[acolomba]

pi-subagents reads the configuration and the metadata cache of pi-mcp-adapter to resolve mcp:<server>/<tool> selectors. To do this, it must accept the same configuration values as the adapter and hash each server the same way. Two adapter behaviors left selectors unresolved for servers that work in the parent session.

First, a server or the settings block can set directTools: "search". The configuration validator accepted only a boolean or a string array, so it dropped such a server from the loaded configuration and reported every selector for it as unresolved. A runtime snapshot of such a server failed validation the same way.

Second, env, headers, url, paths, and the bearer token can contain ${NAME:-default}. The adapter expands this value before it hashes a server for its metadata cache, and it uses the default only when NAME is unset, as Claude Code does in .mcp.json (see nicobailon/pi-mcp-adapter#878). pi-subagents expanded only ${NAME}, so its hashes never matched the cached configHash and the selectors stayed unresolved. A URL that used a default did not parse, and the launch failed.

Changes

• isMcpServerDefinition and parseSettings accept "search". Selector resolution does not read directTools, and in the adapter the child's MCP_DIRECT_TOOLS selection overrides it, so nothing else changes.
• interpolateEnvVars uses the adapter's ${NAME:-default} pattern, and a variable that has a default is no longer reported as missing from a server URL. Both functions now match the adapter's utils.ts.
• New tests: a "search" server resolves its selectors. For variables with defaults in env, headers, and url that are set, empty, or unset, computeMcpServerHash returns the same hash as the adapter's computeServerHash with the same environment.
• A CHANGELOG entry under Unreleased, Fixed.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

https://claude.ai/code/session_01EDUMG8NLFeCSk6tpjb3zGL

[greptile-apps]

Confidence Score: 5/5

[Medium impact] No code findings remain, but merge readiness still depends on confirming required CI on the exact PR head.

Summary

The PR accepts directTools: "search" and expands ${NAME:-default} so MCP selectors can match the adapter’s cached tools.

• Servers marked directTools: "search" can resolve MCP selectors.
• MCP selectors match servers that use environment defaults.

_{Reviews (3) · Last reviewed commit: "docs(changelog): credit #3201 in the mcp..." · Reviewed by Greptile}