A guide plate for a swirler assembly is disclosed. In various embodiments, the guide plate includes a guide plate flange configured for engagement with a swirler body having a swirler inlet; and a guide plate collar, the guide plate collar having an aft protrusion with respect to an axial direction extending through the swirler body, the aft protrusion having an aft protrusion tip position configured to be equal to or extend downstream of a swirler inlet forward position with respect to the axial direction and a radially outer surface that forms a radially outer surface angle greater than ninety degrees with respect to a radial direction.