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 9fc821bb..798b3eca 100644
--- a/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go
+++ b/ai-compliance-sdk/internal/api/handlers/iace_handler_init.go
@@ -276,19 +276,37 @@ func (h *IACEHandler) InitializeProject(c *gin.Context) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// Fallback: assign category-based measures to ALL hazards per category
+		// Fallback: assign category-based measures only to hazards that
+		// didn't get any measures from pattern suggestions (max 3 per hazard)
+		hazardsWithMeasures := make(map[uuid.UUID]bool)
+		for _, sm := range matchOutput.SuggestedMeasures {
+			entry, ok := measureByID[sm.MeasureID]
+			if !ok {
+				continue
+			}
+			for _, ids := range hazardIDsByCategory {
+				for _, id := range ids {
+					_ = entry // suppress unused
+					hazardsWithMeasures[id] = true
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		for hazCat, hazIDs := range hazardIDsByCategory {
 			measCat := patternCatToMeasureCat(hazCat)
-			added := 0
-			for _, m := range measuresByCat[measCat] {
-				if added >= 5 {
-					break
+			measures := measuresByCat[measCat]
+			for _, hazID := range hazIDs {
+				if hazardsWithMeasures[hazID] {
+					continue // Already has pattern-suggested measures
 				}
-				rt := iace.ReductionType(m.ReductionType)
-				if rt == "" {
-					rt = iace.ReductionTypeInformation
-				}
-				for _, hazID := range hazIDs {
+				added := 0
+				for _, m := range measures {
+					if added >= 3 {
+						break
+					}
+					rt := iace.ReductionType(m.ReductionType)
+					if rt == "" {
+						rt = iace.ReductionTypeInformation
+					}
 					_, cerr := h.store.CreateMitigation(ctx, iace.CreateMitigationRequest{
 						HazardID: hazID, ReductionType: rt,
 						Name: m.Name, Description: m.Description,
@@ -296,8 +314,8 @@ func (h *IACEHandler) InitializeProject(c *gin.Context) {
 					if cerr == nil {
 						created++
 					}
+					added++
 				}
-				added++
 			}
 		}
 		mitStep = InitStep{Name: "Massnahmen erstellt", Status: "done", Count: created}