[DOCS] Claude.ai MCP connectors (Slack, Gmail, etc.) availability in `--print` / `-p` mode is undocumented

Documentation Type

Missing documentation (feature not documented)

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp

Also relevant:
https://code.claude.com/docs/en/headless

Section/Topic

mcp.md — "Use MCP servers from Claude.ai" section
headless.md — Basic usage and bare mode sections

Current Documentation

From mcp.md, the "Use MCP servers from Claude.ai" section reads:

If you've logged into Claude Code with a Claude.ai account, MCP servers you've added in Claude.ai are automatically available in Claude Code. Configure MCP servers in Claude.ai — Add servers at claude.ai/settings/connectors. On Team and Enterprise plans, only admins can add servers.

The section then describes how to view and manage them via /mcp and how to disable them with ENABLE_CLAUDEAI_MCP_SERVERS=false. No mention of --print mode behavior.

From headless.md, the bare mode section states:

Add --bare to reduce startup time by skipping auto-discovery of hooks, skills, plugins, MCP servers, auto memory, and CLAUDE.md.

No mention of whether claude.ai MCP connectors are available in non-bare --print mode.

What's Wrong or Missing?

Claude Code v2.1.83 fixed a bug where claude.ai MCP connectors (Slack, Gmail, and other services configured at claude.ai/settings/connectors) were not available in single-turn --print / -p mode. After the fix, these connectors are available in --print mode (when not using --bare).

Neither mcp.md nor headless.md documents this behavior:

1. The "Use MCP servers from Claude.ai" section in mcp.md does not state whether claude.ai MCP connectors are available in --print mode, leaving users to discover through trial and error that they were previously broken — and now fixed.
2. headless.md describes --bare as skipping MCP servers, but does not clarify that in regular (non-bare) --print mode, claude.ai MCP connectors are included.

Users scripting with claude -p who rely on Slack, Gmail, or other claude.ai connectors have no documentation telling them this works.

Suggested Improvement

In mcp.md, under "Use MCP servers from Claude.ai", add a note clarifying availability in --print mode. For example:

Claude.ai MCP connectors are available in both interactive and --print / -p mode when you are logged in with a Claude.ai account. To exclude them from scripted calls, use --bare (which skips all MCP auto-discovery) or set ENABLE_CLAUDEAI_MCP_SERVERS=false.

In headless.md, under "Basic usage" or "Start faster with bare mode", add a sentence clarifying that without --bare, claude.ai MCP connectors (Slack, Gmail, etc.) configured at claude.ai/settings/connectors are loaded automatically in -p mode.

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Source: Changelog v2.1.83 — "Fixed claude.ai MCP connectors (Slack, Gmail, etc.) not being available in single-turn --print mode"

Affected pages:

• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp (section: "Use MCP servers from Claude.ai")
• https://code.claude.com/docs/en/headless (section: "Basic usage" and "Start faster with bare mode")

The claude.ai connectors feature is configured at claude.ai/settings/connectors and currently documented only for interactive use. The ENABLE_CLAUDEAI_MCP_SERVERS env var is documented as the opt-out mechanism, but no documentation explains the expected behavior in --print mode.