Connecting Remote MCP Servers to Amazon Quick (stdio proxy method)
The Problem
Amazon Quick’s built-in MCP OAuth uses RFC 9728 (Protected Resource Metadata discovery). Many third-party MCP servers don’t implement this standard, causing persistent 401 errors — even when the same server works fine in Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT.
The Solution: mcp-remote as a stdio proxy
Use mcp-remote to wrap any remote MCP server as a local stdio connection. This:
- Handles OAuth in its own browser window (bypasses Amazon Quick’s discovery)
- Converts the connection to stdio (the most reliable transport in Amazon Quick)
- Caches tokens locally after first sign-in
Requirements
- Node.js 22.16+ (you have v25.9.0
) - npx (comes with Node.js)
Setup Steps
- Settings → Capabilities → MCP Servers → Add
- Choose Local/stdio transport
- Enter:
- Command:
npx - Args:
-y mcp-remote@latest <MCP_SERVER_URL>
- Command:
- Save → the server should show as green/connected
- On first tool use, a browser window opens for OAuth sign-in → authorise → done
Confirmed Working Servers
| Service | URL | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Canva | https://mcp.canva.com/mcp |
|
| Mini Course Generator | https://mcp.minicoursegenerator.com/mcp |
Example Configurations
Canva
- Command:
npx - Args:
-y mcp-remote@latest https://mcp.canva.com/mcp
Mini Course Generator
- Command:
npx - Args:
-y mcp-remote@latest https://mcp.minicoursegenerator.com/mcp
Any other remote MCP server
- Command:
npx - Args:
-y mcp-remote@latest https://<server-url>/mcp
When to Use This Method
Use the stdio proxy when:
Direct SSE connection gives 401 / auth_failed
The MCP server doesn’t serve .well-known/oauth-protected-resource
The OAuth browser popup never appears
The server works in Claude/Cursor but not Amazon Quick
When You Don’t Need This
The server already works as a direct SSE/HTTP connection in Amazon Quick
The server uses no authentication
The server is already local/stdio (e.g., npx packages)
Troubleshooting
- “npx: command not found” → Node.js not in PATH. Run
brew install node@22or reinstall from nodejs.org - Browser window doesn’t open → Check your default browser is set.
mcp-remoteuses the system default browser (not Amazon Quick’s browser setting) - Token expired → Remove and re-add the MCP server in Amazon Quick, or delete the cached token (usually in
~/.mcp-auth/)
Last verified: 17 June 2026 — Amazon Quick v0.1000.1410, macOS arm64