# Troubleshooting

> Common errors and how to fix them.

## "macOS is asking for permission to use the keychain"

macOS showed a keychain permission dialog and nobody answered within 20 seconds, which happens on a locked screen or an unattended Mac. Allow it at the machine and run the command again. On a machine nobody sits at, run `aisync keystore file` to keep keys in a 0600 file. The choice is saved in aisync's config, so it also applies when Claude Code starts MCP servers without your shell environment. Run `aisync unlock` (and `aisync vault login` for Vault) again after switching.

## "secrets for … are locked on this machine"

This machine has no key for the store: it's a new machine, or the passphrase was changed elsewhere with `aisync passwd`.

```sh
aisync unlock
```

## An MCP server doesn't start

Run the server's command from `.claude.json` in a terminal to see the error:

```sh
aisync exec --repo you/aisync-config -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack
```

Usually the key is missing (see above), the referenced token name isn't in the store, or the Vault token expired.

## "profile … changed in the repo since your last pull"

Another machine pushed the same profile. Pull first; files you changed only here stay.

```sh
aisync pull default
aisync push default
```

## "these changed both here and in the repo"

Both sides changed the same file. `aisync pull --force` takes the repo's version, `aisync push --force` keeps yours. See [Syncing and conflicts](/en/docs/sync/).

## "secret-looking values would be committed in plain text"

What you're uploading contains a token. For an MCP server, add `--secrets` to move it to the store; for a file, take the value out. [Secrets](/en/docs/secrets/) explains how.

## A new MCP server doesn't show up after a pull

Claude Code reads MCP servers only when a session starts. Restart the session.

## Worried a first pull will wipe your setup

`aisync pull default --dry-run` shows what would change. A real pull also copies every file it changes or removes to `<config folder>/.aisync/backup/` first.