[DOCS] MCP docs omit combined startup notification for MCP server and connector authentication

Documentation Type

Missing documentation (feature not documented)

Documentation Location

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

Section/Topic

Remote MCP authentication and Claude.ai connector startup behavior

Current Documentation

The MCP docs explain how authentication is detected for remote MCP servers:

Claude Code marks a remote server as needing authentication when the server responds with 401 Unauthorized or 403 Forbidden.

The same page explains that Claude.ai connectors can be loaded in Claude Code:

Claude.ai connectors are fetched only when your active authentication method is your Claude.ai subscription.

The status line page mentions a generic notification area:

System notifications like MCP server errors and auto-updates display on the right side of the same row as your status line.

None of these sections document the startup notification behavior when both local MCP servers and Claude.ai connectors need authentication.

What's Wrong or Missing?

Claude Code v2.1.153 combined the separate "needs authentication" startup notifications for MCP servers and connectors into a single message.

The docs currently describe:

A. How remote MCP servers enter a needs-authentication state

The MCP page explains 401 and 403 handling and points users to /mcp.

B. How Claude.ai connectors load

The MCP page explains connector availability and active authentication-method constraints.

C. Where notifications appear generally

The status line page mentions system notifications at a high level.

But no page explains that startup can show one combined authentication notice for both MCP servers and connectors, or that users should resolve the combined notice through /mcp.

Suggested Improvement

Add a short note under Authenticate with remote MCP servers or Use MCP servers from Claude.ai:

At startup, Claude Code may show a notification when MCP servers or Claude.ai connectors need authentication. If both configured MCP servers and connectors need attention, Claude Code combines them into one startup message instead of showing separate notices. Open /mcp to see the affected servers and connectors, then authenticate or reconnect each one from that panel.

Consider also linking from the status line notification paragraph back to the MCP authentication section for users who see the notice in the notification area.

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Context |
|------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp | Primary MCP server and Claude.ai connector authentication docs |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/statusline | Mentions system notification placement but not the combined MCP/connector auth notice |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/managed-mcp | Supplementary admin context for Claude.ai connectors alongside managed MCP |

Version context: Claude Code v2.1.153 combined separate "needs authentication" startup notifications for MCP servers and connectors into a single message.

Total scope: 2 primary pages plus 1 optional admin cross-reference.