Troubleshooting

Start with status:

npx -y @tagpilot/search-console-mcp status

It shows whether this computer is connected to Tag Pilot and signed in to Google. The server's log goes to stderr: in Claude Code, check /mcp or start claude --debug.

Connecting

Not connected yet, or not sure? Say "connect my Search Console" to get a link and code, or ask "is it connected?": the connection_status tool answers connected (with the device name), waiting (with the link and code again), not_connected or error with the next step. No terminal needed.

"Connect at … (code ABCD-1234), then ask again" Open the link in any browser, on any device. Log in to Tag Pilot, check that the code matches, click Approve and sign in with Google, and allow Search Console access. Then ask again. The code is valid for 10 minutes. From a terminal (for example over SSH): npx -y @tagpilot/search-console-mcp login.

The AI client times out during the first connect A tool call waits 45 seconds, then answers with the link and code; connecting keeps going in the background. Approve in the browser and repeat the question, or connect from a terminal first with login.

"Connecting was not completed" or "The connect code expired" You denied the request, cancelled Google's consent screen, or waited more than 10 minutes. Ask again to get a new code.

"This computer was disconnected from Tag Pilot" The device was revoked on the Search Console MCP page. Ask again to reconnect.

"Your Google sign-in expired or was revoked" Ask again and approve again.

Google sign-in

"Google hasn't verified this app" Google is still reviewing Tag Pilot's app. Click Advanced, then Continue (or Go to … (unsafe)).

"This app is blocked" or "Access blocked" Tag Pilot's Google MCPs are in a limited beta while Google's verification completes, and your Google account isn't allowed yet. Contact us through the Tag Pilot app with the Google account's email address.

Company Google account blocked by the admin Ask your Google Workspace admin to trust Tag Pilot: in the Google Admin console, Security → Access and data control → API controls → Manage third-party app access, find the Tag Pilot app (or add it by its OAuth client ID, which we can send you) and set it to Trusted.

With an API key (CI and headless)

"Tag Pilot rejected TAGPILOT_API_KEY" or "does not have the gsc:mcp scope" The key is revoked, mistyped, or was made elsewhere, for example on the GA4 MCP page. Create one on the Search Console MCP page under Create a key manually, or remove the variable to connect through the browser.

Search Console errors

"The signed-in Google account has no access to the Search Console property …" / "Not found" Pass site_url exactly as list_sites shows it: sc-domain:example.com for a domain property, or the URL prefix with its trailing slash (https://www.example.com/). http vs https and www vs no www are different URL-prefix properties. If the property isn't listed at all, that Google account has no access: ask an owner to add it in Search Console (Settings → Users and permissions), or run npx -y @tagpilot/search-console-mcp logout and connect with another Google account. Properties listed as unverified can't be read.

"Search Console quota exceeded" (429) For search performance queries, wait a few minutes, or narrow the date range or dimensions: long requests grouped by query and page use up the load quota fastest. For inspect_url, the limit is 2,000 inspections per day per property, so try again tomorrow.

The numbers don't match the Search Console interface

• The latest 2–3 days are missing or still changing: data lags, and the default range ends 3 days ago.
• Rows grouped by query add up to less than the totals: anonymised (rare) queries are left out of query rows.
• Totals by page differ from the property totals: grouping by page counts each URL separately.
• Dates are in Pacific Time, Search Console's day boundary.

See Things to know about Search Console data.

MCP client issues

The tools don't show up MCP servers load when your AI client's session starts. Start a new session or reconnect (/mcp in Claude Code), or restart the app. Make sure Node.js 18 or newer is installed (node --version), unless you use the Claude Desktop extension.

It keeps running an old version npx caches packages. Use npx -y @tagpilot/search-console-mcp@latest (in your client's args too), or delete ~/.npm/_npx and restart the client.

"npx: command not found" or "spawn npx ENOENT" Desktop apps don't always see your shell's PATH (common with nvm or Homebrew). Use the full path to npx as the command, from which npx (macOS, Linux) or where npx (Windows).

Still stuck? Contact us through the Tag Pilot app and include the status output.