diff --git a/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook.go b/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook.go
index dba9770ba5..9d89912ee9 100644
--- a/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook.go
+++ b/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (c CollectorWebhook) ValidateCreate(ctx context.Context, obj runtime.Object
 		c.metrics.create(ctx, otelcol)
 	}
 	if c.bv != nil {
-		newWarnings, err := c.bv(*otelcol)
+		newWarnings := c.bv(*otelcol)
 		if err != nil {
 			return append(warnings, newWarnings...), err
 		}
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func (c CollectorWebhook) ValidateUpdate(ctx context.Context, oldObj, newObj run
 	}
 
 	if c.bv != nil {
-		newWarnings, err := c.bv(*otelcol)
+		newWarnings := c.bv(*otelcol)
 		if err != nil {
 			return append(warnings, newWarnings...), err
 		}
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ func checkAutoscalerSpec(autoscaler *AutoscalerSpec) error {
 }
 
 // BuildValidator is mostly used for testing purposes
-type BuildValidator func(c OpenTelemetryCollector) (admission.Warnings, error)
+type BuildValidator func(c OpenTelemetryCollector) admission.Warnings
 
 func NewCollectorWebhook(
 	logger logr.Logger,
diff --git a/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook_test.go b/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook_test.go
index e686b46304..e795d2a691 100644
--- a/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook_test.go
+++ b/apis/v1beta1/collector_webhook_test.go
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) (admission.Warnings, error) {
+	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) admission.Warnings {
+		var warnings admission.Warnings
 		cfg := config.New(
 			config.WithCollectorImage("default-collector"),
 			config.WithTargetAllocatorImage("default-ta-allocator"),
@@ -111,9 +112,10 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		_, err := collectorManifests.Build(params)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			warnings := append(warnings, err.Error())
+			return warnings
 		}
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -546,7 +548,8 @@ func TestCollectorDefaultingWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) (admission.Warnings, error) {
+	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) admission.Warnings {
+		var warnings admission.Warnings
 		cfg := config.New(
 			config.WithCollectorImage("default-collector"),
 			config.WithTargetAllocatorImage("default-ta-allocator"),
@@ -558,9 +561,10 @@ func TestCollectorDefaultingWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		_, err := collectorManifests.Build(params)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			warnings := append(warnings, err.Error())
+			return warnings
 		}
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
@@ -1311,7 +1315,8 @@ func TestOTELColValidatingWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) (admission.Warnings, error) {
+	bv := func(collector v1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) admission.Warnings {
+		var warnings admission.Warnings
 		cfg := config.New(
 			config.WithCollectorImage("default-collector"),
 			config.WithTargetAllocatorImage("default-ta-allocator"),
@@ -1323,9 +1328,10 @@ func TestOTELColValidatingWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		_, err := collectorManifests.Build(params)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			warnings := append(warnings, err.Error())
+			return warnings
 		}
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 0e98cf7aea..3e7abc8bb4 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -394,16 +394,19 @@ func main() {
 
 		}
 
-		bv := func(collector otelv1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) (admission.Warnings, error) {
+		bv := func(collector otelv1beta1.OpenTelemetryCollector) admission.Warnings {
+			var warnings admission.Warnings
 			params, err := collectorReconciler.GetParams(collector)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				warnings = append(warnings, err.Error())
+				return warnings
 			}
 			_, err = collectorManifests.Build(params)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
+				warnings = append(warnings, err.Error())
+				return warnings
 			}
-			return nil, nil
+			return warnings
 		}
 
 		if err = otelv1beta1.SetupCollectorWebhook(mgr, cfg, reviewer, crdMetrics, bv); err != nil {