diff --git a/.changelog/12214.txt b/.changelog/12214.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..32976637d11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/12214.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+looker: made `oauth_config` a required field in `google_looker_instance`, as creating this resource without that field always triggers an API error
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/google/services/looker/resource_looker_instance.go b/google/services/looker/resource_looker_instance.go
index 67d216f5fdf..b231de79312 100644
--- a/google/services/looker/resource_looker_instance.go
+++ b/google/services/looker/resource_looker_instance.go
@@ -63,6 +63,26 @@ func ResourceLookerInstance() *schema.Resource {
 				ValidateFunc: verify.ValidateRegexp(`^[a-z][a-z0-9-]{0,61}[a-z0-9]$`),
 				Description:  `The ID of the instance or a fully qualified identifier for the instance.`,
 			},
+			"oauth_config": {
+				Type:        schema.TypeList,
+				Required:    true,
+				Description: `Looker Instance OAuth login settings.`,
+				MaxItems:    1,
+				Elem: &schema.Resource{
+					Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
+						"client_id": {
+							Type:        schema.TypeString,
+							Required:    true,
+							Description: `The client ID for the Oauth config.`,
+						},
+						"client_secret": {
+							Type:        schema.TypeString,
+							Required:    true,
+							Description: `The client secret for the Oauth config.`,
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
 			"admin_settings": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeList,
 				Optional:    true,
@@ -315,26 +335,6 @@ disrupt service.`,
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			"oauth_config": {
-				Type:        schema.TypeList,
-				Optional:    true,
-				Description: `Looker Instance OAuth login settings.`,
-				MaxItems:    1,
-				Elem: &schema.Resource{
-					Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
-						"client_id": {
-							Type:        schema.TypeString,
-							Required:    true,
-							Description: `The client ID for the Oauth config.`,
-						},
-						"client_secret": {
-							Type:        schema.TypeString,
-							Required:    true,
-							Description: `The client secret for the Oauth config.`,
-						},
-					},
-				},
-			},
 			"platform_edition": {
 				Type:         schema.TypeString,
 				Optional:     true,
diff --git a/website/docs/r/looker_instance.html.markdown b/website/docs/r/looker_instance.html.markdown
index c8c6c5aa365..f833a6e9c57 100644
--- a/website/docs/r/looker_instance.html.markdown
+++ b/website/docs/r/looker_instance.html.markdown
@@ -281,6 +281,21 @@ The following arguments are supported:
   (Required)
   The ID of the instance or a fully qualified identifier for the instance.
 
+* `oauth_config` -
+  (Required)
+  Looker Instance OAuth login settings.
+  Structure is [documented below](#nested_oauth_config).
+
+
+<a name="nested_oauth_config"></a>The `oauth_config` block supports:
+
+* `client_id` -
+  (Required)
+  The client ID for the Oauth config.
+
+* `client_secret` -
+  (Required)
+  The client secret for the Oauth config.
 
 - - -
 
@@ -320,11 +335,6 @@ The following arguments are supported:
   disrupt service.
   Structure is [documented below](#nested_maintenance_window).
 
-* `oauth_config` -
-  (Optional)
-  Looker Instance OAuth login settings.
-  Structure is [documented below](#nested_oauth_config).
-
 * `platform_edition` -
   (Optional)
   Platform editions for a Looker instance. Each edition maps to a set of instance features, like its size. Must be one of these values:
@@ -519,16 +529,6 @@ nested resources will return an error. Possible values: DEFAULT, FORCE
   (Optional)
   Fractions of seconds in nanoseconds. Must be from 0 to 999,999,999.
 
-<a name="nested_oauth_config"></a>The `oauth_config` block supports:
-
-* `client_id` -
-  (Required)
-  The client ID for the Oauth config.
-
-* `client_secret` -
-  (Required)
-  The client secret for the Oauth config.
-
 <a name="nested_psc_config"></a>The `psc_config` block supports:
 
 * `allowed_vpcs` -