diff --git a/litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/transformation.py b/litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/transformation.py
index f5a2f7d67cc..9f224944073 100644
--- a/litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/transformation.py
+++ b/litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/transformation.py
@@ -81,10 +81,8 @@ def _decode_form_value(key: str, value: object) -> object:
     if key in SONIOX_JSON_PARAMS and value.lstrip()[:1] in ("{", "["):
         try:
             return _JSON_CONTAINER.validate_json(value)
-        except ValidationError as exc:
-            raise SonioxException(
-                message=f"`{key}` is not valid JSON: {exc.errors()[0]['msg']}", status_code=400, headers=None
-            )
+        except ValidationError:
+            return value
     if key == "language_hints":
         return tuple(hint.strip() for hint in value.split(",") if hint.strip())
     return value
diff --git a/litellm/types/llms/soniox.py b/litellm/llms/soniox/types.py
similarity index 100%
rename from litellm/types/llms/soniox.py
rename to litellm/llms/soniox/types.py
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/test_soniox_audio_transcription_transformation.py b/tests/test_litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/test_soniox_audio_transcription_transformation.py
index 64b6fa8a018..73cdd806855 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/test_soniox_audio_transcription_transformation.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/llms/soniox/audio_transcription/test_soniox_audio_transcription_transformation.py
@@ -707,11 +707,9 @@ class TestDecodeSonioxFormParams:
         assert result["enable_speaker_diarization"] is True
         assert result["language_hints"] == ["en", "es"]
 
-    def test_should_raise_400_on_malformed_json_context(self):
-        with pytest.raises(SonioxException) as exc_info:
-            decode_soniox_form_params({"context": '{"terms": ["Celebrex"'})
-        assert exc_info.value.status_code == 400
-        assert "context" in str(exc_info.value)
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("raw", ["[inaudible] consultation", "{unbalanced", '{"terms": ["Celebrex"'])
+    def test_should_keep_bracket_prefixed_free_form_context_as_string(self, raw: str):
+        assert decode_soniox_form_params({"context": raw})["context"] == raw
 
     def test_should_decode_json_string_translation(self):
         result = decode_soniox_form_params({"translation": '{"type": "one_way", "target_language": "es"}'})