reload_automations · Home Assistant MCP Server MCP

WHAT IT DOES

What reload_automations does on Home Assistant MCP Server

AI agents invoke reload_automations to trigger actions in Home Assistant MCP Server. 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.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why reload_automations needs a policy

Reloading all automations is an operational trigger that causes Home Assistant to re-evaluate and restart all automation configurations. It is not purely a read, write, or destructive action, but executes an external operation on the smart home system. Misuse could cause unintended automation behavior across the entire home (lights, locks, HVAC, etc.), giving it medium severity.

From the tool's definition 'Reload all automations after making changes' — triggers a system-level reload operation affecting all automations

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

reload_automations Rate-limited

reload_automations 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": {
    "reload_automations": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "reload_automations_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 10,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

RATE-LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Home Assistant MCP Server, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about reload_automations

What does the reload_automations tool do? +

Reload all automations after making changes. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Home Assistant MCP Server MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.

How do I enforce a policy on reload_automations? +

Register the Home Assistant MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for reload_automations: 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 Home Assistant MCP Server. Nothing to install.

What risk level is reload_automations? +

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

Can I rate-limit reload_automations? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the reload_automations 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 reload_automations completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for reload_automations. 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 reload_automations? +

reload_automations is provided by the Home Assistant MCP Server MCP server (mjrestivo16/mcp-homeassistant). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.