Toxic leadership is characterized by abusive, authoritarian, narcissistic, and unpredictable behaviors. It has increasingly been recognized as a destructive phenomenon within organizations, significantly impacting employees' overall well-being and extending its effects beyond the workplace. On the other hand, emotional intelligence (EI) is seen as an essential personal resource that can enhance resilience and promote healthier adaptation in challenging environments. This study aimed to examine the relationship between toxic leadership and overall life satisfaction while testing the moderating role of emotional intelligence. The study involved 329 employees from various professional sectors in Portugal, who were recruited through a non-probabilistic convenience sample. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Toxic Leadership Scale (TLS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS). The results did not support the expected negative relationship between toxic leadership and life satisfaction, showing that perceived toxic leadership was not a significant predictor of well-being. However, a positive and moderate association was identified between emotional intelligence (EI) and life satisfaction, indicating that individuals with higher EI experience greater life satisfaction. Additionally, EI moderated the relationship between toxic leadership and life satisfaction, with those possessing higher EI being more sensitive to toxic behaviors, sometimes intensifying the negative impact on their well-being. These findings offer valuable insights into the complex role of emotional intelligence (EI) in organizational settings. While EI typically promotes well-being, in toxic environments it can also increase awareness of dysfunctional leadership behaviors, potentially worsening their negative effects. The study emphasizes the importance of organizations not only investing in EI training but also implementing preventive measures and leadership development programs aimed at reducing toxic behaviors and safeguarding employees' well-being.