# Cursor CLI - Not actually an MCP client? **URL:** \ **Category:** Bug Reports\ **Created:** [August 7, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000 "2025-08-07T22:24:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mbiss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@mbiss](https://forum.cursor.com/u/mbiss)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/1 "2025-08-07T22:24:43Z")
### Describe the Bug I have an mcp.json file set up for my project, and I am able to get the in-IDE agent to use the tools. However, the CLI doesn’t seem to be able to use them. ### Steps to Reproduce Create mcp.json file, launch cursor-agent, try to ask it to use the tools ### Expected Behavior cursor-agent can use MCP tools (ideally with a /mcp command to view connected servers, and/or a --mcp flag to pass when launching to specify which servers it should use, like Claude Code has) ### Operating System MacOS ### Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy) Version: 1.2.4 VSCode Version: 1.99.3 Commit: a8e95743c5268be73767c46944a71f4465d05c90 ### Additional Information cursor-agent --version 32c684dc5c8a0e364043db77d4e5b9a5dc1e2d3b ### Does this stop you from using Cursor No - Cursor works, but with this issue ---
**Author:** ![mbiss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@mbiss](https://forum.cursor.com/u/mbiss)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/2 "2025-08-08T18:59:54Z")
Pretty confused about this… am I missing something? I’ve tried a few more things but this part of the docs just seems incorrect ![Screenshot 2025-08-08 at 11.58.59 AM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/0/c/0cb37f24b3f7069aea3ea6eb3b3e88c6d4645f63.png) ---
**Author:** ![dancruickshank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/dancruickshank/32/15955_2.png) [@dancruickshank](https://forum.cursor.com/u/dancruickshank)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 4:56am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/3 "2025-08-09T04:56:25Z")
I have this same issue. One MCP (Serena) launches a web browser when I start Cursor CLI so it appears to be “registered” but it will not find any or use any MCP server when asked. ---
**Author:** ![mbiss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@mbiss](https://forum.cursor.com/u/mbiss)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/4 "2025-08-11T16:24:24Z")
Ok now it seems able to use MCP tools with a new update, but I’m encountering lots of weird bugs. It will run the same tool several times in a row (not acknowledging the previous call’s output), and it seems that using a tool immediately stops the agent from proceeding onto additional steps and awaits a user message. A bit disappointed by the experience so far, because in general I’m very excited about this product! I don’t mind bugginess for new features, but I’d love some type of ack / update in this thread to at least acknowledge that you’re aware of this or working on it… Fwiw, the CLI is basically unusable for me unless I can connect it with MCP tools ---
**Author:** ![yogeek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/yogeek/32/76022_2.png) [@yogeek](https://forum.cursor.com/u/yogeek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/5 "2025-08-11T16:50:19Z")
what update do you talk about please ? I installed cusror cli today (version = 2025.08.09-d8191f3) and have the same issue : mcp servers are not automatically discovered/started and when I ask the agent to use an mcp server listed in the global config file (~/.cursor/mcp.json) it does not seem aware about it and try to write a curl command to interact with the API of the tool the MCP is supposed to interact with Note: i only installed ”cursor CLI” and do not have any previous cursor installation ---
**Author:** ![AxBrianBest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@AxBrianBest](https://forum.cursor.com/u/AxBrianBest)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/6 "2025-08-11T20:25:57Z")
Yeah I’m seeing the same thing here. it seems Cursor CLI does not pull in global config file (~/.cursor/mcp.json). ---
**Author:** ![hasegama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d78d45/32.png) [@hasegama](https://forum.cursor.com/u/hasegama)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 3:40pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/7 "2025-08-12T15:40:51Z")
I’m encountering the same issue with both project settings (./.cursor/mcp.json) and global settings (~/.cursor/mcp.json). When using project settings, I get the following error: Error: MCP error -32000: Connection closed When using global settings, there’s no error, but the file isn’t recognized. However, if I change ./.cursor/mcp.json to ./.mcp.json, ClaudeCode recognizes it correctly, so it’s probably not a formatting issue. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![matifali](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/matifali/32/76450_2.png) [@matifali](https://forum.cursor.com/u/matifali)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 1:48am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/8 "2025-08-14T01:48:49Z")
### Describe the Bug Cursor CLI not respecting global mcp and rules configurations stores in `~/.cursor`. It does work with project specific configurations. ### Steps to Reproduce 1. Install Cursor CLI 2. Store some user specific configurations i.e. mcp and rules in `~/.cursor/mcp.json` and `~/.cursor/rules/custom-rule.yaml` 3. Start the agent with `cursor-agent` 4. Notice the configuration isn’t being respected ### Expected Behavior It should honor the global user specific configurations stores in `~/.cursor/`. ### Operating System Linux ### Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy) The latest version as of writing this. ### Additional Information We are trying to pack the Cursor CLI in a [module](https://registry.coder.com/modules?search=tag%3Aagent) to be used with [Coder Tasks](https://coder.com/docs/ai-coder/tasks) feature. ### Does this stop you from using Cursor Yes - Cursor is unusable ---
**Author:** ![julprieto](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/julprieto/32/77114_2.png) [@julprieto](https://forum.cursor.com/u/julprieto)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/9 "2025-08-18T15:24:09Z")
I have the same error. When is it planned to be fixed? ---
**Author:** ![condor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/condor/32/73148_2.png) [@condor](https://forum.cursor.com/u/condor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/10 "2025-08-18T16:02:21Z")
I have tested with MCPs in project folder .cursor/mcp.json and it works well with latest version 2025.08.15-dbc8d73 Please update your agent with `cursor-agent update` and let me know if you can use project MCPs. It seems like system wide config of ~/.cursor/mcp.json is not yet supported for now but I have updated the team for this. ---
**Author:** ![sanjeed5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/sanjeed5/32/9610_2.png) [@sanjeed5](https://forum.cursor.com/u/sanjeed5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/11 "2025-08-18T16:26:19Z")
Thanks for reporting this. It seems that project-level rules are working, but global config isn’t working. The team has been notified about this. Would using project-level configurations work for you? ---
**Author:** ![sanjeed5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/sanjeed5/32/9610_2.png) [@sanjeed5](https://forum.cursor.com/u/sanjeed5)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/12 "2025-08-18T16:27:41Z")
Can you also try updating with `cursor-agent update` and see if that works? ---
**Author:** ![condor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/condor/32/73148_2.png) [@condor](https://forum.cursor.com/u/condor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/13 "2025-08-18T16:29:42Z")
hi @matifali also to add to my colleagues notes above: rule files use the path `.cursor/rules/*.mdc` but not as `yaml` files or in global folder. Could you check if you have proper Project Rules setup in IDE and then test them in CLI as they are supported. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/system/32/99069_2.png) [@system](https://forum.cursor.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/cursor-cli-not-actually-an-mcp-client/127000/14 "2025-09-05T01:49:06Z")
Closed on September 5, 2025, 1:49am UTC This topic was automatically closed 22 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.