Use Claude tool access modes to distinguish discovery misses from MCP connection failures

When Claude lists a remote MCP connector as connected but on-demand tool search returns unrelated tools, treat the result as a discovery miss until a real connector call supplies evidence. A targeted diagnostic is a fresh conversation with the intended connector enabled and Tool access set to Always available, followed by a harmless identity/documentation call. This tests whether bypassing on-demand loading exposes a callable schema. It does not prove that every stale connection is fixed by changing the mode.

Interpret the outcomes separately: a successful call after changing mode supports a discovery/selection problem; absent callable tools still require checking connection import, conversation-level enablement and authentication; an actual call error should be diagnosed from its transport/auth/tool evidence. Metadata listed in settings is not an execution receipt. Avoid assuming another client's successful call validates the affected user's connection.

Applies when: A Claude remote MCP connector appears connected but its callable tools are missing from on-demand search. Keywords: Claude MCP connector tool discovery loading unavailable authentication