Gemini CLI error
Gemini CLI: Failed to sign in. Message: Request contains an invalid argument
Error message
Failed to sign in. Message: Request contains an invalid argumentStatus: WorkaroundLast verified 2 documented fixes2 sources
What it means
Free-tier activation of Gemini Code Assist failed during Sign in with Google.
Causes
- Users with Google Workspace accounts or Google Cloud accounts associated with their Gmail accounts may not be able to activate the free tier of the Google Code Assist plan (official troubleshooting guide).
How to fix it
- Fix 1.
For Google Cloud accounts, set GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT to your project ID.
Terminalexport GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="your-project-id" - Fix 2.
Alternatively, get a Gemini API key from Google AI Studio (http://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey), which includes a separate free tier, and set GEMINI_API_KEY.
Terminalexport GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY"
More Gemini CLI errors
All 19 Gemini CLI errorsYou must be a named user on your organization's Gemini Code Assist Standard edition subscription to use this service. Please contact your administrator to request an entitlement to Gemini Code Assist Standard edition.Status: WorkaroundFailed to sign in. Message: Your current account is not eligible... because it is not currently available in your location.Status: By designUNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT_LOCALLY or unable to get local issuer certificateStatus: WorkaroundThis account requires setting the GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT or GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT_ID env var. See https://geminicli.com/docs/get-started/authentication/#set-gcpStatus: By designInvalid Google Cloud Project ID: "<projectId>". The GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT (or GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT_ID) environment variable must be set to your string-based Project ID (e.g., "my-project-123"), not your numeric Project Number. Please update your environment variables.Status: By designFailed to login. Message: Precondition check failed.Status: Fixed in releaseYou are currently configured to use a Google Cloud Project but lack a Gemini Code Assist license. Please contact your administrator to request a license.Status: WorkaroundFailed to sign in. Message: You do not have a valid license of this product. Please contact your administrator to request a license. If you are not an enterprise user and believe you are receiving this message as an error, please try using the latest version and logging in again.Status: Open
Related reading
- Do Your Agent Hooks Fail Open? Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor vs Gemini CLIA guard hook that crashes, times out or points at a missing script lets the tool call through by default in Claude Code. v2.1.295 adds onFailure: block. Here is what each coding agent does when your policy hook breaks, with real test runs.
- How to Keep API Keys Away From Your AI Coding Agent: Claude Code vs Codex vs Cursor vs Gemini CLIA deny rule on .env stops cat but not a Python one-liner. Here are the three layers that actually keep secrets out of a coding agent's context - file rules, environment scrubbing and credential masking - and what Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Gemini CLI give you for each, with real test runs.
- Headless AI Coding Agents in CI: Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and opencode ComparedHeadless AI coding agents in CI compared: Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and opencode on invocation flags, sandboxing, auth, and output formats.
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FAQ
What does "Failed to sign in. Message: Request contains an invalid argument" mean in Gemini CLI?
Free-tier activation of Gemini Code Assist failed during Sign in with Google.
How do I fix "Failed to sign in. Message: Request contains an invalid argument"?
There are 2 documented fixes. Start with the first: For Google Cloud accounts, set GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT to your project ID.
Is this Gemini CLI error fixed?
Status: Workaround. No release removes the cause. The documented fixes work around it.
Sources
Last verified against 2 sources: official docs, maintainer replies and release notes.
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