feat(admin): provide actionable error messages for disabled features (#17815)

packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts

@@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ describe('Approval mode tool exclusion logic', () => {
     });
 
     await expect(loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv)).rejects.toThrow(
-      'Cannot start in YOLO mode since it is disabled by your admin',
+      'YOLO mode is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
     );
   });
 
@@ -2928,7 +2928,7 @@ describe('loadCliConfig disableYoloMode', () => {
       security: { disableYoloMode: true },
     });
     await expect(loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv)).rejects.toThrow(
-      'Cannot start in YOLO mode since it is disabled by your admin',
+      'YOLO mode is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
     );
   });
 });
@@ -2960,7 +2960,7 @@ describe('loadCliConfig secureModeEnabled', () => {
     });
 
     await expect(loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv)).rejects.toThrow(
-      'Cannot start in YOLO mode since it is disabled by your admin',
+      'YOLO mode is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
     );
   });
 
@@ -2974,7 +2974,7 @@ describe('loadCliConfig secureModeEnabled', () => {
     });
 
     await expect(loadCliConfig(settings, 'test-session', argv)).rejects.toThrow(
-      'Cannot start in YOLO mode since it is disabled by your admin',
+      'YOLO mode is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
     );
   });
 

packages/cli/src/config/config.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import {
   type OutputFormat,
   coreEvents,
   GEMINI_MODEL_ALIAS_AUTO,
+  getAdminErrorMessage,
 } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import {
   type Settings,
@@ -550,7 +551,7 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
         );
       }
       throw new FatalConfigError(
-        'Cannot start in YOLO mode since it is disabled by your admin',
+        getAdminErrorMessage('YOLO mode', undefined /* config */),
       );
     }
   } else if (approvalMode === ApprovalMode.YOLO) {

packages/cli/src/deferred.test.ts

@@ -16,11 +16,10 @@ import type { ArgumentsCamelCase, CommandModule } from 'yargs';
 import type { MergedSettings } from './config/settings.js';
 import type { MockInstance } from 'vitest';
 
-const { mockRunExitCleanup, mockDebugLogger } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+const { mockRunExitCleanup, mockCoreEvents } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   mockRunExitCleanup: vi.fn(),
-  mockDebugLogger: {
+  mockCoreEvents: {
-    log: vi.fn(),
+    emitFeedback: vi.fn(),
-    error: vi.fn(),
   },
 }));
 
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ vi.mock('@google/gemini-cli-core', async () => {
   const actual = await vi.importActual('@google/gemini-cli-core');
   return {
     ...actual,
-    debugLogger: mockDebugLogger,
+    coreEvents: mockCoreEvents,
   };
 });
 
@@ -55,8 +54,7 @@ describe('deferred', () => {
   describe('runDeferredCommand', () => {
     it('should do nothing if no deferred command is set', async () => {
       await runDeferredCommand(createMockSettings());
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.log).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockCoreEvents.emitFeedback).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(mockExit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
@@ -85,8 +83,9 @@ describe('deferred', () => {
       const settings = createMockSettings({ mcp: { enabled: false } });
       await runDeferredCommand(settings);
 
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect(mockCoreEvents.emitFeedback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        'Error: MCP is disabled by your admin.',
+        'error',
+        'MCP is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
       );
       expect(mockRunExitCleanup).toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
@@ -102,8 +101,9 @@ describe('deferred', () => {
       const settings = createMockSettings({ extensions: { enabled: false } });
       await runDeferredCommand(settings);
 
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect(mockCoreEvents.emitFeedback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        'Error: Extensions are disabled by your admin.',
+        'error',
+        'Extensions is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
       );
       expect(mockRunExitCleanup).toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
@@ -119,8 +119,9 @@ describe('deferred', () => {
       const settings = createMockSettings({ skills: { enabled: false } });
       await runDeferredCommand(settings);
 
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect(mockCoreEvents.emitFeedback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        'Error: Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+        'error',
+        'Agent skills is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
       );
       expect(mockRunExitCleanup).toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(mockExit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
@@ -183,8 +184,9 @@ describe('deferred', () => {
       const mcpSettings = createMockSettings({ mcp: { enabled: false } });
       await runDeferredCommand(mcpSettings);
 
