AddoCore Connection Doctor Skill

The connection doctor skill is a free Claude skill for the moment an MCP Self-hosted tool does not do what you expect. Claude runs the built-in mcp_status tool, reads your license state, entitlements and tool modes, and narrows the problem down to one cause, one fix and one way to check that the fix worked.

What does the connection doctor skill check?

It works from the outside in, the way you would debug it yourself:

1. Version: which MCP Self-hosted version runs, and whether a newer one is available.
2. License state: valid, grace, expired, invalid or unlicensed, plus the end date.
3. This seat: which seat Claude is using and which add-ons it is entitled to.
4. Tool modes: read-only or Can make changes per tool, for this seat.
5. Configuration: the environment variables the missing add-on needs.
6. Errors: what a 401, a 404 or a timeout from the add-on usually means.

It ends with three lines: cause, fix, and how to verify.

Why does the connection doctor skill start with mcp_status?

Because mcp_status always works. It is part of MCP Self-hosted itself, needs no entitlement and is never blocked, not even when the license is expired or invalid. That is exactly the situation in which the other tools disappear, so it is the one tool that can still explain what is going on. Its calls do not count towards tool usage either.

The output shows the running version, the license state with its message and end date, the seat ID, its entitlements and the tool mode per add-on.

Which problems does the connection doctor skill solve?

The ones customers run into most:

• A tool is missing completely. Without an entitlement for that add-on, MCP Self-hosted does not expose the tool at all. Bought it recently? Run a license refresh, or wait for the next check.
• A write tool is missing. On a read-only seat the write tools are not registered, so Claude cannot see them. Switch that tool to Can make changes for this seat in My Account → MCP Self-hosted → Seats.
• The add-on is entitled but still absent. Then its environment variables are missing or incomplete, and MCP Self-hosted skips the tool at start. The skill lists the variables each add-on needs.
• Grace period. If MCP Self-hosted cannot reach the license server, everything keeps running for 96 hours. The skill explains what that state means and what to check before the 96 hours run out.
• An old version. Update with ./mcp-update.sh in the folder where you unzipped mcp-core.

To refresh the license by hand:

docker exec mcp-core npm run refresh-license

What can the connection doctor skill not see?

mcp_status reports license, entitlements and modes. It does not list environment variables and does not test the connection to your shop, inbox or database. So for configuration problems the skill works from its own list of required variables and from the error text the add-on returns. A regenerated or revoked seat token is a similar case: it stops working once MCP Self-hosted picks up the change, at the next license check or after a manual refresh, not the instant you click.

The MCP diagnostics guide covers the checks you run on the server itself, and the MCP error codes page lists the error messages.

Does the skill ask for passwords or API keys?

Never. The connection doctor skill does not ask you to paste a token, API key or password into the chat. When a secret is wrong, it tells you which variable to check in your .env file, and you fix it on the server.

What do you need to run the connection doctor skill?

Only MCP Self-hosted. MCP Self-hosted costs € 217,80 excl. VAT: € 180,00/yr including 3 seats. The skill works without any add-on, in every license state. It is a free download and needs no license itself.

How do you install the connection doctor skill?

1. Download it from this page. Checkout is free, and the zip appears under Skills in My Account.
2. Claude Code: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/, so it is there in every project.
3. Claude Desktop: add the zip in Claude’s skills settings.
4. When something fails, ask: “Why doesn’t the WooCommerce tool work?”

Other prompts: “Check my MCP Self-hosted status”, “Why can’t Claude send Missive messages?” or “Is my license still valid?”

Install the connection doctor skill once, before you need it. Download it here, browse the Claude skills catalog, or read the free Claude skills overview.