Chrome-Devtools-MCP Error on Linux

[xochaels]

What version of Codex is running?

0.46.0

Which model were you using?

gpt-5-codex high

What platform is your computer?

Linux 5.15.146.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64 x86_64

What steps can reproduce the bug?

Attempting to open Chrome DevTools through the Codex CLI with a headful browser immediately fails. The runtime lacks an X server, so Chromium can’t create a display. The DevTools API returns: Missing X server to start the headful browser. Either set headless to true or use xvfb-run to run your Puppeteer script.

What is the expected behavior?

output form claude code : ● I'll list the pages currently open in Chrome for you. ⎿ # list_pages response
## Pages 0: about:blank [selected]

What do you see instead?

Called chrome-devtools.list_pages({}) └ Missing X server to start the headful browser. Either set headless to true or use xvfb-run to run your Puppeteer script.

Additional information

No response

[gpeal]

I don't think this is Codex related but if it works in another agentic coding tool and not in Codex, feel free to reopen.

[irfan798]

Same thing happens to me as well, I can use chrome-devtools with copilot and claude code but not with codex

[TKasperczyk]

Same thing here - works in Gemini and Claude Code, but reports the aforementioned error in Codex CLI (Full Permissions granted).

[irfan798]

Could it be related to sandboxing? https://github.com/openai/codex/issues/1124 ?

But there are no more .ts code its written so it could be related to https://github.com/openai/codex/blob/774892c6d7ddbe55bf8862748f9507b03b75c92f/codex-rs/core/src/landlock.rs#L16

[bluebirddm]

1. Configure the browser-url parameter for chrome-devtools mcp
2. Run the following command to open Chrome. nohup google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome-debug-headful --no-first-run --disable-gpu about:blank >/tmp/chrome-launch.log 2>&1 & A workaround to bypass the codex sandbox, even when I use --yolo.

[gpeal]

I was able to get the following successful result form the Chrome MCP using the prompt:

Please check the LCP of web.dev.

which was suggested by their docs. Could somebody provide more specific set of examples/cases of what isn't working.

The Chrome MCP server is what will execute its chrome commands, not our sandboxed exec tool so the sandbox shouldn't be in play here.

[timothy-web3-dev]

same thing on ubuntu

[gpeal]

same thing on ubuntu

Does it work with other coding agents?

[ReversedK]

Same thing on Linux Mint, works fine with Claude Code

[deltabcd]

LMDE7 is the same; both Codex and Claude Code have this issue.

[LittleTurtle2333]

Same thing here - works in Gemini and Claude Code, but reports the aforementioned error in Codex CLI (Full Permissions granted).

[xochaels]

1. Configure the browser-url parameter for chrome-devtools mcp
2. Run the following command to open Chrome. nohup google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome-debug-headful --no-first-run --disable-gpu about:blank >/tmp/chrome-launch.log 2>&1 & A workaround to bypass the codex sandbox, even when I use --yolo.

Thanks, It worked

[gpeal]

@LittleTurtle2333 are you also on Linux?

[LittleTurtle2333]

@LittleTurtle2333 are you also on Linux?

Yes, I also use a Linux-based system.

[tonyho]

1. Configure the browser-url parameter for chrome-devtools mcp
2. Run the following command to open Chrome. nohup google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/chrome-debug-headful --no-first-run --disable-gpu about:blank >/tmp/chrome-launch.log 2>&1 & A workaround to bypass the codex sandbox, even when I use --yolo.

Thanks, It worked

What parameter should be used for the browser-url?

Just gotta it: "--browser-url=http://127.0.0.1:9222"

[csmashe]

Using the following to set up the mcp seems to work

[mcp_servers.chrome-devtools] command = "bash" args = [ "-lc", "DISPLAY=:1 XAUTHORITY=$HOME/.Xauthority npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest --isolated" ]

[kleinhenz]

[mcp_servers.chrome-devtools]
command = "npx"
args = ["chrome-devtools-mcp@latest", "--executablePath", "/usr/bin/chromium", "--headless", "--isolated"]
env = {}

This is what worked for me on opensuse. It seems to work fine with headless.

[StrayDragon]

I have same issue on wayland ... seem like mcp exec in sandbox and no idea to lanuch chrome

[dushaoshuai]

Same issue on wayland. I'm using Manjaro.