Notion

KnowledgePublisher: Notion Labs

Route Notion MCP traffic through Formal to control and log what AI agents do in Notion:

Block risky tools, such as update-page.
Mask sensitive data in tool results, such as emails in get-users responses.
Keep credentials at the Connector, so users and agents never see Notion tokens.
Log every tool call with the user, the MCP client and its parameters.

0. Prepare your Connector

The Connector needs an MCP listener and a hostname with wildcard DNS and TLS. Set them up once by following Deploy the Connector. Every MCP server reuses them.

1. Add Notion MCP server to your Resources

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Open the Admin Catalog and click Add MCP.
Select the Notion template.
Enter a DNS-label Name, such as notion.
Choose the Space containing your Connector, such as default.
Configure upstream authentication as described below, then save.

If no Connector is in the selected Space, the Configuration tab shows MCP clients can’t connect directly yet. The reason reads: No Connector is in this server's Space.

Set space_id to the ID of the Space containing your Connector.

resource "formal_resource" "notion" {
  name                    = "notion"
  technology              = "mcp"
  hostname                = "mcp.notion.com"
  space_id                = "<SPACE_ID>"
  native_users_v3_enabled = true
  port                    = 443
  tags = {
    "mcp-endpoint" = "/mcp"
  }
}

resource "formal_resource_oauth_settings" "notion" {
  resource_id = formal_resource.notion.id
}

Set spaceId to the ID of the Space containing your Connector.

import * as formal from "@formalco/pulumi";

const resource = new formal.Resource("mcp", {
  name: "notion",
  technology: "mcp",
  hostname: "mcp.notion.com",
  port: 443,
  spaceId: "<SPACE_ID>",
  tags: { "mcp-endpoint": "/mcp" },
  nativeUsersV3Enabled: true,
});

new formal.ResourceOauthSettings("mcpOAuth", {
  resourceId: resource.id,
});

Create a Resource with the MCP endpoint and its Space ID.

export FORMAL_API_KEY="<YOUR_API_KEY>"
RESOURCE_RESPONSE=$(curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResource \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "name": "notion",
    "hostname": "mcp.notion.com",
    "port": 443,
    "technology": "mcp",
    "spaceId": "<SPACE_ID>",
    "tags": [
      {
        "key": "mcp-endpoint",
        "value": "/mcp"
      }
    ]
  }
JSON
)
RESOURCE_ID=$(printf '%s' "${RESOURCE_RESPONSE}" | jq -r '.resource.id')
curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResourceOAuthSettings \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "resourceId": "${RESOURCE_ID}"
  }
JSON

2. Setup Authentication

Linked Accounts (Recommended)
Shared Credentials
Pass Through

Each user links their own Notion account once in the Employee Catalog, and the Connector sends that user’s token to Notion.

Linked Accounts selected under How does Formal authenticate to this resource?

Under OAuth app, choose one of the two options.

1. Formal’s App (default)

Notion supports Client ID Metadata Documents, so you register nothing. Users see Formal on Notion’s consent screen.

2. Your OAuth App

Users see your app’s name on Notion’s consent screen.

Set up your own Notion OAuth app

See Notion OAuth documentation and register an app.

Prepare registration

Prepare a JSON registration request with client_name, grant_types containing authorization_code and refresh_token, and response_types containing code.

Set the callback

Put Formal’s Redirect URI in the redirect_uris array and set token_endpoint_auth_method to none.

POST the JSON to Notion’s registration endpoint and securely save the returned client_id.

Choose authorization scopes

Request scope default during authorization and use S256 PKCE; the documented public client needs no Client secret. You can skip the client secret. Formal then authenticates with PKCE alone.

Enter the app in Formal

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Back in the Admin Catalog, enter the Client ID and Client secret, then save. Users then link their accounts on the Notion server’s page in the Employee Catalog.

