diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a4c2a75cc..e5504afd3 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
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
+- flag Paddle code patterns as warnings instead of failing benign scans
 - route corrupt CatBoost scans to fail closed outcomes
 - mark incomplete MXNet scans inconclusive instead of clean
 - harden manifest parse boundaries around malformed metadata
diff --git a/modelaudit/scanners/paddle_scanner.py b/modelaudit/scanners/paddle_scanner.py
index ed3d8f62c..6a19749ac 100644
--- a/modelaudit/scanners/paddle_scanner.py
+++ b/modelaudit/scanners/paddle_scanner.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def _check_chunk(
                     name="Binary Pattern Detection",
                     passed=False,
                     message=f"Suspicious binary pattern found: {pattern.decode('ascii', 'ignore')}",
-                    severity=IssueSeverity.INFO,
+                    severity=IssueSeverity.WARNING,
                     location=f"{path} (offset: {offset + pos})",
                     details={"pattern": pattern.decode("ascii", "ignore"), "offset": offset + pos},
                     rule_code="S902",
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def _check_chunk(
                     name="String Pattern Detection",
                     passed=False,
                     message=f"Suspicious string pattern found: {regex}",
-                    severity=IssueSeverity.INFO,
+                    severity=IssueSeverity.WARNING,
                     location=path,
                     details={"pattern": regex},
                     rule_code="S902",
diff --git a/tests/scanners/test_paddle_scanner.py b/tests/scanners/test_paddle_scanner.py
index 13ba7ce1d..7f7ede7a4 100644
--- a/tests/scanners/test_paddle_scanner.py
+++ b/tests/scanners/test_paddle_scanner.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+from modelaudit.core import determine_exit_code, scan_model_directory_or_file
 from modelaudit.scanners.base import IssueSeverity
 from modelaudit.scanners.paddle_scanner import PaddleScanner
 from modelaudit.utils.file.detection import validate_file_type
@@ -28,7 +29,25 @@ def test_paddle_scanner_detects_suspicious_pattern(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     with patch("modelaudit.scanners.paddle_scanner.HAS_PADDLE", True):
         scanner = PaddleScanner()
         result = scanner.scan(str(path))
-        assert any("suspicious" in i.message.lower() for i in result.issues)
+        suspicious_issues = [i for i in result.issues if "suspicious" in i.message.lower()]
+
+    assert suspicious_issues
+    assert all(issue.severity == IssueSeverity.WARNING for issue in suspicious_issues)
+
+
+def test_paddle_suspicious_pdmodel_aggregate_exit_code_is_security_finding(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Suspicious .pdmodel patterns should be warning-level security findings."""
+    path = tmp_path / "model.pdmodel"
+    path.write_bytes(b"os.system('ls')")
+
+    with patch("modelaudit.scanners.paddle_scanner.HAS_PADDLE", True):
+        result = scan_model_directory_or_file(str(path), cache_scan_results=False)
+
+    warning_issues = [issue for issue in result.issues if issue.severity == IssueSeverity.WARNING]
+    assert result.success is True
+    assert result.has_errors is False
+    assert determine_exit_code(result) == 1
+    assert warning_issues
 
 
 def test_paddle_scanner_missing_dependency(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
@@ -104,6 +123,22 @@ def test_pdiparams_real_threats_still_detected(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert any("import os" in p for p in patterns_found), "import os should be detected"
     assert any("eval(" in p for p in patterns_found), "eval( should be detected"
     assert any("os.system" in p for p in patterns_found), "os.system should be detected"
+    assert all(i.severity == IssueSeverity.WARNING for i in result.issues)
+
+
+def test_paddle_suspicious_pdiparams_aggregate_exit_code_is_security_finding(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """Suspicious .pdiparams patterns should be warning-level security findings."""
+    path = tmp_path / "bad_weights.pdiparams"
+    path.write_bytes(b"padding " + b"import os" + b" eval(payload) " + b"os.system('rm -rf /')")
+
+    with patch("modelaudit.scanners.paddle_scanner.HAS_PADDLE", True):
+        result = scan_model_directory_or_file(str(path), cache_scan_results=False)
+
+    warning_issues = [issue for issue in result.issues if issue.severity == IssueSeverity.WARNING]
+    assert result.success is True
+    assert result.has_errors is False
+    assert determine_exit_code(result) == 1
+    assert warning_issues
 
 
 def test_pdmodel_hex_escape_still_flagged(tmp_path: Path) -> None: