diff --git a/routes/translate_routes.py b/routes/translate_routes.py
index f08b017..643ced0 100644
--- a/routes/translate_routes.py
+++ b/routes/translate_routes.py
@@ -992,11 +992,9 @@ async def _run_translation_job(
         translation_provider = None
         _p = provider.lower()
 
-        # "google" (default classic mode): use Google Cloud API key if available,
-        # otherwise fall back to deep_translator (legacy, no key).
-        # When the Cloud API key IS present, wrap it in a fallback so that
-        # quota / network errors don't kill the job — deep_translator is tried
-        # as a best-effort second chance.
+        # "google" (default classic mode): use Google Cloud API key if available.
+        # We no longer fall back silently to the free legacy translator if the Cloud API fails.
+        # If the key is invalid or quota is exceeded, we want the error to bubble up to the user.
         if _p == "google":
             # the user might have set GOOGLE_API_KEY instead of GOOGLE_CLOUD_API_KEY
             gc_key = _cfg(
@@ -1006,14 +1004,11 @@ async def _run_translation_job(
             
             if gc_key:
                 from services.providers.google_cloud_provider import LegacyGoogleCloudAdapter
-                from services.translation_service import GoogleTranslationProvider
-                cloud_adapter = LegacyGoogleCloudAdapter(gc_key)
-                legacy_fallback = GoogleTranslationProvider()
-                translation_provider = _GoogleCloudWithFallback(
-                    cloud_adapter, legacy_fallback
-                )
-                logger.info("google_provider_using_cloud_api_with_fallback", job_id=job_id)
+                translation_provider = LegacyGoogleCloudAdapter(gc_key)
+                logger.info("google_provider_using_cloud_api", job_id=job_id)
             else:
+                from services.translation_service import GoogleTranslationProvider
+                translation_provider = GoogleTranslationProvider()
                 logger.info("google_provider_no_cloud_key_using_legacy", job_id=job_id)
 
         elif _p in ("openrouter", "llm") and api_key: