diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 4f6858e..ffac63f 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -448,8 +448,11 @@ async def lifespan(_server: FastMCP) -> AsyncIterator[AppContext]:
         )
 
         # Validate credentials and configuration by testing actual resources
+        # These validations are non-blocking - errors are logged but won't stop startup
         log_structured_entry("Starting validation of credentials and resources", "INFO")
 
+        validation_errors = []
+
         # 1. Validate GenAI embedding access
         log_structured_entry("Validating GenAI embedding access", "INFO")
         try:
@@ -468,15 +471,15 @@ async def lifespan(_server: FastMCP) -> AsyncIterator[AppContext]:
                 )
             else:
                 msg = "Embedding validation returned empty response"
-                log_structured_entry(msg, "ERROR")
-                raise RuntimeError(msg)
+                log_structured_entry(msg, "WARNING")
+                validation_errors.append(msg)
         except Exception as e:
             log_structured_entry(
-                "Failed to validate GenAI embedding access",
-                "ERROR",
+                "Failed to validate GenAI embedding access - service may not work correctly",
+                "WARNING",
                 {"error": str(e), "error_type": type(e).__name__}
             )
-            raise
+            validation_errors.append(f"GenAI: {str(e)}")
 
         # 2. Validate GCS bucket access
         log_structured_entry(
@@ -500,43 +503,41 @@ async def lifespan(_server: FastMCP) -> AsyncIterator[AppContext]:
                 if response.status == 403:
                     msg = f"Access denied to bucket '{cfg.bucket}'. Check permissions."
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "GCS bucket validation failed - access denied",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "GCS bucket validation failed - access denied - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"bucket": cfg.bucket, "status": response.status}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
                 elif response.status == 404:
                     msg = f"Bucket '{cfg.bucket}' not found. Check bucket name and project."
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "GCS bucket validation failed - not found",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "GCS bucket validation failed - not found - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"bucket": cfg.bucket, "status": response.status}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
                 elif not response.ok:
                     body = await response.text()
-                    msg = f"Failed to access bucket '{cfg.bucket}': {response.status} - {body}"
+                    msg = f"Failed to access bucket '{cfg.bucket}': {response.status}"
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "GCS bucket validation failed",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "GCS bucket validation failed - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"bucket": cfg.bucket, "status": response.status, "response": body}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
-
-            log_structured_entry(
-                "GCS bucket validation successful",
-                "INFO",
-                {"bucket": cfg.bucket}
-            )
-        except RuntimeError:
-            raise
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
+                else:
+                    log_structured_entry(
+                        "GCS bucket validation successful",
+                        "INFO",
+                        {"bucket": cfg.bucket}
+                    )
         except Exception as e:
             log_structured_entry(
-                "Failed to validate GCS bucket access",
-                "ERROR",
+                "Failed to validate GCS bucket access - service may not work correctly",
+                "WARNING",
                 {"error": str(e), "error_type": type(e).__name__, "bucket": cfg.bucket}
             )
-            raise
+            validation_errors.append(f"GCS: {str(e)}")
 
         # 3. Validate vector search endpoint access
         log_structured_entry(
@@ -556,45 +557,51 @@ async def lifespan(_server: FastMCP) -> AsyncIterator[AppContext]:
                 if response.status == 403:
                     msg = f"Access denied to endpoint '{cfg.endpoint_name}'. Check permissions."
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed - access denied",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed - access denied - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name, "status": response.status}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
                 elif response.status == 404:
                     msg = f"Endpoint '{cfg.endpoint_name}' not found. Check endpoint name and project."
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed - not found",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed - not found - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name, "status": response.status}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
                 elif not response.ok:
                     body = await response.text()
-                    msg = f"Failed to access endpoint '{cfg.endpoint_name}': {response.status} - {body}"
+                    msg = f"Failed to access endpoint '{cfg.endpoint_name}': {response.status}"
                     log_structured_entry(
-                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed",
-                        "ERROR",
+                        "Vector search endpoint validation failed - service may not work correctly",
+                        "WARNING",
                         {"endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name, "status": response.status, "response": body}
                     )
-                    raise RuntimeError(msg)
-
-            log_structured_entry(
-                "Vector search endpoint validation successful",
-                "INFO",
-                {"endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name}
-            )
-        except RuntimeError:
-            raise
+                    validation_errors.append(msg)
+                else:
+                    log_structured_entry(
+                        "Vector search endpoint validation successful",
+                        "INFO",
+                        {"endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name}
+                    )
         except Exception as e:
             log_structured_entry(
-                "Failed to validate vector search endpoint access",
-                "ERROR",
+                "Failed to validate vector search endpoint access - service may not work correctly",
+                "WARNING",
                 {"error": str(e), "error_type": type(e).__name__, "endpoint": cfg.endpoint_name}
             )
-            raise
+            validation_errors.append(f"Vector Search: {str(e)}")
 
-        log_structured_entry("All validations passed - MCP server initialization complete", "INFO")
+        # Summary of validations
+        if validation_errors:
+            log_structured_entry(
+                "MCP server started with validation errors - service may not work correctly",
+                "WARNING",
+                {"validation_errors": validation_errors, "error_count": len(validation_errors)}
+            )
+        else:
+            log_structured_entry("All validations passed - MCP server initialization complete", "INFO")
 
         yield AppContext(
             vector_search=vs,