mcp-systemd-crunchtools
MCP server for systemd unit management via D-Bus. Manages the full lifecycle of any systemd unit — not just Podman-managed containers: listing, status, lifecycle control, unit file authoring and decommissioning, journal queries, failed-unit and job triage, timers, host info, and login sessions.
Installation
# uvx (zero-install)
uvx mcp-systemd-crunchtools
# pip
pip install mcp-systemd-crunchtools
# Container
podman run \
-v /run/dbus/system_bus_socket:/run/dbus/system_bus_socket \
-v /etc/systemd/system:/etc/systemd/system:Z \
--security-opt label=type:container_runtime_t \
quay.io/crunchtools/mcp-systemd
The D-Bus socket mount is required for every tool. The /etc/systemd/system mount is only required for unit_file_write_tool and unit_file_remove_tool — omit it to run the server read/lifecycle-only.
Configuration
| Variable | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_SOCKET |
No | /run/dbus/system_bus_socket |
D-Bus system bus socket path |
SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR |
No | /etc/systemd/system |
Directory unit_file_write/remove operate on |
SYSTEMD_EXTRA_PROTECTED_UNITS |
No | — | Comma-separated units added to the built-in denylist |
Protected units
unit_stop, unit_restart, unit_disable, unit_mask, and unit_file_remove refuse to act on a small built-in denylist of core system units (dbus, sshd, networking, logind, journald). This cannot be bypassed — it exists so an agent can't take down the box it's running on. Add more units with SYSTEMD_EXTRA_PROTECTED_UNITS.
Claude Code Integration
claude mcp add mcp-systemd-crunchtools \
-- uvx mcp-systemd-crunchtools
Tools (21)
Units (3)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
unit_list |
List loaded units or installed unit files |
unit_status |
Curated status (active state, PID, memory, CPU) |
unit_show |
Full property dump (deps, exec settings, cgroup) |
Lifecycle (9)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
unit_start |
Start a unit |
unit_stop |
Stop a unit (protected-list guarded) |
unit_restart |
Restart a unit (protected-list guarded) |
unit_reload |
Reload a unit's config without restarting |
unit_enable |
Enable a unit to start on boot |
unit_disable |
Disable a unit from starting on boot (protected-list guarded) |
unit_mask |
Mask a unit (protected-list guarded) |
unit_unmask |
Unmask a unit |
daemon_reload |
Reload systemd's unit file cache |
Unit files (2)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
unit_file_write |
Write a new unit file (backs up any file it overwrites) |
unit_file_remove |
Decommission: stop, disable, back up, remove (protected-list guarded) |
Troubleshooting (3)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
journal_query |
Filtered journal query (unit, priority, since/until, pattern, boot) |
failed_units |
List units in the 'failed' state |
list_jobs |
List pending/stuck jobs |
Timers (1)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
timer_list |
List timers with next/last elapse |
System (2)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
system_status |
Manager state: running/degraded, failed/job counts, version |
hostinfo |
Hostname, kernel, OS |
Sessions (1)
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
session_list |
Who's logged in right now |
License
AGPL-3.0-or-later
1 maintainer
Metadata
1 maintainer
Release files for mcp-systemd-crunchtools 0.3.1
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| File | Size | Uploaded | Provenance | Actions |
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| mcp_systemd_crunchtools-0.3.1.tar.gz | 213.7 kB | With provenance | Details for mcp_systemd_crunchtools-0.3.1.tar.gz |
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| File | Interpreter | ABI | Platform | Actions Reset |
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| mcp_systemd_crunchtools-0.3.1-py3-none-any.whl | Python 3 | none | any | Details for mcp_systemd_crunchtools-0.3.1-py3-none-any.whl |
Total release size: 245.8 kB
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