Notion + Claude Code: Complete MCP Integration
Notion is a MCP server that Notion's official hosted MCP server providing secure AI tool access to workspace content including pages, databases, and comments through OAuth authentication..
When integrated with Claude Code, you can:
- Search and retrieve live context from Notion workspace based on user access and permissions
- Access and query Notion databases to retrieve structured information
- Read page content and metadata from workspace pages you have access to
This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Notion in Claude Code, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.
What You'll Achieve
After completing this setup:
- Notion will be fully integrated and operational
- You can use Notion tools directly in Claude Code
- All Notion capabilities will be available for your workflows
- Access to 4 different tools
Prerequisites
Before starting, ensure you have:
- Node.js 18 or higher (for STDIO transport only)
- Active Notion workspace with appropriate access permissions
- MCP client that supports remote servers (HTTP/SSE) or STDIO transport
- Notion account with workspace access
- Supported AI tool with MCP client capabilities
- Permission to connect external applications to workspace
- Claude Code installed and configured
- Compatible operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Installation
Step 1: Install Notion
Install using npm:
npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
Verify installation:
Connection verified through OAuth flow in your AI tool
Configuration
Step 2: Configure Claude Code
- Install Claude Code
Download and install Claude Code from the official website
Visit: https://claude.ai/code
Note: Claude Code is available as a native application, not via npm
- Navigate to Project
Open terminal in your project directory where you want to use the MCP server
- Install MCP Server
Install the MCP server you want to use (e.g., via npm, pip, or other package manager)
- Configure MCP Server
Add MCP server configuration to project CLAUDE.md file or use --mcp-config flag
Note: CLAUDE.md is preferred for project-specific configuration
- Test Integration
Start Claude Code and verify MCP server is working
claude
Note: Use interactive mode to test MCP server functionality
Configuration Details
Add to your project's CLAUDE.md file:
## MCP Servers
### Notion
- **Installation**: npx
- **Configuration**:
- **Description**: Notion's official hosted MCP server providing secure AI tool access to workspace content including pages, databases, and comments through OAuth authentication.
Claude Code will automatically detect and load MCP servers from your project context.
Examples
Once configured, you can use Notion in Claude Code:
Create Project Documentation
Generate PRDs, tech specs, or architecture docs by pulling context from existing Notion pages
Ask Claude Code: "Create a technical specification for the new authentication system based on our security guidelines in Notion"
Expected Result: AI retrieves security guidelines from Notion workspace and generates comprehensive tech spec
Track Campaign Progress
Monitor and report on campaign status using Notion database data
Ask Claude Code: "Give me a summary of all marketing campaigns in progress with their current metrics"
Expected Result: AI queries the campaigns database and provides formatted progress report
Search Meeting Notes
Find specific information across all meeting notes in workspace
Ask Claude Code: "What decisions did we make about the API redesign in recent meetings?"
Expected Result: AI searches meeting notes and returns relevant decisions with links to source pages
Generate Release Notes
Build release documentation by aggregating information from multiple Notion pages
Ask Claude Code: "Create release notes for version 2.0 using our changelog and feature pages"
Expected Result: AI compiles information from multiple pages into formatted release notes
Task Management
Query and analyze tasks from Notion databases
Ask Claude Code: "Show me all overdue tasks assigned to the engineering team"
Expected Result: AI filters and presents overdue engineering tasks with details and links
Testing Your Setup
- Run claude in your project directory
- Ask Claude to list available tools and verify Notion tools are present
- Test Notion functionality by asking Claude to use specific tools
Test commands:
claude
claude --debug
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
AI Tool Cannot Connect to Notion MCP
Symptoms: Connection timeout or failed errors, Notion MCP not appearing in tool directory, OAuth flow not starting
Cause: AI tool may not support MCP clients or remote MCP connections
Solution:
- Verify your AI tool supports MCP client functionality
- Check if tool supports remote MCP servers (HTTP/SSE transport)
- For tools without remote support, use STDIO with mcp-remote proxy: npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
- If tool lacks MCP support entirely, request feature from developers
OAuth Connection Fails
Symptoms: Authorization screen does not appear, Cannot complete OAuth flow, Connection succeeds but no workspace access
Cause: OAuth flow interrupted or workspace permissions issue
Solution:
- Use Notion app Settings > Connections > Notion MCP for easiest setup
- Ensure popup blockers are disabled during OAuth
- Check you have appropriate workspace permissions
- Try disconnecting and reconnecting through Notion app
Cannot Access Specific Pages or Databases
Symptoms: Some content returns not found errors, Searches return incomplete results, Database queries fail or return empty
Cause: Content access based on user permissions - AI tool can only see what you can see
Solution:
- Verify you have access to the pages/databases in Notion app
- Check workspace sharing settings for restricted content
- Ensure pages are not in private sections you cannot access
- Contact workspace admin if you need broader access
STDIO Transport Connection Issues
Symptoms: mcp-remote command fails, Connection drops frequently, Slow response times
Cause: STDIO transport requires mcp-remote proxy for hosted Notion MCP
Solution:
- Prefer Streamable HTTP or SSE transport if your tool supports it
- Ensure Node.js and npx are properly installed for STDIO
- Use config: npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.notion.com/mcp
- Check network connectivity to mcp.notion.com
Tool Does Not Support Remote MCP Servers
Symptoms: Only local/STDIO servers work in tool, HTTP/SSE connections not available, No option to add remote server URL
Cause: Some MCP clients only support local STDIO servers
Solution:
- Use mcp-remote as proxy to convert HTTP to STDIO
- Configuration: command: npx, args: [-y, mcp-remote, https://mcp.notion.com/mcp]
- Alternative: Use open-source notion-mcp-server for local deployment
- Check tool documentation for remote server support roadmap
Server Not Found
Symptoms: Command not found errors, Server tools unavailable
Cause: Server not installed or not in PATH
Solution:
- Verify server installation
- Check PATH environment variable
- Install server globally or in project
Configuration Not Loaded
Symptoms: CLAUDE.md changes not recognized, Old server config used
Cause: CLAUDE.md file not in correct location or format
Solution:
- Ensure CLAUDE.md is in project root
- Verify markdown syntax is correct
- Restart Claude Code session
Notion not appearing in Claude Code
Symptoms: Server not listed, Tools not available
Cause: Configuration or installation issue
Solution:
- Verify configuration syntax
- Check Notion installation
- Restart Claude Code
- Check logs for error messages
Next Steps
Now that Notion is integrated with Claude Code:
- Explore all Notion capabilities through Claude Code
- Check out other MCP servers that work with Claude Code
- Join the MCP community for tips and support
- Consider contributing to Notion development
Need Help?
- Search for Notion documentation
- Check the Claude Code MCP guide
- Join the MCP community discussions