MCP_TIMEOUT

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

MCP_TIMEOUT is a Claude Code environment variable: MCP server connection timeout. Its release history is not tracked here. It is listed in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Category	Network and proxy
Official docs	Listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export MCP_TIMEOUT=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "MCP_TIMEOUT": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

Debugging Claude Code Issues: Undocumented Environment Variables Uncovered

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_MCP_TOOL_IDLE_TIMEOUT
MCP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS
MCP_TOOL_TIMEOUT: Individual MCP tool execution timeout.
CLAUDE_CODE_SYNC_PLUGINS_MCP_TIMEOUT_MS
API_FORCE_IDLE_TIMEOUT
API_TIMEOUT_MS: Request timeout in milliseconds.
BASH_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS
BASH_MAX_TIMEOUT_MS

Frequently asked questions

What does MCP_TIMEOUT do?

MCP server connection timeout

Which Claude Code version has MCP_TIMEOUT?

Its release history is not tracked here.

How do I set MCP_TIMEOUT?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export MCP_TIMEOUT=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.