[BUG] Local MCP Servers Still Not Working in Cowork Mode (v1.1.2102)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Local/Desktop MCP servers are not accessible in Cowork mode despite issue #20377 being marked as closed/fixed. Only HTTP-based remote MCPs work, making Cowork significantly less useful for users with local MCP integrations.

What Should Happen?

All MCP servers configured in Claude Desktop should be accessible in Cowork mode, regardless of whether they are:

Local/desktop servers
Remote HTTP servers
Added via .mcpb files
Node or Python-based

Error Messages/Logs

Chrome Extension Error
When attempting to use Chrome tools in Cowork mode:
Error: User rejected using . Please acknowledge this and suggest alternative approaches.
Note: No permission dialog ever appears. The error suggests user rejection, but the actual issue is that the Chrome extension isn't paired with Claude Desktop at all.
Available Tools Comparison
In Claude Chat mode:

✅ Local MCP tools (Airtable, custom MCPs, etc.) - Available
✅ Chrome extension tools - Available
✅ Remote HTTP MCPs - Available

In Cowork mode:

❌ Local MCP tools (Airtable, custom MCPs, etc.) - Missing entirely
❌ Chrome extension tools - Error on use (no pairing)
✅ Remote HTTP MCPs (Gmail, Attio, Zoho) - Available

Steps to Reproduce

For Local MCP Servers (e.g., Airtable):

Install a local MCP server (e.g., Airtable MCP Server via claude mcp add)
Verify it appears in Claude Desktop → Settings → Connectors (tagged as "DESKTOP")
Open Claude Chat mode and verify the MCP tools are available and working
Switch to Cowork mode
Ask Claude to list available tools or try to use the local MCP
Result: Local MCP tools do not appear in Cowork's available tools - they are completely hidden

For Chrome Extension:

Install Claude in Chrome extension (v1.0.45)
Verify it's enabled in chrome://extensions/
Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Connectors
Click "Configure" on "Claude in Chrome" connector
Result: No pairing code or connection UI exists
Try to use Chrome control in Cowork mode
Error received: "User rejected using . Please acknowledge this and suggest alternative approaches."
Expected: A permission dialog should appear, but it never does because the extension isn't paired

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

v1.1.2102

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_