diff --git a/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/CHANGELOG.md b/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/CHANGELOG.md
index 27996a6a38b..a5bb1ba042e 100644
--- a/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 ### Bugs Fixed
 
+- Fixed case insensitivity with ward ScanPaths in package validation readme tool
+
 ### Other Changes
 
 ## 0.5.11 (2026-01-05)
diff --git a/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/Helpers/CommonLanguageHelpers.cs b/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/Helpers/CommonLanguageHelpers.cs
index b2acc646313..194c353d745 100644
--- a/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/Helpers/CommonLanguageHelpers.cs
+++ b/tools/azsdk-cli/Azure.Sdk.Tools.Cli/Helpers/CommonLanguageHelpers.cs
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ public async Task<PackageCheckResponse> ValidateChangelog(
             var timeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5);
             var processResult = await _processHelper.Run(new(command, args, timeout: timeout, workingDirectory: packagePath), ct);
 
+            if (processResult.ExitCode != 0)
+            {
+                _logger.LogWarning("Changelog validation failed. Exit Code: {ExitCode}, Output: {Output}",
+                    processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output);
+                return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output, "Changelog validation failed.");
+            }
+
             return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult);
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
@@ -150,16 +157,31 @@ public async Task<PackageCheckResponse> ValidateReadme(
                 return new PackageCheckResponse(1, "", $"Doc settings file not found at expected location: {settingsPath}");
             }
 
+            // TODO: investigate doc-warden code, this normalizes package path for Scan Paths
+            var normalizedPackagePath = Path.GetFullPath(packagePath);
+            // Ensure drive letter is uppercase on Windows for consistency
+            if (OperatingSystem.IsWindows() && normalizedPackagePath.Length >= 2)
+            {
+                normalizedPackagePath = char.ToUpperInvariant(normalizedPackagePath[0]) + normalizedPackagePath.Substring(1);
+            }
+            
             var command = "pwsh";
             var args = new[] {
                 "-File", scriptPath,
                 "-SettingsPath", settingsPath,
-                "-ScanPaths", packagePath,
+                "-ScanPaths", normalizedPackagePath,
             };
 
             var timeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10);
             var processResult = await _processHelper.Run(new(command, args, timeout: timeout, workingDirectory: packagePath), ct);
 
+            if (processResult.ExitCode != 0)
+            {
+                _logger.LogWarning("Readme validation failed. Exit Code: {ExitCode}, Output: {Output}",
+                    processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output);
+                return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output, "Readme validation failed.");
+            }
+
             return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult);
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
@@ -218,6 +240,13 @@ public async Task<PackageCheckResponse> CheckSpelling(
                 }
             }
 
+            if (processResult.ExitCode != 0)
+            {
+                _logger.LogWarning("Spelling check failed. Exit Code: {ExitCode}, Output: {Output}",
+                    processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output);
+                return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult.ExitCode, processResult.Output, "Spelling check failed.");
+            }
+
             return new PackageCheckResponse(processResult);
         }
         catch (Exception ex)