Summary
The Gmail connector (available in the Engineering plugin) requests the gmail.send OAuth scope during authorization, but the MCP server does not expose a send_email (or equivalent) tool. Users who connect Gmail expect to be able to send emails via Claude — this is a confusing gap where permission is explicitly requested but the capability is unavailable.
Affected Connector
- Plugin: Engineering (
engineering@knowledge-work-plugins)
- Connector: Gmail
- MCP server ID:
9ef7e5d1-a7cf-4104-bcfd-129d27017b8e
- Platform: Claude Desktop (Cowork mode), Windows ARM64
Available Tools (confirmed via tool introspection)
create_draft, search_threads, get_thread, list_drafts, list_labels, create_label, label_message, label_thread, unlabel_message, unlabel_thread, apply_sensitive_message_label, apply_sensitive_thread_label
Missing Tool
send_email (or send_draft / send_message)
Impact
During the OAuth consent flow, the gmail.send scope is explicitly requested — so users expect send capability. Without it, Claude can only create drafts that the user must then open in Gmail to send manually. This significantly limits the connector's usefulness for automated workflows.
Suggested Fix
Implement a send_email tool that uses the already-authorized gmail.send scope, or alternatively a send_draft tool that sends an existing draft by ID.
# Example: send_draft by draft ID
def send_draft(draft_id: str) -> dict:
# Uses gmail.send scope already authorized
return gmail_service.users().drafts().send(userId='me', body={'id': draft_id}).execute()Workaround
Currently the only workaround is using browser automation (Claude in Chrome) to open Gmail and click Send manually — which defeats the purpose of the connector.
Related
Summary
The Gmail connector (available in the Engineering plugin) requests the
gmail.sendOAuth scope during authorization, but the MCP server does not expose asend_email(or equivalent) tool. Users who connect Gmail expect to be able to send emails via Claude — this is a confusing gap where permission is explicitly requested but the capability is unavailable.Affected Connector
engineering@knowledge-work-plugins)9ef7e5d1-a7cf-4104-bcfd-129d27017b8eAvailable Tools (confirmed via tool introspection)
create_draft,search_threads,get_thread,list_drafts,list_labels,create_label,label_message,label_thread,unlabel_message,unlabel_thread,apply_sensitive_message_label,apply_sensitive_thread_labelMissing Tool
send_email(orsend_draft/send_message)Impact
During the OAuth consent flow, the
gmail.sendscope is explicitly requested — so users expect send capability. Without it, Claude can only create drafts that the user must then open in Gmail to send manually. This significantly limits the connector's usefulness for automated workflows.Suggested Fix
Implement a
send_emailtool that uses the already-authorizedgmail.sendscope, or alternatively asend_drafttool that sends an existing draft by ID.Workaround
Currently the only workaround is using browser automation (Claude in Chrome) to open Gmail and click Send manually — which defeats the purpose of the connector.
Related