diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditAction.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditAction.java
index 518718a9..5cb122f4 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditAction.java
@@ -225,7 +225,13 @@ public class AuditAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<AuditInput, AuditOutput
                {
                   if(auditSingleInput.getSecurityKeyValues() == null || !auditSingleInput.getSecurityKeyValues().containsKey(recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType()))
                   {
-                     throw (new QException("Missing securityKeyValue [" + recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType() + "] in audit request for table " + auditSingleInput.getAuditTableName()));
+                     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     // originally, this case threw...                    //
+                     // but i think it's better to record the audit, just //
+                     // missing its security key value, then to fail...   //
+                     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+                     // throw (new QException("Missing securityKeyValue [" + recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType() + "] in audit request for table " + auditSingleInput.getAuditTableName()));
+                     LOG.info("Missing securityKeyValue in audit request", logPair("table", auditSingleInput.getAuditTableName()), logPair("securityKey", recordSecurityLock.getSecurityKeyType()));
                   }
                }
 
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditActionTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditActionTest.java
index 40b60d9d..7273fb72 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditActionTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/AuditActionTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.BaseTest;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QCollectingLogger;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.logging.QLogger;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.audits.AuditInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.audits.AuditSingleInput;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.audits.AuditsMetaDataProvider;
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.session.QUser;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.processes.utils.GeneralProcessUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.TestUtils;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.collections.MapBuilder;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Disabled;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ class AuditActionTest extends BaseTest
     **
     *******************************************************************************/
    @Test
+   @Disabled("this behavior has been changed to just log... should this be a setting?")
    void testFailWithoutSecurityKey() throws QException
    {
       QInstance qInstance = TestUtils.defineInstance();
@@ -117,6 +121,50 @@ class AuditActionTest extends BaseTest
 
 
 
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   void testLogWithoutSecurityKey() throws QException
+   {
+      int recordId = 1701;
+
+      QInstance qInstance = TestUtils.defineInstance();
+      new AuditsMetaDataProvider().defineAll(qInstance, TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME, null);
+
+      String userName = "John Doe";
+      QContext.init(qInstance, new QSession().withUser(new QUser().withFullName(userName)));
+
+      QCollectingLogger collectingLogger = QLogger.activateCollectingLoggerForClass(AuditAction.class);
+      AuditAction.execute(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_ORDER, recordId, Map.of(), "Test Audit");
+
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // it should not throw, but it should also not insert the audit. //
+      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      Optional<QRecord> auditRecord = GeneralProcessUtils.getRecordByField("audit", "recordId", recordId);
+      assertTrue(auditRecord.isPresent());
+
+      assertThat(collectingLogger.getCollectedMessages()).anyMatch(m -> m.getMessage().contains("Missing securityKeyValue in audit request"));
+      collectingLogger.clear();
+
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // try again with a null value in the key - that should be ok - as at least you were thinking //
+      // about the key and put in SOME value (null has its own semantics in security keys)          //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      Map<String, Serializable> securityKeys = new HashMap<>();
+      securityKeys.put(TestUtils.SECURITY_KEY_TYPE_STORE, null);
+      AuditAction.execute(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_ORDER, recordId, securityKeys, "Test Audit");
+
+      /////////////////////////////////////
+      // now the audit should be stored. //
+      /////////////////////////////////////
+      auditRecord = GeneralProcessUtils.getRecordByField("audit", "recordId", recordId);
+      assertTrue(auditRecord.isPresent());
+      assertThat(collectingLogger.getCollectedMessages()).noneMatch(m -> m.getMessage().contains("Missing securityKeyValue in audit request"));
+   }
+
+
+
    /*******************************************************************************
     **
     *******************************************************************************/