linear_update_issue: status parameter expects stateId UUID but schema implies status name

[wrsmith108]

Bug Description

The linear_update_issue tool accepts a status parameter documented as "New status" (string), but the implementation passes it directly to Linear's API as stateId, which requires a UUID.

Expected Behavior

The tool should either:

1. Accept human-readable status names (e.g., "Todo", "In Progress", "Done") and resolve them to state UUIDs internally, OR
2. Update the schema to document that a state UUID is required (rename parameter to stateId)

Actual Behavior

Passing a status name like "Todo" results in Linear API rejecting the request with:

Argument Validation Error - stateId must be a UUID

Code Location

In build/index.js:

const updatePayload = await issue.update({
    title: args.title,
    description: args.description,
    priority: args.priority,
    stateId: args.status  // <-- Maps string status to stateId
});

Schema definition:

const updateIssueTool = {
    inputSchema: {
        properties: {
            status: { type: "string", description: "New status" }  // Implies name, not UUID
        }
    }
};

Suggested Fix

Option A (Better UX): Look up workflow states and resolve name → UUID:

async updateIssue(args) {
    const issue = await this.client.issue(args.id);
    let stateId = args.status;
    
    // If status is not a UUID, resolve it by name
    if (args.status && !isUUID(args.status)) {
        const team = await issue.team;
        const states = await team.states();
        const matchingState = states.nodes.find(s => 
            s.name.toLowerCase() === args.status.toLowerCase()
        );
        if (!matchingState) {
            throw new Error(`Unknown status: ${args.status}`);
        }
        stateId = matchingState.id;
    }
    
    const updatePayload = await issue.update({ stateId, ... });
}

Option B (Minimum fix): Update schema documentation:

status: { type: "string", description: "State UUID (get from team workflow states)" }

Environment

• linear-mcp-server version: 0.1.0
• @linear/sdk version: ^33.0.0
• Node.js version: 22.x

Workaround

Currently, users must obtain the workflow state UUID manually and pass that instead of the status name. This is not documented and not intuitive.

[olaservo]

Hi @wrsmith108 , it looks like this might be an issue for the Linear server? This repo is just for issues with the reference servers.

[wrsmith108]

Closing - posted to wrong repository. Will repost to the correct Linear MCP server repository.