bug: MCP-created agents not registered in backend DB (ownership table)

[vybe]

Summary

When creating an agent via the MCP server using a github:owner/repo template, the agent container is created and the repo is cloned correctly, but the agent is not registered in the backend's agent_ownership table. This means subscription assignment, auth reports, and other backend-managed features fail with "Agent not found in ownership table". Conversely, creating via the backend API registers in the DB but does not handle github: templates (no repo cloning).

Component

MCP Server / Backend — Agent Creation

Priority

P2

Error

{"detail": "Agent not found in ownership table"}

Occurs when calling PUT /api/subscriptions/agents/{name} on an agent created via MCP create_agent with a GitHub template.

Location

• MCP Server: Agent creation via create_agent tool — creates Docker container directly without notifying the backend DB
• Backend API: POST /api/agents — registers in DB but ignores github: template format (no repo cloning)

Root Cause

The MCP server and backend API have separate agent creation paths that are not synchronized:

1. MCP create_agent: Creates Docker container, clones GitHub repo into workspace, sets up .claude/ config. Does NOT insert a row into agent_ownership in the backend DB.
2. Backend POST /api/agents: Inserts into agent_ownership, creates Docker container. Does NOT handle github:owner/repo template format for cloning repos.

This means there is no single creation path that both registers the agent in the DB and clones from a GitHub template.

Reproduction Steps

1. Configure a GitHub PAT in Trinity settings
2. Via MCP, call create_agent with template: "github:owner/repo"
3. Agent container is created with repo cloned into workspace
4. Try to assign a subscription via PUT /api/subscriptions/agents/{name}
5. Fails with "Agent not found in ownership table"
6. Verify with GET /api/agents — the MCP-created agent is not listed

Suggested Fix

Two possible approaches:

Option A (Preferred): Have the MCP server call the backend API to create agents instead of creating Docker containers directly. This ensures the backend DB is always the source of truth.

Option B: Have the backend API support github:owner/repo template format in POST /api/agents, performing the same repo cloning that the MCP server does.

Either way, the goal is a single creation path that handles both DB registration and GitHub template cloning.

Environment

• Trinity version: f50ee3e
• Docker version: 24.0
• OS: Ubuntu 22.04

Related

• MCP server agent creation logic
• Backend POST /api/agents endpoint
• agent_ownership table
• Subscription assignment endpoint PUT /api/subscriptions/agents/{name}

[vybe]

Closing — fixed since commit b457b1d (Dec 2025). MCP create_agent now calls the same POST /api/agents endpoint, ensuring register_agent_owner() runs for all creation paths.