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The PagerDuty MCP server can be run in a Docker container, providing an isolated and portable deployment option. The Docker image uses stdio transport for MCP communication.

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Prerequisites

  • Docker installed
  • A PagerDuty User API Token (see Prerequisites)

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Building the Docker Image

Build the Docker image using the following command: 
docker build -t pagerduty-mcp:latest .
The Dockerfile uses a multi-stage build process:
  • Stage 1 (Builder): Installs dependencies and the project using uv
  • Stage 2 (Runtime): Creates a minimal production image with only the necessary runtime files
The image runs as a non-root user (mcp) for security.

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Running in Read-Only Mode

By default, the Docker container runs in read-only mode, exposing only tools that read data: 
docker run -i --rm \
  -e PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY="your-api-key-here" \
  pagerduty-mcp:latest

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Running with Write Tools Enabled

To enable tools that can modify your PagerDuty account, use the --enable-write-tools flag: 
docker run -i --rm \
  -e PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY="your-api-key-here" \
  pagerduty-mcp:latest --enable-write-tools
Write tools can modify your PagerDuty data. Only enable them when necessary and ensure you understand what operations will be performed.

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EU Region Configuration

If your PagerDuty account is located in the EU region, set the PAGERDUTY_API_HOST environment variable: 
docker run -i --rm \
  -e PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY="your-api-key-here" \
  -e PAGERDUTY_API_HOST="https://api.eu.pagerduty.com" \
  pagerduty-mcp:latest

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Using with MCP Clients via Docker

To integrate the Docker container with MCP clients, use Docker as the command.

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Claude Desktop Example

Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop settings: 
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pagerduty-mcp": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY=your-api-key-here",
        "pagerduty-mcp:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
Ensure you build the image first using docker build -t pagerduty-mcp:latest .

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Environment Variables

The Docker container supports the following environment variables:
VariableDescriptionDefaultRequired
PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEYYour PagerDuty User API Token-Yes
PAGERDUTY_API_HOSTPagerDuty API host URLhttps://api.pagerduty.comNo

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Environment Variable Details

  • PAGERDUTY_USER_API_KEY: Your personal API token from PagerDuty
  • PAGERDUTY_API_HOST: Use https://api.eu.pagerduty.com for EU accounts, otherwise use the default

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Troubleshooting

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Container Exits Immediately

If the container exits immediately, ensure you’re using the -i flag for interactive mode, as the MCP server uses stdio transport.

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API Key Not Working

Verify that:
  • Your API key is correctly set in the environment variable
  • The API key has not expired
  • You’re using a User API Token (not a REST API key)

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EU Region Connection Issues

If you’re getting authentication errors and your account is in the EU:
  • Set PAGERDUTY_API_HOST="https://api.eu.pagerduty.com"
  • Verify your account region in PagerDuty settings

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Health Check Failures

The Docker image includes a health check that verifies the server can start. If health checks fail:
  • Check container logs: docker logs <container-id>
  • Verify Python dependencies are correctly installed
  • Ensure the pagerduty_mcp module is importable

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Permission Issues

The container runs as a non-root user (mcp with UID 1000). If you encounter permission issues:
  • Ensure any mounted volumes have appropriate permissions
  • Check that the container can write to necessary directories

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