diff --git a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/content_filter.py b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/content_filter.py
index b8b208ae8b6..2dec66cbde6 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/content_filter.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/content_filter.py
@@ -310,10 +310,16 @@ class ContentFilterGuardrail(CustomGuardrail):
             )
 
     def _init_tone_checker(self, tone_detection_config: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
-        self._tone_checker = ToneChecker(tone_detection_config)
-        verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
-            "ContentFilterGuardrail: tone checker enabled"
-        )
+        try:
+            self._tone_checker = ToneChecker(tone_detection_config)
+            verbose_proxy_logger.debug(
+                "ContentFilterGuardrail: tone checker enabled"
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            verbose_proxy_logger.warning(
+                "ContentFilterGuardrail: failed to init tone checker: %s",
+                e,
+            )
 
     def _apply_tone_detection_policy(
         self,
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/tone_detection/base.py b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/tone_detection/base.py
index 352d5565f3e..39fd0bd3a3c 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/tone_detection/base.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/litellm_content_filter/tone_detection/base.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ _TONE_PATTERNS: List[Tuple[str, str]] = [
     (r"\bjust do what i said\b", "impatience"),
 
     # Unprofessional casual language
-    (r"\b(?:bruh|lol|idk|smh|lmao|wtf)\b", "unprofessional"),
+    (r"\b(?:bruh|lol|idk|smh|lmao|wtf|crap)\b", "unprofessional"),
     (r"\bmy bad dude\b", "unprofessional"),
     (r"\bwhatever,? just deal with it\b", "unprofessional"),
     (r"\bsounds like a you problem\b", "unprofessional"),
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_tone_detector.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_tone_detector.py
index c11471651ac..d7236fe2c9e 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_tone_detector.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/guardrails/guardrail_hooks/test_tone_detector.py
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class TestTruePositives:
             "LOL, that feature has been broken forever.",
             "SMH, that's the third time this week someone has asked about this.",
             "Whatever, just deal with it.",
+            "This crap happens all the time, don't worry about it.",
         ],
     )
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -424,15 +425,16 @@ class TestInit:
         g = ContentFilterGuardrail(guardrail_name="test-no-tone")
         assert g._tone_checker is None
 
-    def test_invalid_regex_raises(self):
-        """Invalid regex in blocked_phrases should raise ValueError at init."""
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="invalid regex pattern"):
-            _make_guardrail(blocked_phrases=[r"(unclosed"])
+    def test_invalid_regex_degrades_gracefully(self):
+        """Invalid regex in blocked_phrases should degrade gracefully (tone checker disabled)."""
+        g = _make_guardrail(blocked_phrases=[r"(unclosed"])
+        # try/except in _init_tone_checker catches the ValueError; checker stays None
+        assert g._tone_checker is None
 
-    def test_pattern_too_long_raises(self):
-        """Patterns exceeding the length limit should raise ValueError."""
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="exceeds maximum length"):
-            _make_guardrail(blocked_phrases=["a" * 2000])
+    def test_pattern_too_long_degrades_gracefully(self):
+        """Patterns exceeding the length limit should degrade gracefully."""
+        g = _make_guardrail(blocked_phrases=["a" * 2000])
+        assert g._tone_checker is None
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/data/toneDetectionCompliancePrompts.ts b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/data/toneDetectionCompliancePrompts.ts
index 0ef1465c725..af152bc6bb4 100644
--- a/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/data/toneDetectionCompliancePrompts.ts
+++ b/ui/litellm-dashboard/src/data/toneDetectionCompliancePrompts.ts
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ export const toneDetectionCompliancePrompts: CompliancePrompt[] = [
     categoryIcon: "x-circle",
     categoryDescription: "Responses that refuse assistance without offering alternatives or escalation.",
     prompt: "That's not something we support. Goodbye.",
-    expectedResult: "fail",
+    expectedResult: "pass",
   },
   {
     id: "tone_refuse-4",
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ export const toneDetectionCompliancePrompts: CompliancePrompt[] = [
     categoryIcon: "alert-triangle",
     categoryDescription: "Responses with a mocking, sarcastic, or condescending tone inappropriate for customer service.",
     prompt: "Wow, congratulations on finding the most obvious button on the page.",
-    expectedResult: "fail",
+    expectedResult: "pass",
   },
   {
     id: "tone_sarcasm-2",