Your OAuth App selected in the Admin Catalog, with the Redirect URI, Client ID and Client secret fields

Use these OAuth settings instead of the ones from step 1.

variable "notion_oauth_client_secret" {
  type      = string
  sensitive = true
}

resource "formal_resource_oauth_settings" "notion" {
  resource_id              = formal_resource.notion.id
  upstream_oauth_mode      = "pre_registered"
  client_id                = "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>"
  client_secret_wo         = var.notion_oauth_client_secret
  client_secret_wo_version = 1
}

Use these OAuth settings instead of the ones from step 1. Store the secret with pulumi config set --secret notionOauthClientSecret.

import * as pulumi from "@pulumi/pulumi";

const config = new pulumi.Config();

new formal.ResourceOauthSettings("mcpOAuth", {
  resourceId: resource.id,
  upstreamOauthMode: "pre_registered",
  clientId: "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>",
  clientSecret: config.requireSecret("notionOauthClientSecret"),
});

Use this call instead of the CreateResourceOAuthSettings call from step 1. The OAuth app is fixed at creation.

curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.ResourceService/CreateResourceOAuthSettings \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
  {
    "resourceId": "${RESOURCE_ID}",
    "upstreamOauthMode": "pre_registered",
    "clientId": "<YOUR_CLIENT_ID>",
    "clientSecret": "<YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET>"
  }
JSON

Switching between Formal’s App and your OAuth app unlinks every account. Users must link again.

An administrator stores one Notion token in Formal, and the Connector sends it on every user’s requests without showing it to them.

Shared Credentials selected under How does Formal authenticate to this resource?

Notion’s MCP endpoint accepts an MCP token as a Bearer token. Create one at www.notion.so/developers.

Open this server from the Admin Catalog.
Select Configuration, then Authentication.
Choose Shared Credentials, then select Add credential.
Enter the credential, make it the default, and select Save authentication.

See Native Users.For HTTP Bearer authentication, enter the raw token. The Connector adds the Bearer prefix.In the Terraform tab, set native_users_v3_enabled = true on the Resource and upstream_oauth_mode = "none" on its OAuth settings.

variable "mcp_shared_credential" {
  type      = string
  sensitive = true
}

resource "formal_native_user_v3" "mcp_shared_credential" {
  resource_id = formal_resource.notion.id
  label       = "shared-credential"

  http_bearer {
    header = "Authorization"
    token {
      literal_wo         = var.mcp_shared_credential
      literal_wo_version = 1
    }
  }
}

resource "formal_resource_native_user_selection" "mcp_shared_credential" {
  resource_id = formal_resource.notion.id
  cel         = "\"${formal_native_user_v3.mcp_shared_credential.id}\""
}

3. Route Endpoint traffic

Auth is managed at the Connector level when you use Linked Accounts or Shared Credentials, so the Endpoint needs to forward the MCP traffic to it. Laptops and VMs with the Formal Endpoint keep using https://mcp.notion.com/mcp, and a network rule sends that traffic to the Connector.

UI
Terraform
Pulumi
API

Go to Network Rules and create a rule named notion-mcp.
Paste this expression, set the rule to Active, then save:

{
  "condition": {
    "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
    // Every MCP server added to Formal: process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
    "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.notion.com",
    "post_tls": true
  },
  "outputs": {
    "forward_to_connector": true
  }
}

resource "formal_network_rule" "notion_mcp" {
  name        = "notion-mcp"
  description = "Forward Notion MCP traffic from agents to the Connector"
  status      = "active"

  # Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
  cel_expression = <<-EOT
    {
      "condition": {
        "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
        "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.notion.com",
        "post_tls": true
      },
      "outputs": {
        "forward_to_connector": true
      }
    }
  EOT
}

import * as formal from "@formalco/pulumi";

new formal.NetworkRule("notionMcp", {
  name: "notion-mcp",
  description: "Forward Notion MCP traffic from agents to the Connector",
  status: "active",
  // Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
  celExpression: `
    {
      "condition": {
        "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
        "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.notion.com",
        "post_tls": true
      },
      "outputs": {
        "forward_to_connector": true
      }
    }
  `,
});

export FORMAL_API_KEY="<YOUR_API_KEY>"
# Every MCP server added to Formal: set pre_tls to process.is_agent && resource.technology == "mcp"
CEL_EXPRESSION=$(cat <<'CEL'
{
  "condition": {
    "pre_tcp": process.is_agent,
    "pre_tls": process.is_agent && hostname == "mcp.notion.com",
    "post_tls": true
  },
  "outputs": {
    "forward_to_connector": true
  }
}
CEL
)
jq -n --arg cel "${CEL_EXPRESSION}" '{
  name: "notion-mcp",
  description: "Forward Notion MCP traffic from agents to the Connector",
  status: "active",
  celExpression: $cel
}' | curl --fail --silent --show-error \
  --request POST \
  https://api.formal.ai/core.v1.DesktopService/CreateDesktopRoutingRule \
  --header "x-api-key: ${FORMAL_API_KEY}" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @-

The rule matches known agents only. See Identity headers.Cloud agents such as Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor Cloud Agents don’t run the Endpoint. Point them at this server’s Connector address, https://notion.<connector-hostname>/mcp. Find it in the Admin Catalog: open Notion, then copy Connector address on the Configuration tab.

