robot-md: start the MCP server through the shipped launcher

plugins/robot-md/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "robot-md",
   "displayName": "robot-md",
-  "version": "0.6.0",
+  "version": "0.6.1",
   "description": "Connect a robot to Claude through its ROBOT.md: read capabilities and safety limits, drive it through the robot-md MCP server, keep AI-driven motion behind a gate and test its limits with Bounded Embodiment, and manage its identity, keys and EU AI Act evidence at the Robot Registry Foundation. Requires `pip install 'robot-md[hardware]'`.",
   "author": {
     "name": "Robot Registry Foundation",

plugins/robot-md/.mcp.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "robot-md": {
-    "command": "robot-md",
-    "args": ["mcp"]
+    "command": "python3",
+    "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/start-mcp-server.py"]
   }
 }

plugins/robot-md/README.md

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ The robot-md plugin connects a robot to Claude through the `ROBOT.md` at the roo
 | `bounded-embodiment` skill | Keeps AI-driven motion behind a gate, drafts envelopes, rehearses EV-03 and EV-10 in simulation, reads verdicts honestly | [plugins/bounded-embodiment](../bounded-embodiment/skills/bounded-embodiment) |
 | `rrf-registry` skill | Registers the robot, rotates and revokes keys, proves manufacturer identity, emits and submits EU AI Act evidence | this plugin |
 | `/robot-md:enable-dispatch` | Writes dispatcher config and bearer tokens without printing the token into the conversation | [robot-md-mcp](https://github.com/RobotRegistryFoundation/robot-md-mcp/tree/main/commands) |
-| `robot-md` MCP server | Manifest reads plus motion (`execute_task`, `execute_capability`, `vision_find`, `estop`), served by `robot-md mcp` | [robot-md](https://github.com/RobotRegistryFoundation/robot-md) (PyPI) |
+| `robot-md` MCP server | Manifest reads plus motion (`execute_task`, `execute_capability`, `vision_find`, `estop`). `scripts/start-mcp-server.py` finds your installed `robot-md` CLI and runs `robot-md mcp` | [robot-md](https://github.com/RobotRegistryFoundation/robot-md) (PyPI) |
 
 ## Install
 
@@ -34,4 +34,4 @@ The MCP server runs locally and sends nothing to the Robot Registry Foundation.
 
 ## Keeping copies in sync
 
-The `using-robot-md`, `bounded-embodiment` and `enable-dispatch` files here are copies. Edit the canonical source, then run `scripts/sync-robot-md.sh` from the repository root. CI fails when a copy drifts.
+The `using-robot-md`, `bounded-embodiment` and `enable-dispatch` files, `.mcp.json` and `scripts/start-mcp-server.py` here are copies. Edit the canonical source, then run `scripts/sync-robot-md.sh` from the repository root. CI fails when a copy drifts.

plugins/robot-md/scripts/start-mcp-server.py

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+"""Start the robot-md MCP server for the Claude Code plugin.
+
+The plugin's .mcp.json runs this file with python3 instead of calling the
+`robot-md` command directly, so the plugin directory's checks can read
+exactly what the server command does: find the `robot-md` CLI the user
+installed (`pip install 'robot-md[hardware]'`) and run `robot-md mcp`
+with this process's stdin and stdout. Nothing is downloaded or installed.
+"""
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
+INSTALL_HINT = (
+    "robot-md MCP server: the `robot-md` command was not found on PATH.\n"
+    "Install it with:  python3 -m pip install --user 'robot-md[hardware]'\n"
+    "then restart Claude Code. Docs: https://docs.robotmd.dev/mcp/\n"
+)
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    exe = shutil.which("robot-md")
+    if exe is None:
+        sys.stderr.write(INSTALL_HINT)
+        return 1
+    argv = [exe, "mcp", *sys.argv[1:]]
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        # os.execv on Windows starts a new process and exits this one,
+        # which breaks the stdio pipe Claude Code holds. Run it as a child.
+        return subprocess.call(argv)
+    os.execv(exe, argv)
+    return 0  # not reached
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    sys.exit(main())

scripts/sync-robot-md.sh

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pairs=(
   "$work/robot-md-mcp/skills/using-robot-md|$DEST/skills/using-robot-md"
   "$work/robot-md-mcp/commands/enable-dispatch.md|$DEST/commands/enable-dispatch.md"
   "$work/robot-md-mcp/.mcp.json|$DEST/.mcp.json"
+  "$work/robot-md-mcp/scripts/start-mcp-server.py|$DEST/scripts/start-mcp-server.py"
   "plugins/bounded-embodiment/skills/bounded-embodiment|$DEST/skills/bounded-embodiment"
 )
 
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ for pair in "${pairs[@]}"; do
     fi
   else
     rm -rf "$dst"
+    mkdir -p "$(dirname "$dst")"
     cp -r "$src" "$dst"
     echo "synced $dst"
   fi