modelcontextprotocol / modelcontextprotocol/python-sdk
A tool with a *args or **kwargs parameter is registered with a schema it can never satisfy
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Description
Initial Checks
- I confirm that I'm using the newest release of my line (2.x, main at 6affe5c)
- I confirm that I searched for my issue in the issue tracker before opening this issue
Release line
2.x (current stable)
Description
Registering a tool whose function signature has a *args or **kwargs
parameter succeeds, and the tool shows up in list_tools, but it can never
actually be called: the generated JSON schema lists args/kwargs as a
required parameter of a plain scalar type, which doesn't match how the
function actually receives those values.
Expected: either the decorator rejects a signature it can't turn into a
schema (it already does this for a leading underscore in a parameter name),
or the schema reflects what the function accepts.
Actual: the tool is silently registered and permanently uncallable. Calling
it with only the named parameters filled in fails schema validation because
args/kwargs is "missing"; there's no way to actually supply it, since a
JSON object has no way to express "and then also a variable number of
positional values" for a single scalar field.
Example Code
from mcp.server.mcpserver import MCPServer
server = MCPServer("demo")
@server.tool()
def with_kwargs(x: int, **kwargs: str) -> str:
return f"{x} {kwargs}"
Listing tools shows:
{'type': 'object', 'properties': {'x': {'title': 'X', 'type': 'integer'}, 'kwargs': {'title': 'Kwargs', 'type': 'string'}}, 'required': ['x', 'kwargs'], 'title': 'with_kwargsArguments'}
Calling it with {"x": 1} (the only arguments a caller could reasonably
guess) fails:
Error executing tool with_kwargs: 1 validation error for with_kwargsArguments
kwargs
Field required [type=missing, input_value={'x': 1}, input_type=dict]
Same shape with *args instead of **kwargs.
Python & MCP Python SDK
Python 3.14.7, mcp-python-sdk main @ 6affe5c0d3588fd1705713b3703dc68015cfe3eb
I have a patch that raises InvalidSignature for a *args/**kwargs tool
parameter at registration time, scoped so it doesn't affect resource
templates (which legitimately use **kwargs for runtime-determined URI
variables); happy to open a PR against this issue if that's the direction
you'd want.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start at MCPServer.tool registration, where function signatures become tool schemas, and compare its handling with resource templates that legitimately accept **kwargs. Confirm the InvalidSignature path for both *args and **kwargs, then verify that variadic tool parameters are rejected at registration while resource templates remain supported.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- backend-api-design
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 68/100