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Add a remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to Action Gateway as a custom tool provider. Use a custom provider when the provider you need is not in the public provider directory or you want to connect your own tools.

The server can use no authentication, an API key, or an OAuth connection. Enter its MCP endpoint, choose the authentication method, and select which discovered tools to enable for your team.

Prerequisites

• An MCP server reachable over HTTPS that supports Streamable HTTP.
• Access to manage Action Gateway providers for your DigitalOcean team.
• The server’s authentication details, if required. For OAuth, register an OAuth application with the provider before starting.

You are responsible for authorizing the integration and complying with the provider’s terms. Use a credential with only the permissions the intended tools need.

Configure the Provider

In the DigitalOcean Control Panel, open Managed Agents, select Action Gateway, then open Tools. Click Add custom provider.

Enter the server details:

• Server name: A name beginning with a lowercase letter, followed by lowercase letters, numbers, or hyphens, up to 64 characters. For example, weather-tools. The gateway prefixes discovered tool slugs with this name.
• Endpoint URL: The server’s HTTPS MCP endpoint, such as https://mcp.example.com/mcp.
• Description (optional): A description of the tools and their intended use. It appears on the provider’s catalog card.

Select an authentication method:

• None: The server accepts requests without authentication.
• API key credential: Supply the server’s API key. The gateway stores it securely and sends it as a header credential. The UI does not display the saved secret again.
• OAuth connection: Each actor uses a separately authorized connection to the server. Supply the OAuth application’s client ID and client secret, authorization URL, token URL, and requested scopes. The authorization and token URLs must use HTTPS and be on the same domain as the MCP endpoint.

Enter secrets only into their designated credential fields, not into the description or an agent conversation.

The Authentication section offers these three methods. Select None only if the MCP server accepts unauthenticated requests:

Discover and Select Tools

For None or API key credential, click Connect and discover tools.

For OAuth connection, click Save and authorize. Enter the Actor ID for sessions that should use this connection, then click Authorize. Open the authorization page, compare the verification code when shown, and complete the provider’s consent flow. Other actors need separate connections.

The Server tools page shows the discovered tools. Review the names and descriptions, then enable only the tools your team needs. Click Add custom provider to save the selection. Disabled tools remain in the catalog but cannot be invoked.

If discovery fails, check that the endpoint is reachable, implements a supported MCP protocol version, and accepts the configured authentication. If discovery is still running, click Check again rather than registering a duplicate provider.

Use the Custom Tools

Open the provider from the Tools tab and inspect its enabled tools. Create an Action Gateway session that selects the tools or a Toolbelt containing them, and set an appropriate tool policy.

Connect your client to the session’s returned MCP URL, then ask it to find the custom provider’s tools. Inspect the discovered schema before invoking a tool. For OAuth providers, the session must use an actor with an authorized connection to that provider.