MCP Servers Don't Work with NVM

[combdn]

Problem

When using NVM (Node Version Manager), the standard installation and usage instructions for MCP servers don't work. The app tries to use an incorrect Node and fails.

Workaround

1. Avoid npx, install packages globally.
2. Use absolute paths to both the Node executable and server script.

Example:

{  
  "mcpServers": {
    "puppeteer": {
      "command": "/Users/username/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/node",
      "args": [
        "/Users/username/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/lib/node_modules/@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer/dist/index.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

OS: macOS 15.1.1 (24B91)

[mckaywrigley]

I also ran into issues with the recommended npx setup, and I was able to successfully reproduce this workaround - fixes it completely.

MCPs now install and attach correctly within Claude Desktop.

[lborgav]

This workaround works fine

[adam91holt]

I can confirm this is working for me too.

You may have a different node.js version installed so just do the following for puppeteer as an example

npm i -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer
cd /Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.nvm/versions/node
ls
>>> v14.17.6        v16.19.0        v18.14.0        v18.20.4

Then I ended up with this and it works sweet!

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "puppeteer": {
      "command": "/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.4/bin/node",
      "args": [
        "/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.4/lib/node_modules/@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer/dist/index.js"
      ]
    }
  }
}

[jspahrsummers]

The challenge with NVM is that it seems to mostly work by installing a very complicated shell function into your shell profile. It'd be great if we could figure out your preferred Node version via NVM, but I haven't found a good way to do that—open to ideas!

[jspahrsummers]

Cross-linking: see #40 for Windows workaround steps as well

[lolochka]

Unfortunately, the issue is still reproducible on Mac with nvm installed.

OS: macOS 15.1.1
Claude: 0.7.5
Locally I have checked that all packages are available with inputted paths.

The SQlite server is working correctly, but tools for server-filesystem doesn't appear

My settings

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-sqlite", "--db-path", "/Users/user/test.db"]
    },
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "/Users/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/node",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "/Users/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/lib/node_modules/@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem/dist/index.js",
        "/Users/user/claude"
      ]
    }
  }
}

[mlaugharn]

suggestion: the same way that there is the mcpServers field, can there also be an eg mcpShell field? Or maybe a shell or source key per individual server, eg "shell": "source /Users/user/mcp.sh" ? Might introduce 'too much' flexibility but it could make mcp more usable/transparent to tinker with.