-      expect(mockDebugLogger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect(mockCoreEvents.emitFeedback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        'Error: MCP is disabled by your admin.',
+        'error',
+        'MCP is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
       );
     });
 

packages/cli/src/deferred.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 import type { ArgumentsCamelCase, CommandModule } from 'yargs';
-import { debugLogger, ExitCodes } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import {
+  coreEvents,
+  ExitCodes,
+  getAdminErrorMessage,
+} from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import { runExitCleanup } from './utils/cleanup.js';
 import type { MergedSettings } from './config/settings.js';
 import process from 'node:process';
@@ -30,7 +34,10 @@ export async function runDeferredCommand(settings: MergedSettings) {
   const commandName = deferredCommand.commandName;
 
   if (commandName === 'mcp' && adminSettings?.mcp?.enabled === false) {
-    debugLogger.error('Error: MCP is disabled by your admin.');
+    coreEvents.emitFeedback(
+      'error',
+      getAdminErrorMessage('MCP', undefined /* config */),
+    );
     await runExitCleanup();
     process.exit(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
   }
@@ -39,13 +46,19 @@ export async function runDeferredCommand(settings: MergedSettings) {
     commandName === 'extensions' &&
     adminSettings?.extensions?.enabled === false
   ) {
-    debugLogger.error('Error: Extensions are disabled by your admin.');
+    coreEvents.emitFeedback(
+      'error',
+      getAdminErrorMessage('Extensions', undefined /* config */),
+    );
     await runExitCleanup();
     process.exit(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
   }
 
   if (commandName === 'skills' && adminSettings?.skills?.enabled === false) {
-    debugLogger.error('Error: Agent skills are disabled by your admin.');
+    coreEvents.emitFeedback(
+      'error',
+      getAdminErrorMessage('Agent skills', undefined /* config */),
+    );
     await runExitCleanup();
     process.exit(ExitCodes.FATAL_CONFIG_ERROR);
   }

packages/cli/src/services/BuiltinCommandLoader.ts

@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ import {
   type CommandContext,
 } from '../ui/commands/types.js';
 import type { MessageActionReturn, Config } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
-import { isNightly, startupProfiler } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import {
+  isNightly,
+  startupProfiler,
+  getAdminErrorMessage,
+} from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import { aboutCommand } from '../ui/commands/aboutCommand.js';
 import { agentsCommand } from '../ui/commands/agentsCommand.js';
 import { authCommand } from '../ui/commands/authCommand.js';
@@ -102,7 +106,10 @@ export class BuiltinCommandLoader implements ICommandLoader {
               ): Promise<MessageActionReturn> => ({
                 type: 'message',
                 messageType: 'error',
-                content: 'Extensions are disabled by your admin.',
+                content: getAdminErrorMessage(
+                  'Extensions',
+                  this.config ?? undefined,
+                ),
               }),
             },
           ]
@@ -127,7 +134,7 @@ export class BuiltinCommandLoader implements ICommandLoader {
               ): Promise<MessageActionReturn> => ({
                 type: 'message',
                 messageType: 'error',
-                content: 'MCP is disabled by your admin.',
+                content: getAdminErrorMessage('MCP', this.config ?? undefined),
               }),
             },
           ]
@@ -158,7 +165,10 @@ export class BuiltinCommandLoader implements ICommandLoader {
                 ): Promise<MessageActionReturn> => ({
                   type: 'message',
                   messageType: 'error',
-                  content: 'Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+                  content: getAdminErrorMessage(
+                    'Agent skills',
+                    this.config ?? undefined,
+                  ),
                 }),
               },
             ]

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/skillsCommand.test.ts

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ describe('skillsCommand', () => {
                 (name: string) => skills.find((s) => s.name === name) ?? null,
               ),
           }),
+          getContentGenerator: vi.fn(),
         } as unknown as Config,
         settings: {
           merged: createTestMergedSettings({ skills: { disabled: [] } }),
@@ -367,7 +368,7 @@ describe('skillsCommand', () => {
       expect(context.ui.addItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           type: MessageType.ERROR,
-          text: 'Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+          text: 'Agent skills is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
         }),
         expect.any(Number),
       );
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ describe('skillsCommand', () => {
       expect(context.ui.addItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         expect.objectContaining({
           type: MessageType.ERROR,
-          text: 'Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+          text: 'Agent skills is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
         }),
         expect.any(Number),
       );

