diff --git a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerWriteSchemaTransformProvider.java b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerWriteSchemaTransformProvider.java
index 81ef595d24ff..f50755d18155 100644
--- a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerWriteSchemaTransformProvider.java
+++ b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerWriteSchemaTransformProvider.java
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ public PCollectionRowTuple expand(@NonNull PCollectionRowTuple input) {
   public abstract static class SpannerWriteSchemaTransformConfiguration implements Serializable {
 
     @SchemaFieldDescription("Specifies the GCP project.")
+    @Nullable
     public abstract String getProjectId();
 
     @SchemaFieldDescription("Specifies the Cloud Spanner instance.")
@@ -289,10 +290,6 @@ public abstract static class Builder {
     public void validate() {
       String invalidConfigMessage = "Invalid Spanner Write configuration: ";
 
-      checkArgument(
-          !Strings.isNullOrEmpty(this.getProjectId()),
-          invalidConfigMessage + "Project ID for a Spanner Write must be specified.");
-
       checkArgument(
           !Strings.isNullOrEmpty(this.getInstanceId()),
           invalidConfigMessage + "Instance ID for a Spanner Write must be specified.");