diff --git a/codex-lens/src/codexlens/config.py b/codex-lens/src/codexlens/config.py
index e49bff08..7e49b70d 100644
--- a/codex-lens/src/codexlens/config.py
+++ b/codex-lens/src/codexlens/config.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+import logging
 import os
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from functools import cached_property
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ WORKSPACE_DIR_NAME = ".codexlens"
 # Settings file name
 SETTINGS_FILE_NAME = "settings.json"
 
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 def _default_global_dir() -> Path:
     """Get global CodexLens data directory."""
@@ -200,7 +203,15 @@ class Config:
             # Load embedding settings
             embedding = settings.get("embedding", {})
             if "backend" in embedding:
-                self.embedding_backend = embedding["backend"]
+                backend = embedding["backend"]
+                if backend in {"fastembed", "litellm"}:
+                    self.embedding_backend = backend
+                else:
+                    log.warning(
+                        "Invalid embedding backend in %s: %r (expected 'fastembed' or 'litellm')",
+                        self.settings_path,
+                        backend,
+                    )
             if "model" in embedding:
                 self.embedding_model = embedding["model"]
             if "use_gpu" in embedding:
@@ -224,8 +235,13 @@ class Config:
                 self.llm_timeout_ms = llm["timeout_ms"]
             if "batch_size" in llm:
                 self.llm_batch_size = llm["batch_size"]
-        except Exception:
-            pass  # Silently ignore errors
+        except Exception as exc:
+            log.warning(
+                "Failed to load settings from %s (%s): %s",
+                self.settings_path,
+                type(exc).__name__,
+                exc,
+            )
 
     @classmethod
     def load(cls) -> "Config":
diff --git a/codex-lens/tests/test_config.py b/codex-lens/tests/test_config.py
index 1562ac28..75e42b28 100644
--- a/codex-lens/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/codex-lens/tests/test_config.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 """Tests for CodexLens configuration system."""
 
+import builtins
+import json
+import logging
 import os
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -224,6 +227,99 @@ class TestConfig:
                 del os.environ["CODEXLENS_DATA_DIR"]
 
 
+class TestConfigLoadSettings:
+    """Tests for Config.load_settings behavior and logging."""
+
+    def test_load_settings_logs_warning_on_malformed_json(self, caplog):
+        """Malformed JSON in settings file should trigger warning log."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            config = Config(data_dir=Path(tmpdir))
+            config.settings_path.write_text("{", encoding="utf-8")
+
+            with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+                config.load_settings()
+
+            records = [r for r in caplog.records if r.name == "codexlens.config"]
+            assert any("Failed to load settings from" in r.message for r in records)
+            assert any("JSONDecodeError" in r.message for r in records)
+            assert any(str(config.settings_path) in r.message for r in records)
+
+    def test_load_settings_logs_warning_on_permission_error(self, monkeypatch, caplog):
+        """Permission errors opening settings file should trigger warning log."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            config = Config(data_dir=Path(tmpdir))
+            config.settings_path.write_text("{}", encoding="utf-8")
+
+            real_open = builtins.open
+
+            def guarded_open(path, mode="r", *args, **kwargs):
+                if Path(path) == config.settings_path and "r" in mode:
+                    raise PermissionError("Permission denied")
+                return real_open(path, mode, *args, **kwargs)
+
+            monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "open", guarded_open)
+
+            with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+                config.load_settings()
+
+            records = [r for r in caplog.records if r.name == "codexlens.config"]
+            assert any("Failed to load settings from" in r.message for r in records)
+            assert any("PermissionError" in r.message for r in records)
+
+    def test_load_settings_loads_valid_settings_without_warning(self, caplog):
+        """Valid settings should load without warning logs."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            config = Config(data_dir=Path(tmpdir))
+            config.settings_path.write_text(
+                json.dumps(
+                    {
+                        "embedding": {
+                            "backend": "fastembed",
+                            "model": "multilingual",
+                            "use_gpu": False,
+                        },
+                        "llm": {
+                            "enabled": True,
+                            "tool": "gemini",
+                            "timeout_ms": 1234,
+                            "batch_size": 7,
+                        },
+                    }
+                ),
+                encoding="utf-8",
+            )
+
+            with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+                config.load_settings()
+
+            records = [r for r in caplog.records if r.name == "codexlens.config"]
+            assert not records
+            assert config.embedding_backend == "fastembed"
+            assert config.embedding_model == "multilingual"
+            assert config.embedding_use_gpu is False
+            assert config.llm_enabled is True
+            assert config.llm_tool == "gemini"
+            assert config.llm_timeout_ms == 1234
+            assert config.llm_batch_size == 7
+
+    def test_load_settings_logs_warning_on_invalid_embedding_backend(self, caplog):
+        """Invalid embedding backend should trigger warning log and keep default."""
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            config = Config(data_dir=Path(tmpdir))
+            default_backend = config.embedding_backend
+            config.settings_path.write_text(
+                json.dumps({"embedding": {"backend": "invalid-backend"}}),
+                encoding="utf-8",
+            )
+
+            with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING):
+                config.load_settings()
+
+            records = [r for r in caplog.records if r.name == "codexlens.config"]
+            assert any("Invalid embedding backend in" in r.message for r in records)
+            assert config.embedding_backend == default_backend
+
+
 class TestWorkspaceConfig:
     """Tests for WorkspaceConfig class."""