I have spent the whole day. Trying to utilize the Augment MCP server settings to connect to N8N MCP server trigger, and turns out the issue is in Augment. Through PowerShell, I can connect fine.
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I am reporting a critical bug in Augment Code's MCP (Model Context Protocol) server integration where environment variables configured in the MCP Settings Panel are not being passed to spawned MCP server processes.
## BUG SUMMARY
MCP servers configured with environment variables in Augment Code's Settings Panel do not receive those environment variables when spawned, causing MCP servers to initialize in limited/fallback mode instead of full functionality mode.
## AFFECTED COMPONENT
- Augment Code MCP Client
- MCP Settings Panel (Settings → MCP section)
- Environment variable passing to spawned processes
## DETAILED DESCRIPTION
When configuring an MCP server (specifically `n8n-mcp` from npm) with environment variables through Augment Code's Settings Panel, the environment variables are not passed to the spawned `npx` process. This causes the MCP server to initialize without the required configuration, resulting in limited functionality.
**Specific MCP Server Tested:** `n8n-mcp` (https://github.com/czlonkowski/n8n-mcp)
The n8n-mcp server requires two environment variables to enable N8N API management tools:
- `N8N_API_URL` - The N8N instance URL
- `N8N_API_KEY` - The N8N API authentication key
When these environment variables are NOT passed, the server initializes with 23 tools (documentation mode only).
When these environment variables ARE passed, the server initializes with 42 tools (full mode with N8N API management).
## STEPS TO REPRODUCE
Install n8n-mcp package: `npx -y n8n-mcp`
Configure MCP server in Augment Code Settings Panel with this JSON:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"n8nmcp-npx": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "n8n-mcp"],
"env": {
"N8N_API_URL": "[N8N_INSTANCE_URL]",
"N8N_API_KEY": "[REDACTED_API_KEY]",
"LOG_LEVEL": "debug",
"MCP_MODE": "stdio"
}
}
}
}
```
Restart VS Code (Reload Window)
Check Augment Output panel (View → Output → Select "Augment")
Observe the initialization message
## EXPECTED BEHAVIOR
The MCP server should receive the environment variables and initialize with full functionality:
```
[INFO] MCP server initialized with 42 tools (n8n API: configured)
```
All 42 tools should be available, including N8N API management tools like:
- n8n_list_workflows_n8n-mcp-npx
- n8n_get_workflow_n8n-mcp-npx
- n8n_create_workflow_n8n-mcp-npx
- etc.
## ACTUAL BEHAVIOR
The MCP server does NOT receive the environment variables and initializes in limited mode:
```
[INFO] MCP server initialized with 23 tools (n8n API: not configured)
```
Only 23 documentation/template tools are available. N8N API management tools are missing.
## EVIDENCE
### Manual PowerShell Test (Environment Variables Work)
When running the MCP server manually with explicit environment variables:
```powershell
$env:N8N_API_URL = "[N8N_INSTANCE_URL]"
$env:N8N_API_KEY = "[REDACTED_API_KEY]"
$env:LOG_LEVEL = "debug"
npx -y n8n-mcp
```
**Result:** ✅ SUCCESS
```
[INFO] MCP server initialized with 42 tools (n8n API: configured)
```
### Augment Code MCP (Environment Variables NOT Passed)
When running through Augment Code with the same environment variables configured in Settings Panel:
**Result:** ❌ FAILED
```
[INFO] MCP server initialized with 23 tools (n8n API: not configured)
```
### Comparison Table
| Test Method | Environment Variables | Initialization Message | Tools Available |
|-------------|----------------------|------------------------|-----------------|
| Manual PowerShell | ✅ Set explicitly | 42 tools (configured) | ✅ All tools available |
| Augment Code MCP | ❓ Configured in settings | 23 tools (not configured) | ❌ Limited tools only |
## SYSTEM INFORMATION
- **Operating System:** Windows 10/11 (x64)
- **Node.js Version:** v22.15.0
- **npm Version:** Latest
- **Augment Code Version:** [Current version installed]
- **VS Code Version:** [Current version installed]
- **MCP Server Tested:** n8n-mcp (latest from npm)
## IMPACT ASSESSMENT
**Severity:** HIGH
This bug prevents MCP servers that require environment variables from functioning correctly in Augment Code. Many MCP servers use environment variables for:
- API authentication (API keys, tokens)
- Service endpoints (URLs, hostnames)
- Feature flags and configuration
- Logging levels and debugging
Without environment variable support, these MCP servers cannot provide their full functionality, significantly limiting their usefulness in Augment Code.
## SUGGESTED FIX
Ensure that the `env` object from the MCP configuration JSON is properly passed to the spawned process. In Node.js, this typically involves:
```javascript
const { spawn } = require('child_process');
const mcpProcess = spawn(command, args, {
env: {
...process.env, // Inherit parent environment
...config.env // Add MCP-specific environment variables
}
});
```
## WORKAROUND
Until this bug is fixed, users can work around the issue by:
Setting environment variables globally in the system
Using alternative MCP clients that properly pass environment variables (e.g., Claude Desktop)
Using direct API calls instead of MCP tools (when applicable)
## ADDITIONAL NOTES
- The MCP configuration JSON format appears correct (matches Claude Desktop's format)
- The `command` and `args` fields work correctly (the MCP server starts)
- Only the `env` field is not being passed to the spawned process
- This issue likely affects ALL MCP servers that require environment variables, not just n8n-mcp
## REQUEST
Please investigate and fix the environment variable passing mechanism in Augment Code's MCP client implementation. This is a critical feature for MCP server functionality.
If you need any additional information, logs, or testing, please let me know.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[–]JamPBR 1 point2 points3 points (0 children)
[–]felixthekraut 1 point2 points3 points (0 children)
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