Gemini-2.0-flash google_search grounding returns empty triple backticks since April 8, 2026

Gemini API
1

Starting today (April 8, 2026), all requests to gemini-2.0-flash with google_search grounding return only triple backticks (```) instead of actual content.

Setup:

  • Model: gemini-2.0-flash via v1beta endpoint
  • Tool: {“google_search”: {}}
  • SDK: @google/generative-ai 0.24.1
  • Also reproduced via direct REST API (curl)

What happens:

  • HTTP 200 (no error)
  • finishReason: STOP (looks successful)
  • webSearchQueries is populated — the search actually fires
  • groundingChunks: — empty, no results come back
  • Response text: just ``` followed by newline (4 characters)

What should happen:

  • Full grounded response with search results and citations
  • This worked correctly yesterday (April 8) and back for weeks

Reproduction (minimal curl):
curl “https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models/gemini-2.0-flash:generateContent?key=YOUR_KEY”
-H “Content-Type: application/json”
-d ‘{“contents”:[{“parts”:[{“text”:“What is the latest news about Apple stock?”}]}],“tools”:[{“google_search”:{}}]}’

Confirmed NOT our code:

  • Same model without google_search tool (pure mode) returns full responses
  • Tested via both SDK and raw REST — same result
  • No changes to our codebase between yesterday (working) and today (broken)

Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there a known outage with the Google Search grounding pipeline?

2

Yeah I am having the same issue, even the AI studio won’t use google search and just returns empty.

3

I’m having the same issue.

4

same issue, also with different gemini models - wrote in the prompt “you must use google search” etc. - yet grounding_metadata is empty, web_search_queries=None.

5

Same Issue Starting Today.

6

I’m facing the same issue, it’s happening in Google AI Studio playground too, I’m testing with gemini 2.5 flash with search grounding. Any ETA on the fix?

7

I’m experiencing the same issue for both gemini flash 2 and 2.5. Google search grounding seems to be completely broken.

8

Screenshot 2026-04-08 at 1.37.46 PM
Screenshot 2026-04-08 at 1.37.46 PM1092×644 25.2 KB

The Google AI Studio and the Gemini API Status page isn’t catching this

9

I dont have a support agreement. can someone log a ticket?

10

It is working now. Thanks whoever fixed it.

11

yes it is thank you!!

12

Since approximately April 8, 2026 ~18:00 UTC, all Gemini models fail when called with tools=[GoogleSearch()]. The same models work fine without the grounding tool. Status page ( Google AI Studio ) shows “All Systems Operational” throughout.