Grok Bot
When MCP stays Needs auth after Authenticate
When MCP stays Needs auth after Authenticate
A connector can stay on Needs auth after AuthenticateMcpServer says it is already connected. Tools still run. Restart MCP servers re-reads the same state and the badge stays. Staff (mohitjain, Sep 8, 2026) said this is not intended and is being tracked: the badge currently counts OAuth as authenticated. Connectors that use no OAuth (Cloudflare docs as a public remote; Fastmail with an API token) can show Needs auth while connected. Authenticate mostly confirms; it does not mint a missing OAuth session for those servers. Thread: forum 170900.
Confirm tools already work
- Open Settings → Plugins and note the server that shows Needs auth.
- In any Bot, call a tool from that server (list labels, fetch a public doc page, and so on).
- If tools succeed, treat the badge as cosmetic for now. Staff labeled it a display mismatch.
Fastmail later showed a toast “didn’t provide a sign-in link” while ~29 tools still worked. Support (Parth) called that the same badge-mismatch class: tools succeed; stop Authenticate retries.
What to leave alone
| Action | Why skip it |
|---|---|
| Repeated Authenticate / AuthenticateMcpServer | Confirms connection; badge stays for non-OAuth servers |
| RestartMcpServers hoping to clear the badge | Re-reads the same status |
| Removing the account under Settings → Plugins to clear the badge | Badge can return the next time Authenticate runs — leave those rows alone |
Distinct clusters
- GitHub marketplace plugin with Needs auth and no sign-in link while a PAT in Setup Values already works: When the GitHub plugin says Needs auth but has no sign-in link.
- Desktop Todoist where Authenticate never opens a browser and tools stay at 0: When desktop Todoist Authenticate never opens a browser.
Pitfalls
- Uninstalling a working token/API connector because the badge is red.
- Burning support cycles on OAuth when the connector never issues a browser URL.