type=None, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_client_error(self, mock_client):
+        """Test object count with client error."""
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(side_effect=CordraClientError("Search failed"))
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await count_objects("test:query")
+
+        assert "Count failed:" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "test:query", object_type=None, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_value_error(self, mock_client):
+        """Test object count with value error."""
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(side_effect=ValueError("Invalid query"))
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await count_objects("invalid:query")
+
+        assert "Invalid search parameters:" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "invalid:query", object_type=None, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )
+
+    @patch("cordra_mcp.server.cordra_client")
+    async def test_count_objects_authentication_error(self, mock_client):
+        """Test object count with authentication error."""
+        mock_client.find = AsyncMock(
+            side_effect=CordraAuthenticationError("Authentication failed")
+        )
+
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError) as exc_info:
+            await count_objects("test:query")
+
+        assert "Authentication failed:" in str(exc_info.value)
+        mock_client.find.assert_called_once_with(
+            "test:query", object_type=None, page_size=1, page_num=0
+        )