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/skillsCommand.ts

@@ -11,13 +11,15 @@ import {
   CommandKind,
 } from './types.js';
 import {
-  MessageType,
-  type HistoryItemSkillsList,
   type HistoryItemInfo,
+  type HistoryItemSkillsList,
+  MessageType,
 } from '../types.js';
-import { SettingScope } from '../../config/settings.js';
+import { disableSkill, enableSkill } from '../../utils/skillSettings.js';
-import { enableSkill, disableSkill } from '../../utils/skillSettings.js';
+
+import { getAdminErrorMessage } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import { renderSkillActionFeedback } from '../../utils/skillUtils.js';
+import { SettingScope } from '../../config/settings.js';
 
 async function listAction(
   context: CommandContext,
@@ -83,7 +85,10 @@ async function disableAction(
     context.ui.addItem(
       {
         type: MessageType.ERROR,
-        text: 'Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+        text: getAdminErrorMessage(
+          'Agent skills',
+          context.services.config ?? undefined,
+        ),
       },
       Date.now(),
     );
@@ -141,7 +146,10 @@ async function enableAction(
     context.ui.addItem(
       {
         type: MessageType.ERROR,
-        text: 'Agent skills are disabled by your admin.',
+        text: getAdminErrorMessage(
+          'Agent skills',
+          context.services.config ?? undefined,
+        ),
       },
       Date.now(),
     );

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useApprovalModeIndicator.test.ts

@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ vi.mock('@google/gemini-cli-core', async () => {
   return {
     ...actualServerModule,
     Config: vi.fn(),
+    getAdminErrorMessage: vi.fn(
+      (featureName: string) => `[Mock] ${featureName} is disabled`,
+    ),
   };
 });
 
@@ -52,6 +55,9 @@ interface MockConfigInstanceShape {
   getUserMemory: Mock<() => string>;
   getGeminiMdFileCount: Mock<() => number>;
   getToolRegistry: Mock<() => { discoverTools: Mock<() => void> }>;
+  getRemoteAdminSettings: Mock<
+    () => { strictModeDisabled?: boolean; mcpEnabled?: boolean } | undefined
+  >;
 }
 
 type UseKeypressHandler = (key: Key) => void;
@@ -109,6 +115,9 @@ describe('useApprovalModeIndicator', () => {
           .mockReturnValue({ discoverTools: vi.fn() }) as Mock<
           () => { discoverTools: Mock<() => void> }
         >,
+        getRemoteAdminSettings: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined) as Mock<
+          () => { strictModeDisabled?: boolean } | undefined
+        >,
       };
       instanceSetApprovalModeMock.mockImplementation((value: ApprovalMode) => {
         instanceGetApprovalModeMock.mockReturnValue(value);
@@ -517,6 +526,9 @@ describe('useApprovalModeIndicator', () => {
 
     it('should not enable YOLO mode when Ctrl+Y is pressed and add an info message', () => {
       mockConfigInstance.getApprovalMode.mockReturnValue(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
+      mockConfigInstance.getRemoteAdminSettings.mockReturnValue({
+        strictModeDisabled: true,
+      });
       const mockAddItem = vi.fn();
       const { result } = renderHook(() =>
         useApprovalModeIndicator({
@@ -544,6 +556,58 @@ describe('useApprovalModeIndicator', () => {
       // The mode should not change
       expect(result.current).toBe(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
     });
+
+    it('should show admin error message when YOLO mode is disabled by admin', () => {
+      mockConfigInstance.getApprovalMode.mockReturnValue(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
+      mockConfigInstance.getRemoteAdminSettings.mockReturnValue({
+        mcpEnabled: true,
+      });
+
+      const mockAddItem = vi.fn();
+      renderHook(() =>
+        useApprovalModeIndicator({
+          config: mockConfigInstance as unknown as ActualConfigType,
+          addItem: mockAddItem,
+        }),
+      );
+
+      act(() => {
+        capturedUseKeypressHandler({ name: 'y', ctrl: true } as Key);
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAddItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        {
+          type: MessageType.WARNING,
+          text: '[Mock] YOLO mode is disabled',
+        },
+        expect.any(Number),
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should show default error message when admin settings are empty', () => {
+      mockConfigInstance.getApprovalMode.mockReturnValue(ApprovalMode.DEFAULT);
+      mockConfigInstance.getRemoteAdminSettings.mockReturnValue({});
+
+      const mockAddItem = vi.fn();
+      renderHook(() =>
+        useApprovalModeIndicator({
+          config: mockConfigInstance as unknown as ActualConfigType,
+          addItem: mockAddItem,
+        }),
+      );
+
+      act(() => {
+        capturedUseKeypressHandler({ name: 'y', ctrl: true } as Key);
+      });
+
+      expect(mockAddItem).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        {
+          type: MessageType.WARNING,
+          text: 'You cannot enter YOLO mode since it is disabled in your settings.',
+        },
+        expect.any(Number),
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   it('should call onApprovalModeChange when switching to YOLO mode', () => {

packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useApprovalModeIndicator.ts

