From 1b274b081d4f1819df244cdae9d45062dde54a2f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Gaurav <39389231+gsquared94@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 20:27:55 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] fix(core): prioritize detailed error messages for code assist
 setup (#17852)

---
 .../cli/src/ui/utils/clipboardUtils.test.ts   |  3 ++
 packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.test.ts   | 26 +++++++++++++++++
 packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.ts        | 29 ++++++++++++++-----
 3 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/clipboardUtils.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/clipboardUtils.test.ts
index 76eb0bcac3..9dc290be21 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/clipboardUtils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/clipboardUtils.test.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,9 @@ describe('clipboardUtils', () => {
     });
 
     it('should return null if tool is not yet detected', async () => {
+      // Unset session type to ensure no tool is detected automatically
+      delete process.env['XDG_SESSION_TYPE'];
+
       // Don't prime the tool
       const result = await clipboardUtils.saveClipboardImage(mockTargetDir);
       expect(result).toBe(null);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.test.ts b/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.test.ts
index 0d71a4d162..e1c43ef6e6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.test.ts
@@ -312,6 +312,32 @@ describe('setupUser for new user', () => {
       userTierName: 'paid',
     });
   });
+
+  it('should throw ineligible tier error when onboarding fails and ineligible tiers exist', async () => {
+    vi.stubEnv('GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT', '');
+    mockLoad.mockResolvedValue({
+      allowedTiers: [mockPaidTier],
+      ineligibleTiers: [
+        {
+          reasonCode: 'UNSUPPORTED_LOCATION',
+          reasonMessage:
+            'Your current account is not eligible for Gemini Code Assist for individuals because it is not currently available in your location.',
+          tierId: 'free-tier',
+          tierName: 'Gemini Code Assist for individuals',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+    mockOnboardUser.mockResolvedValue({
+      done: true,
+      response: {
+        cloudaicompanionProject: {},
+      },
+    });
+
+    await expect(setupUser({} as OAuth2Client)).rejects.toThrow(
+      'Your current account is not eligible for Gemini Code Assist for individuals because it is not currently available in your location.',
+    );
+  });
 });
 
 describe('setupUser validation', () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.ts b/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.ts
index bf948f1f93..dcd0210de7 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/code_assist/setup.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import type {
   ClientMetadata,
   GeminiUserTier,
+  IneligibleTier,
   LoadCodeAssistResponse,
   OnboardUserRequest,
 } from './types.js';
@@ -35,6 +36,16 @@ export class ValidationCancelledError extends Error {
   }
 }
 
+export class IneligibleTierError extends Error {
+  readonly ineligibleTiers: IneligibleTier[];
+
+  constructor(ineligibleTiers: IneligibleTier[]) {
+    const reasons = ineligibleTiers.map((t) => t.reasonMessage).join(', ');
+    super(reasons);
+    this.ineligibleTiers = ineligibleTiers;
+  }
+}
+
 export interface UserData {
   projectId: string;
   userTier: UserTierId;
@@ -127,13 +138,7 @@ export async function setupUser(
       }
 
       // If user is not setup for standard tier, inform them about all other tiers they are ineligible for.
-      if (loadRes.ineligibleTiers && loadRes.ineligibleTiers.length > 0) {
-        const reasons = loadRes.ineligibleTiers
-          .map((t) => t.reasonMessage)
-          .join(', ');
-        throw new Error(reasons);
-      }
-      throw new ProjectIdRequiredError();
+      throwIneligibleOrProjectIdError(loadRes);
     }
     return {
       projectId: loadRes.cloudaicompanionProject,
@@ -180,7 +185,8 @@ export async function setupUser(
         userTierName: tier.name,
       };
     }
-    throw new ProjectIdRequiredError();
+
+    throwIneligibleOrProjectIdError(loadRes);
   }
 
   return {
@@ -190,6 +196,13 @@ export async function setupUser(
   };
 }
 
+function throwIneligibleOrProjectIdError(res: LoadCodeAssistResponse): never {
+  if (res.ineligibleTiers && res.ineligibleTiers.length > 0) {
+    throw new IneligibleTierError(res.ineligibleTiers);
+  }
+  throw new ProjectIdRequiredError();
+}
+
 function getOnboardTier(res: LoadCodeAssistResponse): GeminiUserTier {
   for (const tier of res.allowedTiers || []) {
     if (tier.isDefault) {