diff --git a/selfdrive/car/cruise.py b/selfdrive/car/cruise.py
index b12081f9a9..589bd36f43 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/cruise.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/cruise.py
@@ -44,10 +44,15 @@ class VCruiseHelper:
 
   def _get_short_press_delta(self, is_metric, starpilot_toggles: SimpleNamespace) -> float:
     base_delta = 1. if is_metric else IMPERIAL_INCREMENT
-    return base_delta * starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase
+    return base_delta * self._get_cruise_delta_interval(starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase)
+
+  @staticmethod
+  def _get_cruise_delta_interval(interval: float | None) -> float:
+    return interval if isinstance(interval, (int, float)) and interval > 0 else 1.0
 
   def _normalize_initialized_v_cruise(self, v_cruise_kph: float, starpilot_toggles: SimpleNamespace) -> float:
-    if starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase % 5 != 0:
+    cruise_increase = self._get_cruise_delta_interval(starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase)
+    if cruise_increase % 5 != 0:
       return v_cruise_kph
 
     v_cruise_delta = self._get_short_press_delta(starpilot_toggles.is_metric, starpilot_toggles)
@@ -119,7 +124,8 @@ class VCruiseHelper:
     if not self.button_change_states[button_type]["enabled"]:
       return
 
-    v_cruise_delta_interval = starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase_long if long_press else starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase
+    delta_interval = starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase_long if long_press else starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase
+    v_cruise_delta_interval = self._get_cruise_delta_interval(delta_interval)
     v_cruise_delta = v_cruise_delta * v_cruise_delta_interval
     if v_cruise_delta_interval % 5 == 0 and self.v_cruise_kph % v_cruise_delta != 0:  # partial interval
       self.v_cruise_kph = CRUISE_NEAREST_FUNC[button_type](self.v_cruise_kph / v_cruise_delta) * v_cruise_delta
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_cruise_speed.py b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_cruise_speed.py
index a71273a0d8..c6a3b78ba1 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_cruise_speed.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_cruise_speed.py
@@ -232,3 +232,31 @@ class TestVCruiseHelper:
     )
 
     assert self.v_cruise_helper.v_cruise_kph == initial_v_cruise_kph
+
+  def test_missing_custom_cruise_toggles_fall_back_to_single_step(self):
+    self.enable(V_CRUISE_INITIAL * CV.KPH_TO_MS, False)
+    initial_v_cruise_kph = self.v_cruise_helper.v_cruise_kph
+    self.starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase = None
+    self.starpilot_toggles.cruise_increase_long = None
+
+    pressed_cs = car.CarState(cruiseState={"available": True})
+    pressed_cs.buttonEvents = [ButtonEvent(type=ButtonType.accelCruise, pressed=True)]
+    self.v_cruise_helper.update_v_cruise(
+      pressed_cs,
+      enabled=True,
+      is_metric=False,
+      speed_limit_changed=False,
+      starpilot_toggles=self.starpilot_toggles,
+    )
+
+    released_cs = car.CarState(cruiseState={"available": True})
+    released_cs.buttonEvents = [ButtonEvent(type=ButtonType.accelCruise, pressed=False)]
+    self.v_cruise_helper.update_v_cruise(
+      released_cs,
+      enabled=True,
+      is_metric=False,
+      speed_limit_changed=False,
+      starpilot_toggles=self.starpilot_toggles,
+    )
+
+    assert self.v_cruise_helper.v_cruise_kph == pytest.approx(initial_v_cruise_kph + IMPERIAL_INCREMENT)