| name | consult-gemini |
| description | Get a second opinion from Google Gemini via its headless CLI. Use when the user says "/consult-gemini", "ask gemini", "gemini second opinion", or wants an outside model's take on a question, plan, or code. |
consult-gemini
Query Google Gemini for a second opinion, non-interactively.
When to use
User asks "ask gemini" / "/consult-gemini" / second opinion from Gemini.
The one command that works
powershell -NoProfile -Command 'Set-Location $env:TEMP; gemini -p "PROMPT" --output-format json -y --skip-trust'
Output is one JSON object; the answer is the .response field (Gemini puts the
model reply there; fall back to scanning the object if absent).
Why each flag is mandatory
| Flag | Purpose |
|---|
Set-Location $env:TEMP (via PowerShell) | Runs the CLI from a clean temp directory outside any repository — prevents Gemini discovering repo-local .gemini/ settings, GEMINI.md, rules, or MCP servers that pollute the second opinion or break headless mode. |
-p "PROMPT" | Non-interactive prompt mode. Without it the CLI starts an interactive REPL instead of exiting after one reply. |
--output-format json | Returns one machine-readable JSON object instead of TTY/streaming text, enabling reliable parsing. |
-y (or --approval-mode yolo) | Auto-approves every tool call. Without an auto-approve flag the headless process blocks forever waiting for terminal confirmation. |
--skip-trust | Required. Gemini refuses to run headless in an "untrusted directory" (even $env:TEMP) — it errors Gemini CLI is not running in a trusted directory. --skip-trust (or env GEMINI_CLI_TRUST_WORKSPACE=true) bypasses the trusted-folder gate. |
Verify alive
powershell -NoProfile -Command 'Set-Location $env:TEMP; gemini -p "reply with exactly: PONG" --output-format json -y --skip-trust'
Known issues
- Trusted-directory gate — without
--skip-trust Gemini aborts before answering. Verified failure on this machine 2026-05-17.
- Repo CWD pollution — starting inside a git repo loads project settings/tools.
Set-Location $env:TEMP is mandatory for an uncontaminated opinion.
- Authentication required — if the command returns an auth/permission error, the CLI was never logged in. Run
gemini interactively once to complete login / API-key setup; subsequent headless calls succeed.
