diff --git a/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx b/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
index 66892e09..4c3ecd1d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/gemini.tsx
@@ -227,6 +227,14 @@ export async function main() {
       );
     }
   }
+  // Empty key causes issues with the GoogleGenAI package.
+  if (process.env['GEMINI_API_KEY']?.trim() === '') {
+    delete process.env['GEMINI_API_KEY'];
+  }
+
+  if (process.env['GOOGLE_API_KEY']?.trim() === '') {
+    delete process.env['GOOGLE_API_KEY'];
+  }
 
   setMaxSizedBoxDebugging(config.getDebugMode());