google-gemini / google-gemini/gemini-cli
Unexpected model resolution: gemini-2.5-flash is mapped to gemini-3.5-flash
- Dominant language
- TypeScript
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Description
### What happened?
# `--model gemini-2.5-flash` is resolved to `gemini-3.5-flash` when using Vertex AI
## Summary
When invoking Gemini CLI with `--model gemini-2.5-flash`, the CLI appears to resolve the request to `gemini-3.5-flash` instead of the specified model.
As a result, the request fails because my Vertex AI project does not have access to `gemini-3.5-flash`.
## Environment
- Gemini CLI version: **0.58.0**
- Also reproduced on: **0.54.0**
- Node.js: **v24.13.0**
- Authentication: **Vertex AI (ADC)**
## Reproduction
Run:
```bash
echo "hello" | gemini \
--model gemini-2.5-flash \
--prompt ""
```
## Actual Behavior
The request fails with the following error:
```text
Error when talking to Gemini API
ModelNotFoundError: Publisher model
`projects/.../locations/us-central1/publishers/google/models/gemini-3.5-flash`
was not found or your project does not have access to it.
```
Although `gemini-2.5-flash` was specified, the CLI appears to send the request to `gemini-3.5-flash`.
## Expected Behavior
The CLI should send the request to `gemini-2.5-flash` when it is explicitly specified with:
```bash
--model gemini-2.5-flash
```
It should not resolve or rewrite the model name to `gemini-3.5-flash`.
## Additional Information
Using the same environment and authentication, the following command works as expected:
```bash
echo "hello" | gemini \
--model gemini-2.5-pro \
--prompt ""
```
### What did you expect to happen?
It should not resolve or rewrite the model name to `gemini-3.5-flash`.
### Client information
Client Information
Run on Linux
Run `gemini` to enter the interactive CLI, then run the `/about` command.
```console
> /about
│ About Gemini CLI │
│ │
│ CLI Version 0.54.0 │
│ Git Commit a74b483d1 │
│ Model gemini-2.5-pro │
│ Sandbox no sandbox │
│ OS linux │
│ Auth Method vertex-ai │
│ GCP Project *** │
│ IDE Client VS Code │
│
```
### Login information
_No response_
### Anything else we need to know?
_No response_
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by reproducing the issue with the provided `gemini --model gemini-2.5-flash --prompt ""` command under Vertex AI authentication, then trace the CLI's model-resolution path. Done means an explicit `gemini-2.5-flash` request reaches that model rather than `gemini-3.5-flash`, while the existing `gemini-2.5-pro` behavior remains working.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- google-cloud, typescript
- Domain
- ai, cli, cloud
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Active
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 68/100