restart_mcp

Intelligently restarts only the MCP handler process without disrupting Claude Desktop UI

SERVERMCP Autostarter SOURCE199-mcp/mcp-autostarter

High RISK CLASS

Category Execute

Parameters 00 required

Recommended Rate-limitedsee the rule below

Registry record Grade D, identity unverified Pull the record →

This record as markdown: /tools/199-mcp-mcp-autostarter/restart-mcp.md

WHAT IT DOES

What restart_mcp does on MCP Autostarter

AI agents invoke restart_mcp to trigger actions in MCP Autostarter. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.

RISK

Why restart_mcp is rated High

This tool executes a restart command on the MCP handler process—a consequential system operation whose effects (process termination and restart, potential loss of in-flight operations, state changes) depend on invocation context and cannot be trivially rolled back. While not destructive in the sense of data deletion, it is Execute because it triggers external operations with real side effects.

From the tool's definition Tool name 'restart_mcp' and description 'restarts only the MCP handler process' indicate execution of a system-level process control operation.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

RECOMMENDED RULE

The rule that runs restart_mcp safely

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and MCP Autostarter, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For restart_mcp, this is the rule to start with:

restart_mcp Rate-limited

restart_mcp stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "restart_mcp": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "restart_mcp_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL → Instant setup, no code required.

The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect MCP Autostarter, apply this rule, and every restart_mcp call is checked against it from then on.

FAQ

Questions about restart_mcp

What does the restart_mcp tool do? +

Intelligently restarts only the MCP handler process without disrupting Claude Desktop UI. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the MCP Autostarter MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on restart_mcp? +

Register the MCP Autostarter MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for restart_mcp: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches MCP Autostarter. Nothing to install.

What risk level is restart_mcp? +

restart_mcp is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.

Can I rate-limit restart_mcp? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the restart_mcp rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block restart_mcp completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for restart_mcp. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides restart_mcp? +

restart_mcp is provided by the MCP Autostarter MCP server (199-mcp/mcp-autostarter). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

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