@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@
  */
 
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
-import { ApprovalMode, type Config } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import {
+  ApprovalMode,
+  type Config,
+  getAdminErrorMessage,
+} from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
 import { useKeypress } from './useKeypress.js';
 import { keyMatchers, Command } from '../keyMatchers.js';
 import type { HistoryItemWithoutId } from '../types.js';
@@ -41,10 +45,19 @@ export function useApprovalModeIndicator({
           config.getApprovalMode() !== ApprovalMode.YOLO
         ) {
           if (addItem) {
+            let text =
+              'You cannot enter YOLO mode since it is disabled in your settings.';
+            const adminSettings = config.getRemoteAdminSettings();
+            const hasSettings =
+              adminSettings && Object.keys(adminSettings).length > 0;
+            if (hasSettings && !adminSettings.strictModeDisabled) {
+              text = getAdminErrorMessage('YOLO mode', config);
+            }
+
             addItem(
               {
                 type: MessageType.WARNING,
-                text: 'You cannot enter YOLO mode since it is disabled in your settings.',
+                text,
               },
               Date.now(),
             );

packages/core/src/code_assist/admin/admin_controls.test.ts

@@ -17,8 +17,15 @@ import {
   fetchAdminControls,
   sanitizeAdminSettings,
   stopAdminControlsPolling,
+  getAdminErrorMessage,
 } from './admin_controls.js';
 import type { CodeAssistServer } from '../server.js';
+import type { Config } from '../../config/config.js';
+import { getCodeAssistServer } from '../codeAssist.js';
+
+vi.mock('../codeAssist.js', () => ({
+  getCodeAssistServer: vi.fn(),
+}));
 
 describe('Admin Controls', () => {
   let mockServer: CodeAssistServer;
@@ -370,6 +377,57 @@ describe('Admin Controls', () => {
 
       // The poll should not have fired again
       expect(mockServer.fetchAdminControls).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(mockServer.fetchAdminControls).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getAdminErrorMessage', () => {
+    let mockConfig: Config;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      mockConfig = {} as Config;
+    });
+
+    it('should include feature name and project ID when present', () => {
+      vi.mocked(getCodeAssistServer).mockReturnValue({
+        projectId: 'test-project-123',
+      } as CodeAssistServer);
+
+      const message = getAdminErrorMessage('Code Completion', mockConfig);
+
+      expect(message).toBe(
+        'Code Completion is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli?project=test-project-123',
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should include feature name but OMIT project ID when missing', () => {
+      vi.mocked(getCodeAssistServer).mockReturnValue({
+        projectId: undefined,
+      } as CodeAssistServer);
+
+      const message = getAdminErrorMessage('Chat', mockConfig);
+
+      expect(message).toBe(
+        'Chat is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should include feature name but OMIT project ID when server is undefined', () => {
+      vi.mocked(getCodeAssistServer).mockReturnValue(undefined);
+
+      const message = getAdminErrorMessage('Chat', mockConfig);
+
+      expect(message).toBe(
+        'Chat is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should include feature name but OMIT project ID when config is undefined', () => {
+      const message = getAdminErrorMessage('Chat', undefined);
+
+      expect(message).toBe(
+        'Chat is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli',
+      );
     });
   });
 });

packages/core/src/code_assist/admin/admin_controls.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import {
   type FetchAdminControlsResponse,
   FetchAdminControlsResponseSchema,
 } from '../types.js';
+import { getCodeAssistServer } from '../codeAssist.js';
+import type { Config } from '../../config/config.js';
 
 let pollingInterval: NodeJS.Timeout | undefined;
 let currentSettings: FetchAdminControlsResponse | undefined;
@@ -132,3 +134,20 @@ export function stopAdminControlsPolling() {
     pollingInterval = undefined;
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Returns a standardized error message for features disabled by admin settings.
+ *
+ * @param featureName The name of the disabled feature
+ * @param config The application config
+ * @returns The formatted error message
+ */
+export function getAdminErrorMessage(
+  featureName: string,
+  config: Config | undefined,
+): string {
+  const server = config ? getCodeAssistServer(config) : undefined;
+  const projectId = server?.projectId;
+  const projectParam = projectId ? `?project=${projectId}` : '';
+  return `${featureName} is disabled by your administrator. To enable it, please request an update to the settings at: https://goo.gle/manage-gemini-cli${projectParam}`;
+}

packages/core/src/index.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export * from './code_assist/server.js';
 export * from './code_assist/setup.js';
 export * from './code_assist/types.js';
 export * from './code_assist/telemetry.js';
+export * from './code_assist/admin/admin_controls.js';
 export * from './core/apiKeyCredentialStorage.js';
 
 // Export utilities