diff --git a/docs/snippets/mcp-content.mdx b/docs/snippets/mcp-content.mdx
index debd52f1b..d1fc196f3 100644
--- a/docs/snippets/mcp-content.mdx
+++ b/docs/snippets/mcp-content.mdx
@@ -140,18 +140,19 @@ claude mcp add-json skyvern '{"type":"http","url":"https://api.skyvern.com/mcp/"
 3. When Claude Desktop opens the Skyvern installer preview, click **Install**.
 4. In the **Configure Skyvern** dialog, paste your Skyvern API key.
 5. Leave **Skyvern MCP URL** set to `https://api.skyvern.com/mcp/` unless you are connecting to a different deployment, then click **Save**.
+6. In Claude, ask: "Create a Skyvern browser session". A working setup returns a Skyvern browser session id.
 
 If double-clicking is blocked by your system, you can instead open **Claude Desktop > Settings > Extensions > Install Extension** and select the downloaded file manually.
 
 The bundle defaults to `https://api.skyvern.com/mcp/` and removes the separate Node.js requirement.
 
-**Linux, self-hosted, or advanced fallback (requires Node.js >= 20)**
+<Note>
+If Claude says Skyvern "needs authorization" or mentions OAuth, the API key is not configured. Open Claude Desktop **Settings -> Extensions -> Skyvern -> Configure**, paste your Skyvern API key, and save.
+</Note>
 
-Add this manual bridge to your Claude Desktop config file:
+**Linux manual config (requires Node.js >= 20)**
 
