Summary
In the WHW_AI_Private project, dev-pomogator is installed as a Claude Code plugin, but its spec MCP server is not present in the active MCP registry. As a result, the project can see the project-local sprint-spec skill/documentation, but /create-spec/the spec MCP is not available in the session.
Reproduction context
- Project:
E:/repos/WHW_AI_Private
- Claude Code plugin inventory reports:
dev-pomogator@stgmt 2.0.4.
- The dev-pomogator source checkout is
E:/repos/dev-pomogator; its package.json is version 2.0.6.
E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.claude-plugin/plugin.json declares the plugin skills, commands, hooks, and MCP manifest ./.mcp.json.E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.mcp.json declares the stdio server dev-pomogator-specs, launched from tools/spec-mcp-server/server.bundle.mjs, with DEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT=${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR}.claude mcp list in the WHW project shows context-mode, figma, playwright, context7, octocode, railway, and headroom, but does not show dev-pomogator-specs.E:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/settings.json currently contains only the managed CARL UserPromptSubmit hook; it has no explicit dev-pomogator MCP entry.- The WHW project contains
.claude/skills/sprint-spec/SKILL.md, whose documented flow explicitly delegates narrow spec generation to dev-pomogator /create-spec <theme> and says not to hand-roll the .specs/<theme> tree.
Expected behavior
When the dev-pomogator plugin is enabled for the WHW project, Claude Code should load the plugin-owned MCP manifest and claude mcp list should show a healthy dev-pomogator-specs server for that project. /create-spec <theme> should be available and able to generate a narrow spec under .specs/<theme> using the project root as DEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT.
Actual behavior
The plugin appears in the installed plugin inventory, but the plugin-owned MCP server is absent from the active registry for this project. The result is a partial installation: plugin metadata/skills may be available, while the spec MCP is not.
Questions / suspected areas
- Is the MCP manifest from a marketplace-installed plugin expected to be registered automatically from
plugin.json → .mcp.json, or does it require an explicit project/user scope installation step?
- Is this caused by the installed plugin cache being on
2.0.4 while the source checkout is 2.0.6, or by stale plugin marketplace/cache state?
- Does
DEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT=${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR} resolve correctly when the plugin MCP is launched from a project other than the dev-pomogator repository?
- Should the plugin installer add/refresh the MCP entry for every enabled project, or should the plugin expose a diagnostic that reports why its MCP manifest was skipped?
Acceptance criteria
- A clean reproduction is documented using a second project and the WHW project.
- The root cause is identified, including whether scope, plugin cache/version, manifest loading, or environment expansion is responsible.
- A user can install/enable dev-pomogator once and have both the plugin skills/commands and
dev-pomogator-specs MCP visible in a project.
claude mcp list shows dev-pomogator-specs as connected (or reports a clear actionable error)./create-spec smoke-test can run against a temporary/non-production theme without hand-editing .claude/settings.json.- Existing projects that already work are not regressed; include a focused diagnostic or regression test for plugin MCP loading.
Evidence / useful files
E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.claude-plugin/plugin.jsonE:/repos/dev-pomogator/.mcp.jsonE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/settings.jsonE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/skills/sprint-spec/SKILL.mdE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/CLAUDE.md (project policy for immediate narrow spec generation)
No credentials or secret values are included in this report.
Summary
In the WHW_AI_Private project, dev-pomogator is installed as a Claude Code plugin, but its spec MCP server is not present in the active MCP registry. As a result, the project can see the project-local sprint-spec skill/documentation, but
/create-spec/the spec MCP is not available in the session.Reproduction context
E:/repos/WHW_AI_Privatedev-pomogator@stgmt 2.0.4.E:/repos/dev-pomogator; itspackage.jsonis version2.0.6.E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.claude-plugin/plugin.jsondeclares the plugin skills, commands, hooks, and MCP manifest./.mcp.json.E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.mcp.jsondeclares the stdio serverdev-pomogator-specs, launched fromtools/spec-mcp-server/server.bundle.mjs, withDEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT=${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR}.claude mcp listin the WHW project shows context-mode, figma, playwright, context7, octocode, railway, and headroom, but does not showdev-pomogator-specs.E:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/settings.jsoncurrently contains only the managed CARLUserPromptSubmithook; it has no explicit dev-pomogator MCP entry..claude/skills/sprint-spec/SKILL.md, whose documented flow explicitly delegates narrow spec generation to dev-pomogator/create-spec <theme>and says not to hand-roll the.specs/<theme>tree.Expected behavior
When the dev-pomogator plugin is enabled for the WHW project, Claude Code should load the plugin-owned MCP manifest and
claude mcp listshould show a healthydev-pomogator-specsserver for that project./create-spec <theme>should be available and able to generate a narrow spec under.specs/<theme>using the project root asDEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT.Actual behavior
The plugin appears in the installed plugin inventory, but the plugin-owned MCP server is absent from the active registry for this project. The result is a partial installation: plugin metadata/skills may be available, while the spec MCP is not.
Questions / suspected areas
plugin.json→.mcp.json, or does it require an explicit project/user scope installation step?2.0.4while the source checkout is2.0.6, or by stale plugin marketplace/cache state?DEV_POMOGATOR_REPO_ROOT=${CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR}resolve correctly when the plugin MCP is launched from a project other than the dev-pomogator repository?Acceptance criteria
dev-pomogator-specsMCP visible in a project.claude mcp listshowsdev-pomogator-specsas connected (or reports a clear actionable error)./create-spec smoke-testcan run against a temporary/non-production theme without hand-editing.claude/settings.json.Evidence / useful files
E:/repos/dev-pomogator/.claude-plugin/plugin.jsonE:/repos/dev-pomogator/.mcp.jsonE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/settings.jsonE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/.claude/skills/sprint-spec/SKILL.mdE:/repos/WHW_AI_Private/CLAUDE.md(project policy for immediate narrow spec generation)No credentials or secret values are included in this report.