{"version":"2.1.248","anchor":"github-access-precheck-before-github-mcp-tools","canonical_anchor":"github-access-precheck-before-github-mcp-tools","heading":"GitHub access precheck before GitHub MCP tools","tier":"notice","area":"GitHub","scope":null,"heads_up":null,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.248\/e\/github-access-precheck-before-github-mcp-tools","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.248","markdown":"### GitHub access precheck before GitHub MCP tools\n\nClaude checks GitHub access before using GitHub MCP tools, unless the server turns it off.\n\n**What**\n\nClaude Code now probes whether it can reach GitHub before it uses GitHub MCP tools, so access problems surface up front rather than as a failed tool call mid-review. The probe is on unless Anthropic's remote config explicitly turns it off, and nothing in this build sets the value locally, so enabling or disabling it is a server-side decision.\n\n**Details**\n\n- The remote config key is `github_access_precheck_enabled`, read so that any value other than an explicit false leaves the probe running.\n- The probe only fires for supported hosts and non-remote sessions, and returns null in every other case.\n- The probe budget defaults to 5000 ms when no timeout is passed in.\n- Two GitHub MCP tool names sit alongside the check as the set it covers.\n- A sibling remote config key, `empty_tree_fallback_enabled`, is read the same way and defaults on for the same reason.\n\n**Evidence**\n\n`github_access_precheck_enabled`, `return sse()?.github_access_precheck_enabled !== !1;`\n\n- Area: GitHub\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 3\/5\n- Signal: 3\/5"}