# Cron + MCP only automations: repo warning, no output surface, broken Add flow **URL:** \ **Category:** Bug Reports\ **Tags:** plugins, mcp, automations\ **Created:** [September 18, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cron-mcp-only-automations-repo-warning-no-output-surface-broken-add-flow/172146 "2026-09-18T12:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ioulia\_Kalpakoula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Ioulia\_Kalpakoula](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Ioulia_Kalpakoula)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cron-mcp-only-automations-repo-warning-no-output-surface-broken-add-flow/172146/1 "2026-09-18T12:16:49Z")
### **Ask** 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 ---
**Author:** ![mohitjain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/mohitjain/32/100229_2.png) [@mohitjain](https://forum.cursor.com/u/mohitjain)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 10:26am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cron-mcp-only-automations-repo-warning-no-output-surface-broken-add-flow/172146/6 "2026-09-21T10:26:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ioulia\_Kalpakoula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Ioulia\_Kalpakoula](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Ioulia_Kalpakoula)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cron-mcp-only-automations-repo-warning-no-output-surface-broken-add-flow/172146/8 "2026-09-26T22:14:32Z")
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).