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GoogleAuth: Windows: Failing to retrieve the default project Id #18860
Description
Determine this is the right repository
- I determined this is the correct repository in which to report this bug.
Summary of the issue
Context
After creating a new venv, google.auth no longer retrieves my default project id
Expected Behavior:
import google.auth
creds, project = google.auth.default()
Returns the project
Actual Behavior:
The project is returned as None along with a warning
API client name and version
google.auth v2.62.0
Reproduction steps: code
import google.auth
creds, project = google.auth.default()Reproduction steps: supporting files
No response
Reproduction steps: actual results
project: None
Reproduction steps: expected results
project: <redacted>
OS & version + platform
Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2
Python environment
Python 3.13.17
Python dependencies
google.auth v 2.62.0
Google Cloud SDK 590.0.1
Additional context
The function:
google.auth._cloud_sdk.get_project_id()returns None
probably because the subprocess call:
import subprocess
import pathlib
gcloud_cmd = pathlib.Path(r'~\AppData\Local\Google\Cloud SDK\google-cloud-sdk\bin\gcloud.cmd').expanduser()
result = subprocess.run([str(gcloud_cmd), 'config', 'get', 'project'], capture_output=True, text=True)
result.stdout, result.stderrreturns None
Note that I can see the project name appear briefly in a popup window after that subprocess call.
What Works
- The gcloud CLI retrieves the project as expected
gcloud config get project- Calling the Google Cloud SDK python
gcloud.pywith a subprocess call:
def get_default_project() -> Optional[str]:
# this is a hack around issue https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-python/issues/18860
import sys
import pathlib
import subprocess
# first find the gcloud SDK code
result = subprocess.run(["where", "gcloud"], capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
if len(result.stdout) == 0:
return
gcloud_path = pathlib.Path(result.stdout.splitlines()[0]).parent.parent
# now find the gcloud.py file in the SDK
gcloud_py = gcloud_path.joinpath("lib\\gcloud.py")
result = subprocess.run([sys.executable, gcloud_py, "config", "get", "project"], capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
return result.stdout.strip()I guess the gcloud cli spawns another command window and the result isn't piped back
Activity
huong8373tt-beep commentedon Oct 28, 2026
I’m taking a focused look at the Windows
gcloud.cmdinvocation path and will prepare a minimal fix with regression coverage if the current implementation reproduces the reported behavior.Disclosure: Slai Agent Runtime is assisting with the investigation, implementation, and testing. The account owner authorized the submitted changes and is responsible for the submission.
huong8373tt-beep commentedon Oct 28, 2026
I tested the Windows invocation path before changing
google-auth.Using an isolated
CLOUDSDK_CONFIGwith an official Cloud CLI install, I set a test project and then invokedgcloud.cmd config get projectfrom Python with captured output. The configured project was returned on stdout as expected. I also repeated the call withCREATE_NO_WINDOWand with hiddenSTARTUPINFO; both captured the same output.The current
gcloud.cmdruns its Python entry point synchronously rather than usingstart, so the local reproduction does not support agoogle-authchange that only adds a no-window flag: that flag can hide a console window, but would not restore stdout if an external launcher had detached it.I have not opened a PR because I could not reproduce the reported loss of project output with this path. If the issue remains reproducible, the most useful follow-up evidence would be the resolved
gcloud.cmdpath (where gcloud),CLOUDSDK_PYTHON/CLOUDSDK_PYTHON_ARGSvalues, and the exact captured return code/stdout/stderr from the affected environment.Disclosure: Slai Agent Runtime assisted with the investigation and test execution. The account owner authorized this contribution and is responsible for the submission.