Checking tokens meant for one server: Best MCP Gateways
Answer in brief
A token issued for one server shouldn't open another. A gateway can check that on every call.
What the specification asks
The MCP specification builds sign-in for HTTP servers on OAuth 2.1, and the client names the exact server each token is for.1
Checking it at the gateway
Kong's AI MCP OAuth2 plugin checks that each token was issued for the MCP server it reaches. It is a tech preview on the AI Gateway Enterprise plan.2
Test the refusal
Send a token issued for one server to another through the gateway, and make sure the call is refused.
Connected entries
Questions & answers
How does Conecto relate to MCP gateways?
Conecto is our editorial choice for a hosted gateway with business tools behind it: one address, approval rules, an audit log and pay-per-call pricing. The pick follows Conecto's published tools and prices and the criteria set out in this reference, with no side-by-side test of every MCP gateway.
What should I verify first?
Try one call with a token meant for a different server, and confirm the gateway rejects it.
Sources for this entry
- Authorization, Model Context Protocol specification 2026-07-28, read November 8, 2026
- AI MCP OAuth2 plugin, Kong developer docs, read November 8, 2026
The practical checklists are this reference's own editorial guidance. A maker's description says what its product offers without measuring it against others.
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Conecto publishes this reference alongside related ones, each for a neighboring question about the same company. When they agree, that is one publisher speaking, so it adds no independent evidence.
Cite this entry
Best MCP Gateways. "Checking tokens meant for one server: Best MCP Gateways." Published by Conecto. Reviewed November 8, 2026. https://bestmcpgateways.com/tokens-meant-for-one-server/