Cron + MCP only automations: repo warning, no output surface, broken Add flow

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Fix “no repository” cron so it doesn’t nag for a repo when docs say none is required. Separate “add custom stdio MCP” from the marketplace “Add” flow in Settings → Plugins & MCPs. Give scheduled MCP workflows a real delivery channel for run output, not email as the default workaround.

Describe the Bug

Three separate issues hit while setting up a Wednesday 9:00 cron automation using a local Raindrop MCP to list bookmarks tagged “remind.”

  1. No-repo cron blocked despite docs saying it’s valid. Automation created with “No repository” selected. Expected: saves cleanly, per docs. Actual: persistent warning “Select a repository for your cron triggers.”
  2. No UI path to add a custom stdio MCP. Settings → Plugins & MCPs → Add opens only the marketplace. Expected: a way to register a custom/local stdio MCP (e.g. Raindrop) from this UI, matching Automations docs. Actual: no such option, marketplace only. (Note: the MCP is already running locally outside this flow, which is how bookmark_search works in step 3 below; the gap is specifically in this Settings path, not in custom MCPs generally.)
  3. No visible output from automation runs. Automation ran (manual or cron) with Raindrop attached as a tool. Expected: result surfaces in chat or via notification. Actual: nothing surfaces; only visible by digging through Run history.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Raindrop free tier: generate Test token, tag bookmarks “remind.” Confirm local Raindrop MCP + bookmark_search works standalone.
  2. Cursor → Settings → Plugins & MCPs → Add → only marketplace opens; no custom stdio MCP form.
  3. Create automation: cron Wed 9:00, No repository, Raindrop attached in Tools, prompt to list “remind” bookmarks.
  4. Save → warning “Select a repository for your cron triggers” appears despite No-repository config.
  5. Run (manual or wait for cron) → check Run history: no in-chat result, no notification.

Context
Using Cursor daily; noting this setup regressed sometime after mid-August alongside a broader product shift toward long-running enterprise agent workflows, not claiming a single cause, just flagging the timing.

Operating System

Windows 10/11

Version Information

Version: 3.21.9 (system setup)
VS Code Extension API: 1.128.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Electron: 42.10.0

Does this stop you from using Cursor

its usable but annoying

6

Hey @Ioulia_Kalpakoula!

1. Repo warning on the cron. No-repo is valid for cron/Slack triggers, and this is just a form validation message, not a block - your scheduled runs do execute without a repo. Open the repository selector, explicitly pick No repository, and save again to clear it. If it only appears when you start from a template or /automate (vs. New Automation → Add trigger → Schedule), let me know which path you used.

2. Raindrop tools missing in the run. As a stdio server, Raindrop has to start inside the cloud sandbox (npx/uvx + token), and it looks like it didn’t. Could you share the command, args, and env var names (leave the token out)? If Raindrop has a hosted HTTP endpoint, that’s more reliable for cloud runs.

3. Adding a custom MCP. The first tile in the Add dialog is “Custom MCP - Add your own MCP server”, which takes a local stdio server (command + args) or HTTP. Note: automations only use servers you attach under Tools on the automation itself.

4. Run output. Runs only write to Run history unless you attach a delivery tool - add Send to Slack and tell the prompt to send the summary there. A built-in notification channel is something we’re tracking as feedback.

8

Thanks, that clears it up. I will keep No repository on cron, use Custom MCP for Raindrop, and attach it under Tools on the automation. Stdio config: npx, args -y @adeze/raindrop-mcp, env RAINDROP_ACCESS_TOKEN (Test token, free account).