Agent does not have access to plugin capabilities (MCP, skills, commands, etc.)

[toakleaf (Tyler)]

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor CLI

Describe the Bug

Capabilities provided by installed plugins — MCP tools, skills, commands, and other plugin features — are available in Chat but not in the Agent. The Agent cannot use any plugin-provided functionality.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install any plugin that provides MCP, skills, and/or commands.
2. Confirm the plugin is enabled (e.g. in Settings → Plugins and Tools & MCP for MCP).
3. In Chat, use the plugin’s MCP tools, skills, or commands — they work.
4. In Agent, ask to use the same capabilities — the Agent does not have access to them.

Expected Behavior

Agent can use the same plugin capabilities as Chat (MCP tools, skills, commands, etc.) when those plugins are installed and enabled, or there is an Agents setting to enable them for the Agent.

Operating System

MacOS

Version Information

CLI Version 2026.02.27-e7d2ef6

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

[Colin]

Hey Tyler!

@toakleaf

• In Chat, use the plugin’s MCP tools, skills, or commands — they work.

Can you clarify what you mean by “Chat”? I don’t think this is a mode of the CLI.

[toakleaf (Tyler)]

Sorry, I mean the Cursor editor “agent” chat section. Basically the point is that in the cursor editor plugins work and they don’t in the CLI… which is called agent.

[Colin]

Thanks! As noted in the docs:

Cursor CLI does not support plugins yet.

So this is a known limitation, and you’ll still need to manually install MCP servers, Skills, Commands, etc.