notion_search
Searches cached Notion content (page titles and block text) for a phrase, case-insensitive. Returns matching blocks with the page they belong to. Only locally-cached content is searched — pages never opened in Notion won't match.
This record as markdown: /tools/com-local-mcp-local-mcp/notion-search.md
What notion_search does on Local
AI agents call notion_search to retrieve information from Local without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
limit | integer | — | Max results (default 20, max 100) |
query | string | Yes | Text to search for |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why notion_search is rated Low
This is a straightforward information retrieval tool that queries locally-cached Notion data. It has no capability to create, modify, delete, or execute anything. The severity is low because even if an AI agent misuses search functionality, the blast radius is limited to reading information the user has already cached locally. There is no risk of data loss, code execution, or financial impact.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Searches cached Notion content' and 'Returns matching blocks' — purely a query/search operation with no modification, deletion, or execution capabilities.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs notion_search safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Local, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For notion_search, this is the rule to start with:
notion_search is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Local, apply this rule, and every notion_search call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about notion_search
Searches cached Notion content (page titles and block text) for a phrase, case-insensitive. Returns matching blocks with the page they belong to. Only locally-cached content is searched — pages never opened in Notion won't match. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Local MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
notion_search accepts 2 parameters: limit, query. Required: query. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Local MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for notion_search: 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 Local. Nothing to install.
notion_search is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the notion_search 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.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for notion_search. 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.
notion_search is provided by the Local MCP server (local-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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