diff --git a/pkg/tools/shell.go b/pkg/tools/shell.go
index 8e8d75dd8..8503ecdb0 100644
--- a/pkg/tools/shell.go
+++ b/pkg/tools/shell.go
@@ -110,7 +110,12 @@ func NewExecToolWithConfig(workingDir string, restrict bool, config *config.Conf
 	if len(allowPatterns) > 0 {
 		allowRegex = make([]*regexp.Regexp, 0, len(allowPatterns))
 		for _, p := range allowPatterns {
-			allowRegex = append(allowRegex, regexp.MustCompile(p))
+			re, err := regexp.Compile(p)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "NewExecTool: invalid allow pattern %q: %v\n", p, err)
+				continue
+			}
+			allowRegex = append(allowRegex, re)
 		}
 	}