diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/bootstrap.smoke.test.ts b/packages/server/src/server/bootstrap.smoke.test.ts
index 113240ded..d48a6b1c0 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/bootstrap.smoke.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/bootstrap.smoke.test.ts
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ describe("paseo daemon bootstrap", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test("fails fast when OpenAI speech provider is configured without credentials", async () => {
+  test("starts when OpenAI speech provider is configured without credentials", async () => {
     const paseoHomeRoot = await mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paseo-openai-config-"));
     const paseoHome = path.join(paseoHomeRoot, ".paseo");
     const staticDir = await mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "paseo-static-"));
@@ -368,9 +368,14 @@ describe("paseo daemon bootstrap", () => {
     };
 
     try {
-      await expect(createPaseoDaemon(config, pino({ level: "silent" }))).rejects.toThrow(
-        "Missing OpenAI credentials",
-      );
+      const daemon = await createPaseoDaemon(config, pino({ level: "silent" }));
+      try {
+        await daemon.start();
+        expect(daemon.getListenTarget()).toBeDefined();
+        // Must also stop without throwing
+      } finally {
+        await daemon.stop();
+      }
     } finally {
       await rm(paseoHomeRoot, { recursive: true, force: true });
       await rm(staticDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/speech/providers/openai/runtime.ts b/packages/server/src/server/speech/providers/openai/runtime.ts
index 79a0585c2..dfd68563c 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/speech/providers/openai/runtime.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/speech/providers/openai/runtime.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ export function validateOpenAiCredentialRequirements(params: {
   }
 
   if (missingOpenAiCredentialsFor.length > 0) {
-    logger.error(
+    logger.warn(
       {
         requestedProviders: {
           dictationStt: providers.dictationStt.provider,
@@ -94,10 +94,7 @@ export function validateOpenAiCredentialRequirements(params: {
         },
         missingOpenAiCredentialsFor,
       },
-      "Invalid speech configuration: OpenAI provider selected but credentials are missing",
-    );
-    throw new Error(
-      `Missing OpenAI credentials for configured speech features: ${missingOpenAiCredentialsFor.join(", ")}`,
+      "Invalid speech configuration: OpenAI provider selected but credentials are missing — speech features will be unavailable",
     );
   }
 }
@@ -195,7 +192,7 @@ export function initializeOpenAiSpeechServices(params: {
       );
     }
   } else if (needsAnyOpenAi) {
-    logger.warn("OpenAI speech providers are configured but credentials are missing");
+    // validateOpenAiCredentialRequirements already warned about missing credentials
   }
 
   return {