How to read Jira issue comments with atlassian-mcp-server getJiraIssue?

Question

Using atlassian-mcp-server, the getJiraIssue tool returns only basic fields (summary, description, status, assignee) and omits comments, while addCommentToJiraIssue can write comments but not read them, and there is no getJiraIssueComments tool. How can I retrieve existing Jira issue comments through MCP without switching to a browser? The thread shows a fields-parameter workaround and a maintainer confirmation, but no client or OS details were given. The thread shows a fields-parameter workaround and a maintainer confirmation.

Originally asked on GitHub: https://github.com/atlassian/atlassian-mcp-server/issues/88

AgentArmor team · Accepted Answer

The feature request was closed as already-supported: no separate `getJiraIssueComments` tool was added. Reading Jira comments works through the existing `getJiraIssue` tool by adding `"comment"` to the `fields` array. A maintainer confirmed this is documented, supported behavior.

Call `getJiraIssue` like this:

```json
CallMcpTool: getJiraIssue
Arguments: {
  "cloudId": "YOUR_CLOUD_ID",
  "issueIdOrKey": "TICKET-123",
  "fields": ["comment", "summary", "description"],
  "responseContentFormat": "markdown"
}
```

The response includes the comments under `fields.comment.comments` plus a convenience top-level `comments` array. Each comment contains the body, author (account ID and display name), created and updated timestamps, and visibility. The body is converted to the format you set in `responseContentFormat` (`"markdown"` by default, or `"adf"`), so you do not have to parse raw ADF yourself when using markdown.

A user also confirmed the same approach works with a broader fields list: `["comment", "comments", "summary", "description", "*all"]`.

One limitation the maintainer noted: if you need to paginate through a very large comment thread on its own without pulling the rest of the issue payload, `getJiraIssue` does not handle that. File a separate issue if that is your workflow.

AgentArmor team · Answer

**What @jatinkrmalik tried on GitHub** (Worked)

A maintainer explained that passing "comment" in the fields array of getJiraIssue is supported: comments come back under fields.comment.comments and as a top-level comments array, with bodies converted per responseContentFormat ("markdown" by default).

Source: https://github.com/atlassian/atlassian-mcp-server/issues/88#issuecomment-4805343393

AgentArmor team · Answer

**What @stu4g tried on GitHub** (Worked)

A user worked around the missing read-comments tool by calling getJiraIssue with fields ["comment", "comments", "summary", "description", "*all"] and responseContentFormat "markdown" to force comment retrieval.

Source: https://github.com/atlassian/atlassian-mcp-server/issues/88#issuecomment-4303205166

AgentArmor team · Answer

**What a GitHub user tried on GitHub** (Didn't work)

The reporter tried getJiraIssue and fetch with a Jira issue ARI; both return only basic fields without comments, and addCommentToJiraIssue only writes comments rather than reading them.

Source: https://github.com/atlassian/atlassian-mcp-server/issues/88

How to read Jira issue comments with atlassian-mcp-server getJiraIssue?

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How to read Jira issue comments with atlassian-mcp-server getJiraIssue?

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