- A
The substitution variable ${_ENV} is not properly passed to the nested build.
Why wrong: The substitution is used correctly; the error is not about missing variables.
- B
The nested 'gcloud builds submit' command runs with a different service account that does not have the Cloud Run Admin role.
Nested builds use the default Cloud Build service account of the second build, which may lack permissions.
- C
The 'gcr.io/cloud-builders/gcloud' image does not support the 'gcloud run deploy' command.
Why wrong: The image does support it; the error is permissions.
- D
The Cloud Build service account at the top level does not have the 'run.services.update' permission.
Why wrong: The top-level service account has Cloud Run Admin, but the nested build uses a different identity.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the nested gcloud builds submit command runs with a different service account lacking the Cloud Run Admin role. This occurs because when Cloud Build triggers a nested build, that child process executes under the default Compute Engine service account—or a user-specified service account—rather than inheriting the top-level Cloud Build service account’s permissions. Even if the parent service account has the Cloud Run Admin role, the nested build’s service account may lack the run.services.update permission, causing the deploy step to fail with PERMISSION_DENIED. On the Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer exam, this scenario tests your understanding of service account propagation in multi-step pipelines, a common trap where engineers assume permissions cascade automatically. Remember the key insight: nested builds break the permission chain. Memory tip: “Nested builds need their own keys”—always verify the service account assigned to each gcloud builds submit invocation.
PCDOE Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines Practice Question
This PCDOE practice question tests your understanding of building and implementing ci/cd pipelines. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A Cloud Build pipeline uses the above cloudbuild.yaml. When triggered, the deploy step fails with: 'ERROR: (gcloud.run.deploy) PERMISSION_DENIED: Permission 'run.services.update' denied on resource.' The Cloud Build service account has the 'Cloud Run Admin' role. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The nested 'gcloud builds submit' command runs with a different service account that does not have the Cloud Run Admin role.
Option B is correct because when a Cloud Build pipeline uses a nested `gcloud builds submit` command, the nested build runs under the default Compute Engine service account (or a user-specified service account) rather than the top-level Cloud Build service account. Even if the top-level service account has the Cloud Run Admin role, the nested build's service account may lack the `run.services.update` permission, causing the deploy step to fail with PERMISSION_DENIED.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The substitution variable ${_ENV} is not properly passed to the nested build.
Why it's wrong here
The substitution is used correctly; the error is not about missing variables.
- ✓
The nested 'gcloud builds submit' command runs with a different service account that does not have the Cloud Run Admin role.
Why this is correct
Nested builds use the default Cloud Build service account of the second build, which may lack permissions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The 'gcr.io/cloud-builders/gcloud' image does not support the 'gcloud run deploy' command.
Why it's wrong here
The image does support it; the error is permissions.
- ✗
The Cloud Build service account at the top level does not have the 'run.services.update' permission.
Why it's wrong here
The top-level service account has Cloud Run Admin, but the nested build uses a different identity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Google Cloud often tests the misconception that all steps in a Cloud Build pipeline share the same service account, when in fact nested builds use a different service account by default, leading to unexpected permission errors.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When Cloud Build executes a step that runs `gcloud builds submit`, it triggers a new build that uses the Cloud Build service account associated with the project's Cloud Build service agent, which by default is the Compute Engine default service account (PROJECT_NUMBER-compute@developer.gserviceaccount.com). This nested build does not inherit the permissions of the parent build's service account. In real-world scenarios, this often causes permission failures when deploying to Cloud Run, Cloud Functions, or other services, unless the nested build's service account is explicitly granted the required roles (e.g., Cloud Run Admin).
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCDOE questions
500 questions across all exam domains
- →
Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCDOE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCDOE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Bootstrapping a Google Cloud organization for DevOps practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Bootstrapping a Google Cloud organization for DevOps.
Managing service incidents practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Managing service incidents.
Managing Google Cloud costs practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Managing Google Cloud costs.
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines.
Implementing service monitoring strategies practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Implementing service monitoring strategies.
Optimizing service performance practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to Optimizing service performance.
PCDOE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to PCDOE fundamentals.
PCDOE scenario practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to PCDOE scenario.
PCDOE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCDOE questions linked to PCDOE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCDOE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCDOE question test?
Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — This question tests Building and implementing CI/CD pipelines — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The nested 'gcloud builds submit' command runs with a different service account that does not have the Cloud Run Admin role. — Option B is correct because when a Cloud Build pipeline uses a nested `gcloud builds submit` command, the nested build runs under the default Compute Engine service account (or a user-specified service account) rather than the top-level Cloud Build service account. Even if the top-level service account has the Cloud Run Admin role, the nested build's service account may lack the `run.services.update` permission, causing the deploy step to fail with PERMISSION_DENIED.
What should I do if I get this PCDOE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PCDOE
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A team uses Cloud Build to deploy a Cloud Run service. The build fails with: 'ERROR: (gcloud.run.services.update) PERMISSION_DENIED: Permission 'run.services.update' denied on resource.' The Cloud Build service account has the Cloud Run Admin role. What is missing?
easy- A.The build config must use the Cloud Run deployer step instead of the gcloud command.
- B.The Cloud Build service account should have the Owner role on the project.
- C.The Cloud Run service must be deployed in the same region as the build.
- ✓ D.The Cloud Build service account needs the 'run.services.update' permission or the Cloud Run Admin role.
Why D: Option D is correct because the error message explicitly states that the 'run.services.update' permission is denied, which means the Cloud Build service account lacks this specific permission. Although the Cloud Run Admin role includes 'run.services.update', the error indicates the role is not properly assigned or the service account is not using it. Reassigning the Cloud Run Admin role or directly granting the 'run.services.update' permission resolves the issue.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCDOE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PCDOE exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.