fix: handle empty JQL and ORDER BY clauses with project filters (sooperset#578)

When using JIRA_PROJECTS_FILTER environment variable or the projects_filter parameter,
the search functionality would create invalid JQL syntax when:
- The JQL query was empty or None
- The JQL query started with an ORDER BY clause

This fix detects these cases and properly prepends the project filter instead of
attempting to use AND, which was causing Jira API errors.

Examples of fixed behavior:
- Empty JQL: `project IN ("ACQ", "LMAN")`
- ORDER BY: `project IN ("ACQ", "LMAN") ORDER BY created DESC`

Reported-by: adampaulsen
Github-Issue: sooperset#573

Author: sooperset

src/mcp_atlassian/jira/search.py

@@ -64,12 +64,15 @@ def search_issues(
                     project_query = f"project IN ({projects_list})"
 
                 # Add the project filter to existing query
-                if jql and project_query:
-                    if "project = " not in jql and "project IN" not in jql:
-                        # Only add if not already filtering by project
-                        jql = f"({jql}) AND {project_query}"
-                else:
+                if not jql:
+                    # Empty JQL - just use project filter
                     jql = project_query
+                elif jql.strip().upper().startswith("ORDER BY"):
+                    # JQL starts with ORDER BY - prepend project filter
+                    jql = f"{project_query} {jql}"
+                elif "project = " not in jql and "project IN" not in jql:
+                    # Only add if not already filtering by project
+                    jql = f"({jql}) AND {project_query}"
 
                 logger.info(f"Applied projects filter to query: {jql}")
 

tests/unit/jira/test_search.py

@@ -672,3 +672,119 @@ def test_search_issues_with_config_projects_filter_jql_construction(
         api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
             "(text ~ 'test') AND project = \"OVERRIDE\"", **expected_kwargs
         )
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("is_cloud", [True, False])
+    def test_search_issues_with_empty_jql_and_projects_filter(
+        self, search_mixin: SearchMixin, mock_issues_response, is_cloud
+    ):
+        """Test that empty JQL correctly prepends project filter without AND."""
+        # Setup
+        search_mixin.config.is_cloud = is_cloud
+        search_mixin.config.projects_filter = None
+        search_mixin.config.url = "https://test.example.com"
+
+        # Setup mock response for both API methods
+        search_mixin.jira.enhanced_jql_get_list_of_tickets = MagicMock(
+            return_value=mock_issues_response["issues"]
+        )
+        search_mixin.jira.jql = MagicMock(return_value=mock_issues_response)
+        api_method_mock = getattr(
+            search_mixin.jira, "enhanced_jql_get_list_of_tickets" if is_cloud else "jql"
+        )
+
+        # Define expected kwargs based on is_cloud
+        expected_kwargs = {
+            "fields": ANY,
+            "limit": ANY,
+            "expand": ANY,
+        }
+        # Add start parameter only for Server/DC
+        if not is_cloud:
+            expected_kwargs["start"] = ANY
+
+        # Test 1: Empty string JQL with single project
+        search_mixin.search_issues("", projects_filter="PROJ1")
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with('project = "PROJ1"', **expected_kwargs)
+
+        # Reset mock
+        api_method_mock.reset_mock()
+
+        # Test 2: Empty string JQL with multiple projects
+        search_mixin.search_issues("", projects_filter="PROJ1,PROJ2")
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
+            'project IN ("PROJ1", "PROJ2")', **expected_kwargs
+        )
+
+        # Reset mock
+        api_method_mock.reset_mock()
+
+        # Test 3: None JQL with projects filter
+        result = search_mixin.search_issues(None, projects_filter="PROJ1")
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with('project = "PROJ1"', **expected_kwargs)
+        assert isinstance(result, JiraSearchResult)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("is_cloud", [True, False])
+    def test_search_issues_with_order_by_and_projects_filter(
+        self, search_mixin: SearchMixin, mock_issues_response, is_cloud
+    ):
+        """Test that JQL starting with ORDER BY correctly prepends project filter."""
+        # Setup
+        search_mixin.config.is_cloud = is_cloud
+        search_mixin.config.projects_filter = None
+        search_mixin.config.url = "https://test.example.com"
+
+        # Setup mock response for both API methods
+        search_mixin.jira.enhanced_jql_get_list_of_tickets = MagicMock(
+            return_value=mock_issues_response["issues"]
+        )
+        search_mixin.jira.jql = MagicMock(return_value=mock_issues_response)
+        api_method_mock = getattr(
+            search_mixin.jira, "enhanced_jql_get_list_of_tickets" if is_cloud else "jql"
+        )
+
+        # Define expected kwargs based on is_cloud
+        expected_kwargs = {
+            "fields": ANY,
+            "limit": ANY,
+            "expand": ANY,
+        }
+        # Add start parameter only for Server/DC
+        if not is_cloud:
+            expected_kwargs["start"] = ANY
+
+        # Test 1: ORDER BY with single project
+        search_mixin.search_issues("ORDER BY created DESC", projects_filter="PROJ1")
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
+            'project = "PROJ1" ORDER BY created DESC', **expected_kwargs
+        )
+
+        # Reset mock
+        api_method_mock.reset_mock()
+
+        # Test 2: ORDER BY with multiple projects
+        search_mixin.search_issues(
+            "ORDER BY created DESC", projects_filter="PROJ1,PROJ2"
+        )
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
+            'project IN ("PROJ1", "PROJ2") ORDER BY created DESC', **expected_kwargs
+        )
+
+        # Reset mock
+        api_method_mock.reset_mock()
+
+        # Test 3: Case insensitive ORDER BY
+        search_mixin.search_issues("order by updated ASC", projects_filter="PROJ1")
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
+            'project = "PROJ1" order by updated ASC', **expected_kwargs
+        )
+
+        # Reset mock
+        api_method_mock.reset_mock()
+
+        # Test 4: ORDER BY with extra spaces
+        search_mixin.search_issues(
+            "  ORDER BY priority DESC  ", projects_filter="PROJ1"
+        )
+        api_method_mock.assert_called_with(
+            'project = "PROJ1"   ORDER BY priority DESC  ', **expected_kwargs
+        )