# Why can't my AI assistant publish through DunSocial MCP?

> Check five things in order: scopes (insufficient_scope), billing (subscription_required), whether it only saved a draft, whether it used an account id instead of a handle, & platform rules such as the X cap or missing metadata. Don't retry a 402.

Updated: 2026-10-05.

## Start with the error, not a guess

Most MCP failures come back as a structured message. Read it before changing anything, because each cause has a different fix.

## 1. The connection can't publish

If publishing fails with `insufficient_scope`, the connection was approved with read access only. Publish tools need `posts:publish`.

Fix it by disconnecting the connector in your assistant, reconnecting & approving the full scope set. You can also manage the connection in DunSocial under Settings → MCP.

## 2. The workspace isn't on a paid plan

An unpaid workspace returns a `subscription_required` error with HTTP status 402, & it includes a `billingUrl`. Only listing workspaces & reading workspace details keep working.

Don't retry the publish. Open the billing URL, restore the plan & try again. Existing connections aren't revoked on cancel, so the same token starts working again once the workspace is active.

## 3. It saved a draft instead

`create_draft` saves an idea & never publishes. If you said "write a post" & the assistant saved a draft, that's working as designed.

Say "schedule" or "publish" explicitly, & name the account & the time.

DunSocial keeps that draft in the workspace, so nothing is lost. You can finish & schedule it from the web composer.

## 4. It used a handle instead of an id

DunSocial's tools take social account ids, not @handles. An assistant that guesses from a handle will fail or hit the wrong account.

Ask it to list social accounts first & use the id it returns.

## 5. A platform rule blocked it

- X: the workspace may have reached its monthly posting cap. Ask the assistant to check `get_x_cap_usage` before a big batch.
- Reddit, Instagram, Pinterest, Discord & Slack: each needs its own options, like a subreddit, a format, a board or a channel id.
- Character limits differ by platform.

Calling `validate_post` first reveals most of these without sending anything.

DunSocial's error text names the rule that blocked the post, so read it before retrying.

## When to dig deeper

If none of that fits, check that the assistant is using the workspace you approved. A connection is bound to one workspace, so a request for another workspace fails until you reconnect.

If it still fails, DunSocial's calendar shows what was created. A post that exists with a failed status points to a platform-side problem, while no post at all points to a rejected request.

## Related guides

- [What permissions does a DunSocial MCP connection need?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/dunsocial-mcp-guides/what-permissions-does-a-dunsocial-mcp-connection-need.md)
- [How should an AI assistant validate a post before publishing?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/dunsocial-mcp-guides/how-should-an-ai-assistant-validate-a-post-before-publishing.md)
- [What happens if a scheduled post fails?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-scheduler/what-happens-if-a-scheduled-post-fails.md)
- [How to connect Claude to DunSocial over MCP](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/dunsocial-mcp-guides/how-to-connect-claude-to-dunsocial-mcp.md)

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