diff --git a/docs/tutorials/gke.md b/docs/tutorials/gke.md
index 9ba1eb1ffe..8fb178509f 100644
--- a/docs/tutorials/gke.md
+++ b/docs/tutorials/gke.md
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ spec:
         - --source=ingress
         - --domain-filter=external-dns-test.gcp.zalan.do # will make ExternalDNS see only the hosted zones matching provided domain, omit to process all available hosted zones
         - --provider=google
-        - --google-project=zalando-external-dns-test
+#        - --google-project=zalando-external-dns-test # Use this to specify a project different from the one external-dns is running inside
         - --policy=upsert-only # would prevent ExternalDNS from deleting any records, omit to enable full synchronization
         - --registry=txt
         - --txt-owner-id=my-identifier
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ spec:
         - --source=ingress
         - --domain-filter=external-dns-test.gcp.zalan.do # will make ExternalDNS see only the hosted zones matching provided domain, omit to process all available hosted zones
         - --provider=google
-        - --google-project=zalando-external-dns-test
+#        - --google-project=zalando-external-dns-test # Use this to specify a project different from the one external-dns is running inside
         - --policy=upsert-only # would prevent ExternalDNS from deleting any records, omit to enable full synchronization
         - --registry=txt
         - --txt-owner-id=my-identifier
diff --git a/pkg/apis/externaldns/types.go b/pkg/apis/externaldns/types.go
index d9036dda5b..096e830d82 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/externaldns/types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/externaldns/types.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (cfg *Config) ParseFlags(args []string) error {
 	app.Flag("provider", "The DNS provider where the DNS records will be created (required, options: aws, google, azure, cloudflare, digitalocean, dnsimple, infoblox, dyn, inmemory)").Required().PlaceHolder("provider").EnumVar(&cfg.Provider, "aws", "google", "azure", "cloudflare", "digitalocean", "dnsimple", "infoblox", "dyn", "inmemory")
 	app.Flag("domain-filter", "Limit possible target zones by a domain suffix; specify multiple times for multiple domains (optional)").Default("").StringsVar(&cfg.DomainFilter)
 	app.Flag("zone-id-filter", "Filter target zones by hosted zone id; specify multiple times for multiple zones (optional)").Default("").StringsVar(&cfg.ZoneIDFilter)
-	app.Flag("google-project", "When using the Google provider, specify the Google project (required when --provider=google)").Default(defaultConfig.GoogleProject).StringVar(&cfg.GoogleProject)
+	app.Flag("google-project", "When using the Google provider, current project is auto-detected, when running on GCP. Specify other project with this. Must be specified when running outside GCP.").Default(defaultConfig.GoogleProject).StringVar(&cfg.GoogleProject)
 	app.Flag("aws-zone-type", "When using the AWS provider, filter for zones of this type (optional, options: public, private)").Default(defaultConfig.AWSZoneType).EnumVar(&cfg.AWSZoneType, "", "public", "private")
 	app.Flag("azure-config-file", "When using the Azure provider, specify the Azure configuration file (required when --provider=azure").Default(defaultConfig.AzureConfigFile).StringVar(&cfg.AzureConfigFile)
 	app.Flag("azure-resource-group", "When using the Azure provider, override the Azure resource group to use (optional)").Default(defaultConfig.AzureResourceGroup).StringVar(&cfg.AzureResourceGroup)