-- **macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
-- **Linux**: `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
-- **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
+On Linux, add this manual bridge to `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`:
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ Add this manual bridge to your Claude Desktop config file:
 }
 ```
 
-Use this fallback for Linux or any Claude Desktop setup where the one-click bundle is not available. It uses [mcp-remote](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-remote) to bridge the remote MCP server to stdio and requires Node.js >= 20.
+Use this Linux path when the one-click bundle is not available on your platform. It uses [mcp-remote](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-remote) to bridge the remote MCP server to stdio and requires Node.js >= 20.
 
 </Tab>
 <Tab title="Cursor">
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index b2b7de8bd..8bc7fce49 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "skyvern"
-version = "1.0.46"
+version = "1.0.45"
 description = ""
 authors = [{ name = "Skyvern AI", email = "info@skyvern.com" }]
 requires-python = ">=3.11,<3.14"
diff --git a/skyvern/cli/core/mcp_http_auth.py b/skyvern/cli/core/mcp_http_auth.py
index b403bfc5b..a5e9ca4a2 100644
--- a/skyvern/cli/core/mcp_http_auth.py
+++ b/skyvern/cli/core/mcp_http_auth.py
@@ -564,6 +564,25 @@ def _unauthorized_response(message: str, *, include_oauth_challenge: bool = True
     )
 
 
+_EMPTY_API_KEY_MESSAGE = (
+    "Empty Skyvern API key. Paste your API key from https://app.skyvern.com Settings into your client's Skyvern "
+    "config (Claude Desktop: Settings -> Extensions -> Skyvern -> Configure)."
+)
+_EMPTY_BEARER_MESSAGE = (
+    "Empty Bearer token. Send a valid OAuth token or use an API key from https://app.skyvern.com Settings "
+    "(Claude Desktop: Settings -> Extensions -> Skyvern -> Configure)."
+)
+_MISSING_CREDENTIALS_MESSAGE = (
+    "Missing credentials. Use an API key from https://app.skyvern.com Settings (Claude Desktop: Settings -> "
+    "Extensions -> Skyvern -> Configure) or connect with an OAuth-capable client. Docs: "
+    "https://www.skyvern.com/docs/developers/getting-started/mcp"
+)
+_INVALID_API_KEY_MESSAGE = (
+    "Invalid Skyvern API key. Check the key from https://app.skyvern.com Settings in your client's Skyvern config "
+    "(Claude Desktop: Settings -> Extensions -> Skyvern -> Configure)."
+)
+
+
 def _internal_error_response() -> JSONResponse:
     return JSONResponse(
         {"error": {"code": "INTERNAL_ERROR", "message": "Internal server error"}},
@@ -604,16 +623,20 @@ class MCPAPIKeyMiddleware:
         auth_header = request.headers.get(AUTHORIZATION_HEADER, "")
         if auth_header.startswith(BEARER_PREFIX):
             bearer_token = auth_header[len(BEARER_PREFIX) :]
-            if not bearer_token:
-                response = _unauthorized_response("Empty Bearer token")
+            if not bearer_token.strip():
+                response = _unauthorized_response(_EMPTY_BEARER_MESSAGE)
                 await response(scope, receive, send)
                 return
             await self._handle_bearer(scope, receive, send, bearer_token)
             return
 
         api_key = request.headers.get(API_KEY_HEADER)
-        if not api_key:
-            response = _unauthorized_response("Missing x-api-key or Authorization: Bearer header")
+        if api_key is None:
+            response = _unauthorized_response(_MISSING_CREDENTIALS_MESSAGE)
+            await response(scope, receive, send)
+            return
+        if not api_key.strip():
+            response = _unauthorized_response(_EMPTY_API_KEY_MESSAGE, include_oauth_challenge=False)
             await response(scope, receive, send)
             return
 
@@ -696,7 +719,7 @@ class MCPAPIKeyMiddleware:
             scope["state"]["organization_id"] = validation.organization_id
         except HTTPException as e:
             if e.status_code in {401, 403}:
-                response = _unauthorized_response("Invalid API key", include_oauth_challenge=False)
+                response = _unauthorized_response(_INVALID_API_KEY_MESSAGE, include_oauth_challenge=False)
             elif e.status_code == 503:
                 response = _service_unavailable_response(e.detail or _VALIDATION_RETRY_EXHAUSTED_MESSAGE)
             else:
diff --git a/skyvern/cli/mcpb/claude_desktop/manifest.json b/skyvern/cli/mcpb/claude_desktop/manifest.json
index 249209c42..bd0204b69 100644
--- a/skyvern/cli/mcpb/claude_desktop/manifest.json
+++ b/skyvern/cli/mcpb/claude_desktop/manifest.json
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
     "api_key": {
       "type": "string",
       "title": "Skyvern API Key",
-      "description": "Create an API key in Skyvern Settings, then paste it here.",
+      "description": "Paste your API key from app.skyvern.com -> Settings. Claude cannot use Skyvern until this is set.",
       "sensitive": true,
       "required": true
     },
diff --git a/skyvern/forge/sdk/api/files.py b/skyvern/forge/sdk/api/files.py
index 9ec5be281..343862b7c 100644
--- a/skyvern/forge/sdk/api/files.py
+++ b/skyvern/forge/sdk/api/files.py
@@ -259,18 +259,15 @@ async def download_file(
                     # response.headers stays a CIMultiDictProxy: dict() would make header
                     # lookups case-sensitive and miss lowercase wire headers.
                     file_name = _determine_download_filename(filename, response.headers, url)
