"Enable MCP Access" Keeps Deactivating

Questions
1

Hi,

I want to be able to edit and analyse workflows via MCP with Claude. This was working fine until recently, when, for some unknown reason(s), the “Enable MCP” toggle started switching off on its own. I think this is happening every time I log out, but it’s difficult to say exactly what actions precede the deactivation. This means that everytime I want to use MCP, I have to switch it on, and sometimes I have to do it multiple times in a session, not only from settings, but also from each workflow’s individual settings.

Is this a known bug with a recent update, or is there a trick to getting this setting to stick? Any ideas on what might be causing it to reset, or how I can keep it permanently enabled?

Thank you.

3

Thank you for your reply. I don’t think my browser is clearing cookies when I logout. Could it be that my browser (Chrome) needs an update which I’ve been putting off? :sweat_smile:

I’m using Cloud version n8n@2.22.4.

The only options I’m getting for upgrade are:
2.23.3 (latest stable)
2.25.3 (latest beta)

4 

services:
  n8n:
    image: n8nio/n8n:latest
    ports:
      - "5678:5678"
    environment:
      - N8N_ENFORCE_SETTINGS_FILE_PERMISSIONS=true
      # Force advanced LLM/MCP features to stay active globally
      - N8N_DEV_FEATURES_ENABLED=true 
      - N8N_COMMUNITY_PACKAGES_ENABLED=true
    volumes:
      - n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n

Use this docker-compose.yml if you want it to be permanently enabled and if you use docker, if you use other things like n8n cloud, I will be happy to help for that as well.

5

Thanks. Using n8n cloud. Please could you share with me guidance on how to keep it enabled in the cloud version?

6

On Cloud, I’d ignore the Docker-side advice and focus on whether the toggle is actually persisting between sessions. If it only flips off after logout, that points to a state or persistence bug rather than a browser issue. Can you confirm whether it stays on after a refresh, or does it disappear as soon as you sign out?

7

Thank you. A colleague stayed logged in with his credentials to our n8n account overnight and it seems that the switch again toggled to off. I logged in with my credentials and it seems to have stayed toggled on. So, I haven’t a clue when the toggle is changing and what’s causing it.

8
  1. Go to your n8n Cloud editor, navigate to Settings, then n8n API, and click Create an API Key. Copy this key safely.
  2. If you are using Claude Desktop, open your configuration file (claude_desktop_config.json).
  3. Add the official n8n MCP server block directly to your configuration, plugging in your Cloud URL and API Key:
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-cloud-bridge": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@n8n/mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "N8N_API_URL": "https://your-custom-string.n8n.cloud/api/v1",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "your_copied_n8n_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
  1. Restart Claude.

Hope that helps, let me know if this works or not

9

This does sound like a bug introduced in a recent version, a few others have reported the MCP toggle not sticking. A couple of things worth checking:

First, look at whether MCP can be enabled via an environment variable in your n8n config. If the toggle just flips a runtime flag without writing to the database persistently, it’ll reset on logout or restart. Check the n8n docs for an N8N_MCP_* env var and add it to your compose file or startup config so it’s always on regardless of the UI toggle.

Second, which version are you on? This would help narrow down whether it’s a regression. If you recently updated, rolling back one version and testing would confirm it.

If neither of those apply, worth opening a GitHub issue at https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/issues with your version and setup (Docker, npm, cloud) — the “resets on logout” behavior is specific enough to track down.

10

Since you’re on n8n Cloud, the env var approach won’t apply here. For Cloud, the MCP toggle state is managed server-side, so if it’s resetting on logout that’s almost certainly a regression in your current version (2.22.4). The fastest path is to reach out directly to n8n support at support@n8n.io - include your instance URL, the version, and a note that the toggle resets on logout. This kind of persistence bug on Cloud is something only the n8n team can fix on their end.

11

welcome to the n8n community @Paul9
how do you use claude via mcp? desktop, vscode, web…

12

Another point, please update to stable version 2.23.4, send a screenshot of the screen where you see the toggle changed, and share who are the owners/admins within the projects you want to run the mcp.

When rotating the token, n8n automatically revokes the previous token.
Set up and use n8n MCP server | n8n Docs

13

Thank you for your reply.

I’m on version 2.22.4

14

Claude via MCP. I tend to use Claude desktop app for work projects which is when I encounter the toggle issue.

15

Thanks. It says I’m 3 versions behind and gives me these options to upgrade. No version 2.23.4 available according to the drop down menu.

image
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16

always choose the stable option, please @Paul9
share your workflow please, just copy and paste it here