diff --git a/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts b/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
index ce80c783..11c84b70 100644
--- a/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/store/treeEditorStore.ts
@@ -802,8 +802,8 @@ export const useTreeEditorStore = create<TreeEditorState>()(
               if (opt.next_node_id && detectCircularRefs(opt.next_node_id, new Set(visited))) {
                 errors.push({
                   nodeId: node.id,
-                  message: `Circular reference detected: "${opt.label}" creates a loop`,
-                  severity: 'error'
+                  message: `This path loops back to an earlier node via "${opt.label}"`,
+                  severity: 'warning'
                 })
                 return true
               }
@@ -814,8 +814,8 @@ export const useTreeEditorStore = create<TreeEditorState>()(
           if (node.next_node_id && detectCircularRefs(node.next_node_id, new Set(visited))) {
             errors.push({
               nodeId: node.id,
-              message: `Circular reference detected in node "${node.title || node.id}"`,
-              severity: 'error'
+              message: `This node loops back to an earlier node ("${node.title || node.id}")`,
+              severity: 'warning'
             })
             return true
           }