diff --git a/.changelog/10046.txt b/.changelog/10046.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2b6c232b656
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/10046.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+resourcemanager: added a retry to deleting the default network when `auto_create_network` is false in `google_project`
+```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/google/services/resourcemanager/resource_google_project.go b/google/services/resourcemanager/resource_google_project.go
index dd4ef711d57..f700ecd72c8 100644
--- a/google/services/resourcemanager/resource_google_project.go
+++ b/google/services/resourcemanager/resource_google_project.go
@@ -229,7 +229,13 @@ func resourceGoogleProjectCreate(d *schema.ResourceData, meta interface{}) error
 			return errwrap.Wrapf("Error enabling the Compute Engine API required to delete the default network: {{err}} ", err)
 		}
 
-		if err = forceDeleteComputeNetwork(d, config, project.ProjectId, "default"); err != nil {
+		err = forceDeleteComputeNetwork(d, config, project.ProjectId, "default")
+		// Retry if API is not yet enabled.
+		if err != nil && transport_tpg.IsGoogleApiErrorWithCode(err, 403) {
+			time.Sleep(10 * time.Second)
+			err = forceDeleteComputeNetwork(d, config, project.ProjectId, "default")
+		}
+		if err != nil {
 			if transport_tpg.IsGoogleApiErrorWithCode(err, 404) {
 				log.Printf("[DEBUG] Default network not found for project %q, no need to delete it", project.ProjectId)
 			} else {