MCP server tools unavailable on one shot prompts
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Description
### Short summary
MCP server tools unavailable on first prompt of new session; require follow-up message to appear
### Affected version or release
1.0.71-2
### Installation context
Slack MCP server configured via ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json (type: http, url: https://mcp.slack.com/mcp, OAuth public client). Likely affects any remote/HTTP MCP server, observed specifically with Slack MCP.
### What happened?
On the first user prompt in a brand-new session, tools contributed by a correctly configured remote MCP server (Slack MCP) were completely absent from the assistant's available tool list. Running extensions_manage(list) / extensions_reload also reported "0 extensions running / No extensions found," which is misleading since this MCP server isn't part of the .github/extensions system, so there was no way to detect or force-refresh the connection from within the turn.
Only after the user sent a second, unrelated follow-up prompt did a "tools_changed_notice" system event fire, exposing the Slack-MCP-* tools (slack_send_message, slack_read_channel, etc.). The assistant had no mechanism to trigger this itself on turn one.
Separately, later in the same session, an unprompted "Tools no longer available: Slack-MCP-slack_send_message" notice appeared with no user action taken, showing tools can also silently disappear mid-session.
### Steps to reproduce
1. Configure a remote/HTTP MCP server (e.g., Slack MCP) with OAuth in mcp-config.json.
2. Start a brand-new chat session.
3. On the very first prompt, ask the assistant to use a tool from that MCP server.
4. Observe the tool is missing from the available tool list (extensions list also shows 0 running).
5. Send any second, even unrelated, follow-up prompt.
6. Observe a "tools_changed_notice" fires and the MCP tools become available.
### Expected behavior
Tools from a correctly configured MCP server should be available on the first prompt of a session without requiring a throwaway follow-up message to "wake up" the tool list. If a connection/handshake delay is unavoidable, the assistant/runtime should detect and wait or retry within the same turn instead of requiring user intervention.
### Additional context
- ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"Slack MCP": {
"tools": ["*"],
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.slack.com/mcp",
"oauthClientId": "",
"oauthPublicClient": true
}
}
}
- extensions_manage(list) and extensions_reload both reported 0 extensions before the Slack tools appeared - this API doesn't seem to surface remote MCP server status.
- Tool availability also churned later in-session (tool silently removed), suggesting a broader MCP connection lifecycle issue beyond just cold start.
- Model: All available models (tested with GPT 5.6 Luna, GPT 5.6 Tera, Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 5), GitHub Copilot CLI/App v1.0.71-2, Windows
Guide de contribution
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Piste de recherche
Commencez par reproduire l’échec du premier tour avec l’entrée Slack MCP dans ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json, puis comparez extensions_manage(list), extensions_reload et tools_changed_notice du deuxième prompt. Suivez le cycle de vie de la connexion MCP autour de la découverte initiale et de la suppression ultérieure des outils ; le travail est terminé lorsque les outils du serveur distant configuré sont disponibles dès le premier prompt et le restent sans nécessiter de prompt de suivi.
Rédigé par le modèle d'indexation à partir du texte de l'issue.
Évaluation
- Stack technique
- github
- Domaine
- devtools
- Type d'issue
- Bug
- Difficulté
- 4/5
- Temps estimé
- 3-5 jours
- Activité
- Active
- Clarté
- Plutôt claire
- Accessibilité débutants
- 52/100