Starter Tier project cannot be upgraded/imported — custom domain mapping disabled

[Shruti_Chaturvedi]

Hello Google AI Studio / Google Cloud team,

I need help with an existing Google AI Studio Build Mode application that is successfully deployed using the Google Cloud Starter Tier.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Application:
ISKGOD Foundation

Published URL:
iskgod- foundation.ai.studio

Cloud Run service:
iskgod-foundation

Google Cloud project ID:
grounded-castle-6knl3

Cloud Run region:
asia-southeast1

I purchased the production domain:iskgodfoundation.org

I want to connect this domain to the existing Cloud Run service.

CURRENT PROBLEM

Cloud Run → Domain mappings shows the existing:

iskgod- foundation.ai.studio

mapped to the Cloud Run service, but the “Add mapping” button is disabled/greyed out.

I also checked Google Cloud Load Balancing, but access requires upgrading the account.

I then checked Google AI Studio’s billing/project flow.

The normal AI Studio Projects page shows only:

• Default Gemini Project
• My First Project

The actual project used by my deployed application is:

grounded-castle-6knl3

If I use:

AI Studio → Link a paid API key → Import project

and search for:

grounded-castle-6knl3

the project appears in the search results, but it cannot be selected or imported.

The AI Studio paid API-key flow also only offers:

Default Gemini Project

I do not want to attach billing to that unrelated project.

I also do not want to create a duplicate application or replacement Cloud Run service unless absolutely necessary.

WHAT I NEED

Please check the Starter Tier provisioning/upgrade state for:

Project:
grounded-castle-6knl3

Cloud Run service:iskgod-foundation

and tell me how to upgrade or convert the existing Starter Tier project to a standard Google Cloud project in place.

I want to preserve:

• the existing AI Studio application
• the existing Cloud Run service
• the existing backend
• existing application data
• the existing deployment URL

I specifically need to connect:to this existing application.

Could you please clarify:

1. Why grounded-castle-6knl3 appears in Import Projects search but cannot be selected/imported.
2. Why Cloud Run Domain mappings → Add mapping is disabled.
3. Why AI Studio’s billing flow only offers Default Gemini Project.
4. Whether this Starter Tier project can be upgraded to a standard Google Cloud project in place.
5. What exact steps I should follow to enable a custom production domain without creating a replacement application.

I have screenshots showing:

1. The AI Studio Publish panel.
2. The Cloud Run service details.
3. Cloud Run Domain mappings with “Add mapping” disabled.
4. The AI Studio Projects page.
5. The Import Projects search showing grounded-castle-6knl3 but not allowing selection.
6. The AI Studio paid API-key flow showing Default Gemini Project.

The existing application is complete and already working, so I would strongly prefer to keep the current deployment rather than rebuild or migrate it.

Thank you.

[Pooja_Kapse]

Hello @Shruti_Chaturvedi ,

Thanks for the detailed report. We’ve shared this with our team, who are looking into the upgrade path for Starter Tier projects. We’ll update this thread when we have more information.