diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 01143c1f..e4714cbc 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 - a separator for joining node values in `link` can be set with attribute `value_sep`
 - spreadsheet imports can now be configured with a fallback token column for annotation names not mentioned in a column map, an empty string means map to timeline directly
+- graph_op `check` can now be configured to not let the entire processing chain fail, when a test fails, by setting `policy = "warn"` (default is `fail`)
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/manipulator/check.rs b/src/manipulator/check.rs
index 81441ca3..2228eb90 100644
--- a/src/manipulator/check.rs
+++ b/src/manipulator/check.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ pub const MODULE_NAME: &str = "check";
 pub struct Check {
     tests: Vec<Test>,
     report: Option<ReportLevel>,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    policy: FailurePolicy,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+enum FailurePolicy {
+    Warn,
+    #[default]
+    Fail,
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
@@ -53,7 +63,15 @@ impl Manipulator for Check {
             .map(|(d, _)| d)
             .collect_vec();
         if !failed_checks.is_empty() {
-            let msg = StatusMessage::Failed(AnnattoError::ChecksFailed { failed_checks });
+            let msg = match self.policy {
+                FailurePolicy::Warn => StatusMessage::Warning(format!(
+                    "One or more checks failed:\n{}",
+                    failed_checks.join("\n")
+                )),
+                FailurePolicy::Fail => {
+                    StatusMessage::Failed(AnnattoError::ChecksFailed { failed_checks })
+                }
+            };
             if let Some(ref sender) = tx {
                 sender.send(msg)?;
             }
@@ -493,6 +511,47 @@ mod tests {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_layer_check_fail_policy_warn() {
+        let gr = input_graph(false);
+        assert!(gr.is_ok());
+        let mut g = gr.unwrap();
+        let toml_path = "./tests/data/graph_op/check/serialized_layer_check_failing_warn.toml";
+        if let Ok(s) = fs::read_to_string(toml_path) {
+            let processor_opt: Result<Check, _> = toml::from_str(s.as_str());
+            assert!(processor_opt.is_ok());
+            let check = processor_opt.unwrap();
+            let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel();
+            let dummy_value = temp_dir();
+            let run = check.manipulate_corpus(&mut g, dummy_value.as_path(), Some(sender));
+            assert!(run.is_ok());
+            assert_eq!(
+                receiver
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .filter(|msg| matches!(msg, StatusMessage::Warning { .. }))
+                    .count(),
+                1
+            );
+        }
+        let toml_path_fail = "./tests/data/graph_op/check/serialized_layer_check_failing.toml";
+        if let Ok(s) = fs::read_to_string(toml_path_fail) {
+            let processor_opt: Result<Check, _> = toml::from_str(s.as_str());
+            assert!(processor_opt.is_ok());
+            let check = processor_opt.unwrap();
+            let (sender, receiver) = mpsc::channel();
+            let dummy_value = temp_dir();
+            let run = check.manipulate_corpus(&mut g, dummy_value.as_path(), Some(sender));
+            assert!(run.is_ok());
+            assert_eq!(
+                receiver
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .filter(|msg| matches!(msg, StatusMessage::Failed { .. }))
+                    .count(),
+                1
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_layer_test_to_aql_test() {
         let mut layers = BTreeMap::new();
diff --git a/tests/data/graph_op/check/serialized_layer_check_failing_warn.toml b/tests/data/graph_op/check/serialized_layer_check_failing_warn.toml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04f2fbc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/graph_op/check/serialized_layer_check_failing_warn.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# please note: This is NOT a workflow fragment, this is a serialization of `check`.
+# In an annatto workflow the structure will vary due to flattenings and re-arrangments of data.
+report = "list"
+policy = "warn"
+
+[[tests]]
+layers = { pos = [ "PRON" ], cat = [ "NP" ] }
+
+[[tests]]
+layers = { deprel = ["subj"] }
+edge = "->dep"
+
+[[tests]]
+layers = { func = ["D0"] }
+edge = ">"