diff --git a/src/automation/spawn-mcp.ts b/src/automation/spawn-mcp.ts
index e80fd469a..e710aedf9 100644
--- a/src/automation/spawn-mcp.ts
+++ b/src/automation/spawn-mcp.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export async function getAutomationAuthToken(): Promise<string | null> {
 
 export async function spawnMCPIfNeeded(): Promise<AutomationServerHandle | null> {
   const isTauri = IS_BROWSER && '__TAURI_INTERNALS__' in window
-  console.warn('[MCP] spawn check: DEV=', import.meta.env.DEV, 'isTauri=', isTauri, 'IS_BROWSER=', IS_BROWSER)
+  if (IS_BROWSER) localStorage.setItem('__mcp_debug', JSON.stringify({ DEV: import.meta.env.DEV, isTauri, IS_BROWSER, ts: Date.now() }))
   if (import.meta.env.DEV || !isTauri) {
     return DEV_AUTOMATION_AUTH_TOKEN
       ? { disconnect: noop, authToken: DEV_AUTOMATION_AUTH_TOKEN }