-                    allowed_dir = os.path.realpath(download_dir_resolved)
-                    resolved_final_path = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(allowed_dir, file_name))
+                    final_path = (download_dir_resolved / file_name).resolve()
                     # sanitize_filename strips separators but keeps dots, so a dots-only name can
                     # still resolve outside the download dir; require a direct child. Checked
                     # before streaming so a rejected name downloads zero bytes.
                     if (
-                        resolved_final_path == allowed_dir
-                        or not resolved_final_path.startswith(allowed_dir + os.sep)
-                        or os.path.dirname(resolved_final_path) != allowed_dir
+                        not final_path.is_relative_to(download_dir_resolved)
+                        or final_path.parent != download_dir_resolved
                     ):
                         raise ValueError(f"Unsafe filename derived from download: {file_name!r}")
-                    final_path = Path(resolved_final_path)
 
                     temp_file = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="wb", dir=download_dir_resolved, delete=False)
                     file_path = Path(temp_file.name).resolve()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_mcp_http_auth.py b/tests/unit/test_mcp_http_auth.py
index 8e2e557c7..d1d789720 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_mcp_http_auth.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_mcp_http_auth.py
@@ -108,11 +108,57 @@ async def test_mcp_http_auth_rejects_missing_api_key(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyP
 
     assert response.status_code == 401
     assert response.json()["error"]["code"] == "UNAUTHORIZED"
-    assert "x-api-key" in response.json()["error"]["message"]
+    assert response.json()["error"]["message"] == mcp_http_auth._MISSING_CREDENTIALS_MESSAGE
+    assert "Configure" in response.json()["error"]["message"]
     assert response.headers["www-authenticate"] == expected_challenge
     assert response.headers["access-control-expose-headers"] == "WWW-Authenticate"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("api_key", ["", "   "])
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_mcp_http_auth_rejects_empty_api_key_without_oauth_challenge(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    api_key: str,
+) -> None:
+    validate_api_key = AsyncMock(side_effect=AssertionError("empty API key should not be validated"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mcp_http_auth, "validate_mcp_api_key", validate_api_key)
+    app = _build_test_app()
+
+    response = await _request(app, "POST", "/mcp", headers={"x-api-key": api_key}, json={})
+
+    assert response.status_code == 401
+    assert response.json()["error"]["code"] == "UNAUTHORIZED"
+    assert response.json()["error"]["message"] == mcp_http_auth._EMPTY_API_KEY_MESSAGE
+    assert "Configure" in response.json()["error"]["message"]
+    assert "www-authenticate" not in response.headers
+    validate_api_key.assert_not_awaited()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("bearer_token", ["", "   "])
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_mcp_http_auth_rejects_empty_bearer_with_oauth_challenge(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    bearer_token: str,
+) -> None:
+    validate_oauth_token = AsyncMock(side_effect=AssertionError("empty Bearer token should not be validated"))
+    validate_api_key = AsyncMock(side_effect=AssertionError("empty Bearer token should not be validated"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mcp_http_auth, "validate_mcp_oauth_token", validate_oauth_token)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mcp_http_auth, "validate_mcp_api_key", validate_api_key)
+    app = _build_test_app()
+    expected_challenge = _expected_oauth_challenge(monkeypatch)
+
+    response = await _request(app, "POST", "/mcp", headers={"authorization": f"Bearer {bearer_token}"}, json={})
+
+    assert response.status_code == 401
+    assert response.json()["error"]["code"] == "UNAUTHORIZED"
+    assert response.json()["error"]["message"] == mcp_http_auth._EMPTY_BEARER_MESSAGE
+    assert "Configure" in response.json()["error"]["message"]
+    assert response.headers["www-authenticate"] == expected_challenge
+    assert response.headers["access-control-expose-headers"] == "WWW-Authenticate"
+    validate_oauth_token.assert_not_awaited()
+    validate_api_key.assert_not_awaited()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_mcp_http_auth_head_request_exposes_oauth_challenge(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     app = _build_test_app()
@@ -148,7 +194,8 @@ async def test_mcp_http_auth_rejects_invalid_api_key(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyP
 
     assert response.status_code == 401
     assert response.json()["error"]["code"] == "UNAUTHORIZED"
-    assert response.json()["error"]["message"] == "Invalid API key"
+    assert response.json()["error"]["message"] == mcp_http_auth._INVALID_API_KEY_MESSAGE
+    assert "Configure" in response.json()["error"]["message"]
     assert "www-authenticate" not in response.headers
 
 
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index d08567f63..55c7beff4 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -5776,7 +5776,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "skyvern"
-version = "1.0.46"
+version = "1.0.45"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "cachetools" },