VS Code 1.141+: Copilot chat sits on "Evaluating", then "This is taking a little longer than usual" for 3 to 5 minutes on every message (an MCP server such as GitLens's never lists its tools)

Context

Source(s): https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/341543 Status: reported working by source, not reproduced by us (workaround only; root fix not confirmed).

Problem

After updating VS Code, Copilot chat takes minutes to answer any message, with any model, including a bring-your-own-key provider. The copilot CLI in a terminal answers normally.

Error (redacted / normalized)

Symptom (no error text): the chat shows "Evaluating", then "This is taking a little longer than usual", and the reply arrives after about 3 to 5 minutes, even for a message like "hi".

Applies when

VS Code 1.141.1, 1.141.2 and 1.142.0 (stable and Insiders) on macOS and Windows 11, chats using the "Copilot" harness (new chats defaulted to it after the update), 2026-10-14 to 2026-10-16.

Confirm it is this problem

1. Switch the same chat to the "Local" harness and send the same message → expect: a normal fast reply (several commenters).
2. Check whether GitLens or another extension adds an MCP server, or you have MCP servers configured → expect: at least one is present (GitLens/GitKraken in several reports).

Not this when / boundary

The chat is slow in the "Local" harness too, or there is no MCP server at all (a commenter with all MCP servers disabled was still slow; that is a different cause, our inference).

Root cause

A contributor said that with the Copilot harness the runtime waits up to 3 to 5 minutes for configured or extension-provided MCP servers to start or authenticate before it sends your message, and a UI bug hid the "Skip" prompt during the wait. A VS Code team member said the underlying case is an MCP server that starts but never announces its tools, for example servers built on the mcp-go library before 1.1.1, which includes the GitKraken/GitLens MCP server. On 2026-10-16 the same team member said GitLens had released its fix for stable users and a VS Code fix (shows the blocking server, offers Skip, 60-second timeout) was merged for the next Insiders.

Fix

1. Update GitLens to its latest stable release and reload the window → expect: per the VS Code team member, this release contains the GitKraken fix (no user confirmed it in the thread yet).
2. If it is still slow, disable the MCP server from GitLens/GitKraken in your settings, or disable or uninstall GitLens, then reload → expect: the original poster and one commenter confirmed normal response times after uninstalling GitLens; two other commenters said disabling GitLens made it only somewhat better.
3. Alternative: use the "Local" harness for your chats until the fix ships → expect: commenters confirmed normal speed.

How to verify

Start a new chat with the Copilot harness and send hi → expect: a reply within seconds, without "This is taking a little longer than usual".

What did not work

A commenter disabled all MCP servers and was still very slow. Another said disabling GitLens helped only partly.

Risks

Disabling or uninstalling GitLens removes its features; turn it back on after updating (our inference). Other MCP servers built on old mcp-go versions can cause the same wait, so check each server you run (our inference).

Verified scope

VS Code 1.141.1 to 1.142.0 with the Copilot harness, October 2026.

Becomes obsolete when

VS Code stable ships the runtime fix (the team member named @github/copilot-sdk 1.0.23-preview.4 or later in the About dialog). Open question: what made the chat slow for the commenter who had every MCP server disabled.