diff --git a/admin-compliance/e2e/specs/iace-phase5.spec.ts b/admin-compliance/e2e/specs/iace-phase5.spec.ts
index 36d0361..dfec32e 100644
--- a/admin-compliance/e2e/specs/iace-phase5.spec.ts
+++ b/admin-compliance/e2e/specs/iace-phase5.spec.ts
@@ -415,3 +415,86 @@ for (const project of PROJECTS) {
     })
   })
 }
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// 10. Integration: Operational States → Initialize → Hazards affected
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+test.describe('Integration: Op. States affect initialization', () => {
+  test.setTimeout(120_000)
+  const API = 'https://macmini:8093/sdk/v1/iace'
+  const HEADERS = { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'X-Tenant-Id': '9282a473-5c95-4b3a-bf78-0ecc0ec71d3e' }
+  // Use Cobot project — has limits_form data for initialization
+  const PROJECT_ID = PROJECTS[1].id
+
+  test('saving states to metadata and re-initializing changes pattern count', async ({ request }) => {
+    // Step 1: Get current project metadata
+    const projRes = await request.get(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    expect(projRes.ok()).toBeTruthy()
+    const project = await projRes.json()
+    const existingMeta = project.metadata || {}
+
+    // Step 2: Save operational states with only 2 states (restrictive)
+    const restrictiveStates = ['automatic_operation', 'emergency_stop']
+    const putRes = await request.put(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}`, {
+      headers: HEADERS,
+      data: { metadata: { ...existingMeta, operational_states: restrictiveStates } },
+    })
+    expect(putRes.ok()).toBeTruthy()
+
+    // Step 3: Delete existing hazards + mitigations so initialize creates fresh ones
+    const hazRes = await request.get(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/hazards`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    if (hazRes.ok()) {
+      const hazards = (await hazRes.json()).hazards || []
+      for (const h of hazards) {
+        await request.delete(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/hazards/${h.id}`, { headers: HEADERS })
+      }
+    }
+    const mitRes = await request.get(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/mitigations`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    if (mitRes.ok()) {
+      const mits = (await mitRes.json()).mitigations || []
+      for (const m of mits) {
+        await request.delete(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/mitigations/${m.id}`, { headers: HEADERS })
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Step 4: Initialize with restrictive states
+    const initRes = await request.post(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/initialize`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    expect(initRes.ok()).toBeTruthy()
+    const initData = await initRes.json()
+    const restrictivePatterns = initData.steps?.find((s: { name: string }) => s.name === 'Patterns abgeglichen')?.count || 0
+
+    // Step 5: Now widen to all 9 states
+    const allStates = [
+      'startup', 'homing', 'automatic_operation', 'manual_operation',
+      'teach_mode', 'maintenance', 'cleaning', 'emergency_stop', 'recovery_mode',
+    ]
+    await request.put(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}`, {
+      headers: HEADERS,
+      data: { metadata: { ...existingMeta, operational_states: allStates } },
+    })
+
+    // Step 6: Delete hazards again and re-initialize
+    const hazRes2 = await request.get(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/hazards`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    if (hazRes2.ok()) {
+      const hazards = (await hazRes2.json()).hazards || []
+      for (const h of hazards) {
+        await request.delete(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/hazards/${h.id}`, { headers: HEADERS })
+      }
+    }
+
+    const initRes2 = await request.post(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/initialize`, { headers: HEADERS })
+    expect(initRes2.ok()).toBeTruthy()
+    const initData2 = await initRes2.json()
+    const widePatterns = initData2.steps?.find((s: { name: string }) => s.name === 'Patterns abgeglichen')?.count || 0
+
+    // More states should match more (or equal) patterns
+    expect(widePatterns).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(restrictivePatterns)
+
+    // Step 7: Restore original metadata
+    await request.put(`${API}/projects/${PROJECT_ID}`, {
+      headers: HEADERS,
+      data: { metadata: existingMeta },
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go b/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go
index 6d695b7..259415b 100644
--- a/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go
+++ b/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go
@@ -96,14 +96,18 @@ func (h *IACEHandler) InitializeProject(c *gin.Context) {
 		energyIDs = append(energyIDs, e.SourceID)
 	}
 
+	// Merge explicit operational_states from UI with parsed states from narrative
+	operationalStates := mergeStringSlices(parseResult.OperationalStates, extractOperationalStatesFromMetadata(project.Metadata))
+	stateTransitions := parseResult.StateTransitions
+
 	engine := iace.NewPatternEngine()
 	matchOutput := engine.Match(iace.MatchInput{
 		ComponentLibraryIDs: componentIDs,
 		EnergySourceIDs:     energyIDs,
 		LifecyclePhases:     parseResult.LifecyclePhases,
 		CustomTags:          parseResult.CustomTags,
-		OperationalStates:   parseResult.OperationalStates,
-		StateTransitions:    parseResult.StateTransitions,
+		OperationalStates:   operationalStates,
+		StateTransitions:    stateTransitions,
 		HumanRoles:          parseResult.Roles,
 	})
 	steps = append(steps, InitStep{
@@ -386,6 +390,46 @@ func deriveComponentType(tags []string) iace.ComponentType {
 	return iace.ComponentTypeMechanical
 }
 
+// extractOperationalStatesFromMetadata reads the explicit operational_states
+// selection that the user set via the Betriebszustand-UI.
+func extractOperationalStatesFromMetadata(metadata json.RawMessage) []string {
+	if metadata == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var meta map[string]json.RawMessage
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(metadata, &meta); err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	raw, ok := meta["operational_states"]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil
+	}
+	var states []string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw, &states); err != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return states
+}
+
+// mergeStringSlices merges two string slices, deduplicating entries.
+func mergeStringSlices(a, b []string) []string {
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(a)+len(b))
+	var result []string
+	for _, s := range a {
+		if !seen[s] {
+			seen[s] = true
+			result = append(result, s)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, s := range b {
+		if !seen[s] {
+			seen[s] = true
+			result = append(result, s)
+		}
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
 // findHazardForMeasureByCategory finds a matching hazard for a measure.
 func findHazardForMeasureByCategory(measureCat string, hazardsByCategory map[string]uuid.UUID) uuid.UUID {
 	// Direct match