get_build_failure_logs

// WHEN AI AGENTS USE THIS TOOL

AI agents call get_build_failure_logs to retrieve information from CircleCI MCP Server without modifying any data. This is common in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows where the agent needs context before taking action. Because read operations don't change state, they are generally safe to allow without restrictions -- but you may still want rate limits to control API costs.

// WHY ENFORCE A POLICY ON GET_BUILD_FAILURE_LOGS

Even though get_build_failure_logs only reads data, uncontrolled read access can leak sensitive information or rack up API costs. An agent caught in a retry loop could make thousands of calls per minute. A rate limit gives you a safety net without blocking legitimate use.

// RECOMMENDED POLICY

Read-only tools are safe to allow by default. No rate limit needed unless you want to control costs.

circleci-public-mcp-server-circleci.yaml

tools:
  get_build_failure_logs:
    rules:
      - action: allow

See the full CircleCI MCP Server policy for all 16 tools.

// DETAILS

Tool Name get_build_failure_logs

Category Read

MCP Server CircleCI MCP Server MCP Server

Risk Level Low

// MORE CIRCLECI MCP SERVER TOOLS

Execute rerun_workflow Execute run_evaluation_tests Execute run_pipeline Execute run_rollback_pipeline Write create_prompt_template Read analyze_diff Read config_helper Read download_usage_api_data

View all 16 tools →

// WHAT CAN GO WRONG

Agents calling read-class tools like get_build_failure_logs have been implicated in these attack patterns. Read the full case and prevention policy for each:

Browse the full MCP Attack Database →

// OTHER READ TOOLS ACROSS MCP SERVERS

Other tools in the Read risk category across the catalogue. The same policy patterns (rate-limit, allow) apply to each.

Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_check_crawl_status Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_crawl Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_deep_research Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_extract Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_map Firecrawl Web Scraping Server firecrawl_scrape

// RELATED READING

// FAQ

What does the get_build_failure_logs tool do? +

This tool helps debug CircleCI build failures by retrieving failure logs. CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS: 1. Truncation Handling (HIGHEST PRIORITY): - ALWAYS check for <MCPTruncationWarning> in the output - When present, you MUST start your response with: "WARNING: The logs have been truncated. Only showing the most recent entries. Earlier build failures may not be visible." - Only proceed with log analysis after acknowledging the truncation Input options (EXACTLY ONE of these THREE options must be used): Option 1 - Project Slug and branch (BOTH required): - projectSlug: The project slug obtained from listFollowedProjects tool (e.g., "gh/organization/project") - branch: The name of the branch (required when using projectSlug) Option 2 - Direct URL (provide ONE of these): - projectURL: The URL of the CircleCI project in any of these formats: * Project URL: https://app.circleci.com/pipelines/gh/organization/project * Pipeline URL: https://app.circleci.com/pipelines/gh/organization/project/123 * Legacy Job URL: https://circleci.com/pipelines/gh/organization/project/123 * Workflow URL: https://app.circleci.com/pipelines/gh/organization/project/123/workflows/abc-def * Job URL: https://app.circleci.com/pipelines/gh/organization/project/123/workflows/abc-def/jobs/xyz Option 3 - Project Detection (ALL of these must be provided together): - workspaceRoot: The absolute path to the workspace root - gitRemoteURL: The URL of the git remote repository - branch: The name of the current branch Recommended Workflow: 1. Use listFollowedProjects tool to get a list of projects 2. Extract the projectSlug from the chosen project (format: "gh/organization/project") 3. Use that projectSlug with a branch name for this tool Additional Requirements: - Never call this tool with incomplete parameters - If using Option 1, make sure to extract the projectSlug exactly as provided by listFollowedProjects - If using Option 2, the URLs MUST be provided by the user - do not attempt to construct or guess URLs - If using Option 3, ALL THREE parameters (workspaceRoot, gitRemoteURL, branch) must be provided - If none of the options can be fully satisfied, ask the user for the missing information before making the tool call . It is categorised as a Read tool in the CircleCI MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.

How do I enforce a policy on get_build_failure_logs? +

Add a rule in your Intercept YAML policy under the tools section for get_build_failure_logs. You can allow, deny, rate-limit, or validate arguments. Then run Intercept as a proxy in front of the CircleCI MCP Server MCP server.

What risk level is get_build_failure_logs? +

get_build_failure_logs is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.

Can I rate-limit get_build_failure_logs? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_build_failure_logs rule in your Intercept 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 get_build_failure_logs completely? +

Set action: deny in the Intercept policy for get_build_failure_logs. 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 get_build_failure_logs? +

get_build_failure_logs is provided by the CircleCI MCP Server MCP server (CircleCI-Public/mcp-server-circleci). Intercept sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.

Let agents act without letting them run wild.