VSCode: Toolset name mismatch: 'github/*' fails with Unknown tool, but 'github' warns it's deprecated

[LorcanChinnock]

Describe the bug

When referencing the GitHub MCP toolset inside a VS Code agent configuration, using the recommended github/* pattern does not work.

• Referencing the toolset as github/* results in an Unknown tool error.

• Referencing the toolset simply as github works, but produces a warning stating that it has been renamed to github/*.

This creates a contradictory situation where:

• The recommended name (github/*) fails.
• The fallback name (github) works but warns that it should be replaced with github/*.

Affected version

I am using the remote GitHub MCP integration inside VS Code, so it does not expose a version.

VS Code version:
1.106.0

OS:
macOS Sequoia Version 15.7.2 (24G325)

Steps to reproduce the behavior

1. In a VS Code agent configuration, reference the GitHub MCP toolset like this:

   "tools": ["github/*"]

2. VS Code reports an error:

   Unknown tool 'github/github-mcp-server/*'.
   

3. Change the reference to:

   "tools": ["github"]

4. The agent loads, but VS Code shows a warning:

   Tool or toolset 'github' has been renamed, use 'github/*' instead.
   

Expected vs actual behavior

Expected behavior:
Referencing the toolset as github/* should work without errors and should be the correct, supported naming format.

Actual behavior:

• github/* → Fails with Unknown tool
• github → Works, but warns that the toolset has been renamed to github/*, which cannot actually be used

Logs

Unknown tool error:

Unknown tool 'github/github-mcp-server/*'.

Renaming warning:

Tool or toolset 'github' has been renamed, use 'github/*' instead.

[GordonBeeming]

I'm getting the same thing for close to 2 weeks now... thought it was a iss-me but looks to be an issue 😕

This affects all MCPs it looks like, not just the github tools

[Chuxel]

cc @aeschli on the VS Code team to look. How where the MCP servers installed here? @aeschli mentioned that if you install via @mcp it should have the right name, but if you manually name the MCP server something else, this could happen.

One note is that tactically you can list both tools and the respective products will ignore anything not supported. I also do not think these aliases will work in the old .github/chatmodes location, only .github/agents.

[yurideon]

Thanks for looking into it!

Having the same problem. Just to add some context, I installed github MCP by pressing the "button" on the README page, which adds

	"github": {
		"type": "http",
		"url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
	}

to the mcp.json file.

And in the same way, "tools": ["github/*"] doesn't work, while "tools": ["github"] allows the agent mode to access github MCP.
I'm using it with a custom "agent" in .github/agents folder.

[aeschli]

@connor4312 @sandy081
We need to encourage user to install MCP servers via the MCP marketplace. The 'Install Server' button should redirect to do that.

[JeelRajodiya]

For some context, I'm having the same issue with playwright mcp server as well.

My mcp.json file:

When I create a custom agent, I get these error and I can't use both playwright or github mcp with custom agent.
But if I use the default agent which comes with copilot, it works without any issues.

Note that, I don't face any issues while using context7 mcp server

[aviita]

So what is the correct naming for the MCP if e.g. we need to get it as docker container from our artifactory? Is it github-mcp-server? And has that been proven to fix this issue?

Basically the tools picker is also broken for me. If I select tools for a *.chatmode.md, I get to check boxes and e.g. github/search_repositories gets added to my file, but it results to warning in problems:

Unknown tool 'github/github-mcp-server/search_repositories'.
The set of tools that the custom agent has access to.

If a go back to the tools picker, all the github mcp tools are again disabled.

[aviita]

So what is the correct naming for the MCP if e.g. we need to get it as docker container from our artifactory? Is it github-mcp-server? And has that been proven to fix this issue?

Basically the tools picker is also broken for me. If I select tools for a *.chatmode.md, I get to check boxes and e.g. github/search_repositories gets added to my file, but it results to warning in problems:

Unknown tool 'github/github-mcp-server/search_repositories'.
The set of tools that the custom agent has access to.

If a go back to the tools picker, all the github mcp tools are again disabled.

Yup. Renaming the tool (to github-mcp-server) fixed it. Though it seemed to work earlier just fine (the tools picker did not deselect the tools). Anyways, fine with the rename, just need to let people to know to rename it in their mcp.json...

[yashhzd]

Hey, I've been investigating this issue and traced the root cause through the source code. I'd like to take a shot at fixing it.

Root Cause Analysis

The problem stems from a naming mismatch between the MCP server's Implementation.Name and the config key that VS Code's install button creates.

Server side (pkg/github/server.go:186-191)

s := mcp.NewServer(&mcp.Implementation{
    Name:    "github-mcp-server",   // <-- This is what the server reports
    Title:   "GitHub MCP Server",
    Version: version,
    Icons:   octicons.Icons("mark-github"),
}, opts)

Client side (VS Code mcp.json)

When users install via the README button or manually configure, the config typically looks like:

"github": { "type": "http", "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/" }

The config key is "github", but the server identifies itself as "github-mcp-server" during the MCP initialize handshake.

The collision

When a user writes "tools": ["github/*"] in their agent config:

1. VS Code sees github/* and tries to resolve it against the MCP server configured as "github"
2. But the server's Implementation.Name is "github-mcp-server", causing VS Code to construct github/github-mcp-server/*
3. No tool matches that pattern → "Unknown tool" error

This also explains why @aviita's workaround of renaming the MCP config key to github-mcp-server fixes it — it makes the config key match the Implementation.Name.

Evidence from the comments

• @GordonBeeming confirmed this affects multiple MCPs, not just GitHub — which aligns with this being a general name-mismatch pattern
• @yurideon confirmed the issue occurs even when installing via the README button (which creates the "github" config key)
• @aviita confirmed that renaming to github-mcp-server resolved the issue

Proposed Fix

I'd like to submit a PR that aligns the server's Implementation.Name with the expected config key. The Implementation.Name field is informational in the MCP protocol (used for display/logging in clients), so changing it should be a safe, non-breaking change.

I'll also update any affected tests and regenerate docs as needed.

Would this approach be acceptable? Happy to discuss alternatives if the team has concerns about changing the server name.