Create a draft email in Gmail. Note the mechanics of the raw parameter.
AI agents use create_draft to create or update resources in Gmail MCP — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Gmail MCP environment.
Creating a draft email is a write operation that creates new data (an unsent message) without permanent side effects—drafts can be modified or discarded. While not as severe as sending an actual email or deleting messages, an AI agent with unchecked access could craft and save misleading emails, phishing messages, or spam for later use.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'create_draft' and description 'Create a draft email in Gmail' indicate creation of a new email message, which is a reversible write operation. The mention of 'raw parameter mechanics' suggests structured email composition.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_draft gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Gmail MCP, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for create_draft:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_draft": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_draft_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}create_draft stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Create a draft email in Gmail. Note the mechanics of the raw parameter. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Gmail MCP MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the Gmail MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_draft: 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 Gmail MCP. Nothing to install.
create_draft is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_draft 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 create_draft. 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.
create_draft is provided by the Gmail MCP server (shinzo-labs/gmail-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 65 Gmail MCP tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
65 Gmail MCP tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.