You connect Search Atlas to ChatGPT using MCP, sign in successfully, and then see Authentication succeeded, action discovery failed. No tools appear. This article explains what the message means and how to fix it.
🔍 What This Error Means
The message has two parts. Authentication succeeded means your Search Atlas login and permission approval worked. Action discovery failed means ChatGPT signed in but could not load the list of available tools (actions) from the MCP server.
Your account is usually fine. The problem is typically in how the connector is set up, or in the session ChatGPT saved while connecting.
⚡ About the Lite Endpoint
Search Atlas offers a Lite MCP endpoint. It is meant for clients that work better with a smaller, simpler set of tools. If ChatGPT struggles to load a large tool list, the Lite endpoint can be a good option.
- The Lite endpoint has its own address. It is not interchangeable with the standard endpoint.
- Sign-in can work against either address, so a wrong or mismatched address may only show up at the discovery step.
- Always copy the address from your Search Atlas MCP settings instead of typing it from memory.
🧭 Common Causes
- The server address was copied with a typo, a missing part, or a trailing space.
- An older connector attempt left behind a saved session that no longer matches.
- The permission screen was closed early, or not every requested permission was approved.
- You signed in to a different Search Atlas account than the one you meant to use.
- A pop-up blocker, browser extension, or privacy setting interrupted the sign-in handoff.
- Your ChatGPT plan or workspace does not currently allow custom connectors, or the required developer option is turned off.
- The tool list did not load in time, and a retry is needed.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Fix
- Check the address. Open your Search Atlas MCP settings and copy the Lite endpoint address again. Paste it into the connector without extra spaces or characters.
- Delete the failed connector. In ChatGPT, open your connector settings and remove the connection that shows the error. Do not just retry on top of it.
- Confirm your Search Atlas login. Open Search Atlas in the same browser and check that you are signed in to the correct account and workspace.
- Prepare your browser. Allow pop-ups for ChatGPT, or use a private window with extensions turned off.
- Create the connector again. Add a new connector with the Lite endpoint address and choose OAuth when asked for the authentication method.
- Approve everything. On the permission screen, review and approve the requested access, then wait until you are returned to ChatGPT.
- Refresh the tools. If the connector shows no tools, use the refresh option in the connector settings and wait a few seconds.
- Start a new chat. Enable the connector for that chat and ask ChatGPT to list the Search Atlas tools it can use.
✅ How to Confirm It Worked
- The connector shows a list of tools instead of an error.
- ChatGPT can name some Search Atlas actions when you ask what it can do.
- A simple request, such as asking for information about one of your projects, returns a result.
💡 Tips to Avoid the Error
- Use one connector per endpoint. Do not reuse a connector created for the standard endpoint when you want the Lite one.
- If you change accounts or workspaces in Search Atlas, remove and recreate the connector.
- Do not close the permission window until you are redirected back.
- If the tools fail to load once, delete and recreate the connector instead of retrying several times.
📝 What to Share If the Problem Continues
If the steps above did not help, gather these details so our team can resolve it faster:
- A screenshot of the error message in ChatGPT.
- The endpoint address you used (the address only, never passwords or tokens).
- Your ChatGPT plan type and whether you use a personal or team workspace.
- The approximate time of your last attempt and your browser name.
- The steps you already tried from this article.
💬 Need More Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be instantly connected with a member of our team.