diff --git a/.changeset/clever-cloths-make.md b/.changeset/clever-cloths-make.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..21dd5e10ead
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/clever-cloths-make.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"kilo-code": major
+---
+
+Fix 403 error for Gemini CLI by removing 'default' project fallback
diff --git a/src/api/providers/gemini-cli.ts b/src/api/providers/gemini-cli.ts
index 64403acd682..b56afb7d8ce 100644
--- a/src/api/providers/gemini-cli.ts
+++ b/src/api/providers/gemini-cli.ts
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ export class GeminiCliHandler extends BaseProvider implements SingleCompletionHa
 			return this.projectId
 		}
 
-		const initialProjectId = process.env.GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT ?? "default"
+		const initialProjectId = process.env.GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT ?? ""
 
 		// Prepare client metadata
 		const clientMetadata = {