4. Create policies

Tools

The Admin Catalog lists these tools for Notion:

Tool	Description
`search`	Search pages and databases in Notion.
`fetch`	Retrieve a page or database.
`create-pages`	Create one or more pages.
`update-page`	Update a page’s properties or content.
`move-pages`	Move pages to a new parent.
`duplicate-page`	Duplicate an existing page.
`create-database`	Create a database.
`update-database`	Update a database schema or metadata.
`create-comment`	Add a comment.
`get-comments`	List comments.
`get-users`	List workspace users.
`get-self`	Retrieve the authenticated integration user.
`get-user`	Retrieve a workspace user.

Policies examples

Block a tool
Mask a tool's output

This policy blocks the tools that change data, so agents can only read Notion.

package formal.v2

import future.keywords.if
import future.keywords.in

write_tools := {
  "create-pages",
  "update-page",
  "move-pages",
  "duplicate-page",
  "create-database",
  "update-database",
  "create-comment",
}

request := {
  "action": "block",
  "type": "block_with_custom_message",
  "message": "Writing to Notion is not allowed.",
} if {
  input.resource.name == "notion"
  input.mcp.method == "tools/call"
  input.mcp.tool_name in write_tools
}

This policy replaces email addresses in results returned by get-users, get-user, and get-self.

package formal.v2

import future.keywords.if
import future.keywords.in

email_pattern := `[A-Za-z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\.[A-Za-z]{2,}`

response := {
  "action": "rewrite",
  "body": regex.replace(input.http.body, email_pattern, "[REDACTED-EMAIL]"),
  "reason": "Mask emails in Notion results",
} if {
  input.resource.name == "notion"
  input.mcp.tool_name in {"get-users", "get-user", "get-self"}
  regex.match(email_pattern, input.http.body)
}

See MCP resources for the input.mcp fields and Rewrite Action for body rewrites.

5. Check the logs

Open Logs and search for resource.name:notion. Each Notion tool call is one request log with the user, the MCP client and the tool. Open a log to see its tool parameters and the policies it triggered. A blocked write shows the block policy and its message. A masked search shows the rewrite policy.See Logs for search syntax and filters.

Troubleshooting

The agent says Notion rejected your credentials

The agent relays: notion rejected your credentials. Link or re-link your notion account in Formal…Cause: Notion no longer accepts the linked token, for example after the user revoked access in Notion.Fix: Link Notion again from the Employee Catalog.With Shared Credentials, the message asks the user to contact an administrator. Replace the token in the server’s Shared Credentials.

Laptop traffic doesn't appear in Logs

Cause: The Endpoint isn’t running, or the network rule doesn’t match the client.Fix: Check the Endpoint is connected. The rule above only matches known agents. Other clients, such as a browser, reach Notion directly unless the rule also matches them. See Network rules.

MCP clients can't connect directly yet

Cause: The Configuration tab lists the reason, most often No Connector is in this server's Space.Fix: Edit the server and choose the Space containing its Connector.

Getting Started

Example Use Cases

AI Governance

Configuring Formal

Integrations

Configuration

0. Prepare your Connector

1. Add Notion MCP server to your Resources

2. Setup Authentication

1. Formal’s App (default)

2. Your OAuth App

3. Route Endpoint traffic

4. Create policies

Tools

Policies examples

5. Check the logs

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

MCP Gateway

All MCP servers

​0. Prepare your Connector

​1. Add Notion MCP server to your Resources

​2. Setup Authentication

​1. Formal’s App (default)

​2. Your OAuth App

​3. Route Endpoint traffic

​4. Create policies

​Tools

​Policies examples

​5. Check the logs

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

MCP Gateway

All MCP servers

0. Prepare your Connector

1. Add Notion MCP server to your Resources

2. Setup Authentication

1. Formal’s App (default)

2. Your OAuth App

3. Route Endpoint traffic

4. Create policies

Tools

Policies examples

5. Check the logs

Troubleshooting

Next Steps