Cowboy MCP 1.7.1: checkpoint restores that keep every value exact, and a faster way to connect Claude and ChatGPT

By Andrew Ivanov · Last updated 2026-10-06

A short release with one fix we wanted out the door quickly, plus a few changes that make connecting Claude and ChatGPT shorter still.

Checkpoint restores keep every value exactly as saved

A database checkpoint is supposed to put your site back exactly the way it was. We found a case where it didn't: restoring a checkpoint could alter values that contain a % sign. Those show up in more places than you might expect, including custom permalink structures and the layout data page builders store in post meta, so a restore could leave a broken permalink setting or a mangled page layout behind.

In 1.7.1 restores keep every value byte for byte. Before a restore replaces your data, Cowboy MCP now checks what it is about to write against the checkpoint, and stops if they don't match.

A one-click repair for earlier restores

If you restored a checkpoint with an earlier version, some values may already have been changed. After you update, Cowboy MCP looks for them. If it finds any, a notice appears on the Dashboard, the Plugins screen, and the Cowboy MCP settings page, telling you how many values are affected. You can open a list of them before you decide.

Click Repair now and Cowboy MCP takes a checkpoint first, then puts the values back. The repair goes into the undo journal like any other change, so you can undo it from the Activity tab. If nothing was affected, you won't see a notice at all.

Media uploads that work everywhere

Uploading media through your agent no longer depends on files from other plugins or from WordPress's admin screens. On a site with few other plugins, uploads could fail. They now work on any site, from a base64 file or from a URL.

Connecting Claude and ChatGPT

Add to Claude is now truly one click: it switches sign-in on for you, so there is no separate setting to find first.
A new Open ChatGPT button on the ChatGPT panel copies your connection link and opens ChatGPT, ready to paste. The ChatGPT guide walks through the rest.
After you add the connector, the Connections tab confirms the connection as soon as the app reaches your site. You don't need to reload the page to find out.
If an app such as ChatGPT tries to connect while new connections are switched off, the Connections tab now tells you and puts the switch right there. Before, the app just failed.

Update

Update from your WordPress dashboard like any other plugin, or install it from WordPress.org. The full changelog is there too. If you have restored a checkpoint before, update soon and look for the repair notice.