MCP server search is not available on this instance.

Error message

MCP server search is not available on this instance.

What it means

Error "MCP server search is not available on this instance." thrown in n8n-io/n8n.

Source

Thrown at packages/@n8n/instance-ai/src/tools/mcp-servers.tool.ts:123

	slug: string,
): z.infer<typeof detailsOutputSchema> {
	const service = (context.connectedMcpServices ?? []).find((entry) => entry.slug === slug);
	if (!service) return { slug, tools: [], hint: NOT_CONNECTED_HINT };

	return {
		slug,
		tools: service.toolNames,
		hint: service.toolNames.length === 0 ? BROKEN_CONNECTION_HINT : undefined,
	};
}

async function handleSearch(
	context: InstanceAiContext,
	queries: string[],
): Promise<z.infer<typeof searchOutputSchema>> {
	const { mcpService } = context;
	if (!mcpService) {
		throw new Error('MCP server search is not available on this instance.');
	}

	const matches = await mcpService.search(queries);
	const results = matches.slice(0, MAX_RESULTS);

	return {
		results,
		hint: joinHints(
			results.length > 0 && CONNECT_HINT,
			matches.length > results.length && TRUNCATED_HINT,
		),
	};
}

export function createMcpServersTool(context: InstanceAiContext) {
	return new Tool(DOMAIN_TOOL_IDS.MCP_SERVERS)
		.description(DESCRIPTION)
		.input(mcpServersToolInputSchema)

View on GitHub (pinned to 5ac6606e81)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at packages/@n8n/instance-ai/src/tools/mcp-servers.tool.ts:123 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of n8n-io/n8n@5ac6606e81 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3f50f74f6d2aafb2. Report an issue: GitHub.