diff --git a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
index 27f7e57..93b20a5 100644
--- a/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
+++ b/klausur-service/backend/cv_vocab_pipeline.py
@@ -401,6 +401,117 @@ def deskew_image_by_word_alignment(
     return png_buf.tobytes(), angle_deg
 
 
+def deskew_image_iterative(
+    img: np.ndarray,
+    coarse_range: float = 2.0,
+    coarse_step: float = 0.2,
+    fine_range: float = 0.5,
+    fine_step: float = 0.1,
+) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, float, Dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Iterative deskew using projection-profile variance optimisation.
+
+    Two-phase search:
+      Phase 1 (coarse): maximise horizontal projection variance (row alignment)
+      Phase 2 (fine):   maximise vertical projection variance (column alignment)
+
+    Args:
+        img: BGR image (full resolution).
+        coarse_range: half-range in degrees for the coarse sweep.
+        coarse_step: step size in degrees for the coarse sweep.
+        fine_range: half-range around the coarse winner for the fine sweep.
+        fine_step: step size in degrees for the fine sweep.
+
+    Returns:
+        (rotated_bgr, angle_degrees, debug_dict)
+    """
+    h, w = img.shape[:2]
+    debug: Dict[str, Any] = {}
+
+    # --- Binarise once (grayscale + Otsu) ---
+    gray = cv2.cvtColor(img, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
+    _, binary = cv2.threshold(gray, 0, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY_INV + cv2.THRESH_OTSU)
+
+    # --- Central crop (20%-80% height) for fast rotation ---
+    y_lo = int(h * 0.2)
+    y_hi = int(h * 0.8)
+    crop = binary[y_lo:y_hi, :]
+    crop_h, crop_w = crop.shape[:2]
+    crop_center = (crop_w // 2, crop_h // 2)
+
+    # --- Phase 1: coarse sweep (horizontal projection → row alignment) ---
+    coarse_angles = np.arange(-coarse_range, coarse_range + coarse_step * 0.5, coarse_step)
+    best_coarse_angle = 0.0
+    best_coarse_score = -1.0
+    coarse_scores = []
+
+    for angle in coarse_angles:
+        if abs(angle) < 1e-6:
+            rotated_crop = crop
+        else:
+            M = cv2.getRotationMatrix2D(crop_center, angle, 1.0)
+            rotated_crop = cv2.warpAffine(crop, M, (crop_w, crop_h),
+                                          flags=cv2.INTER_NEAREST,
+                                          borderMode=cv2.BORDER_CONSTANT,
+                                          borderValue=0)
+        h_profile = np.sum(rotated_crop, axis=1, dtype=np.float64)
+        score = float(np.var(h_profile))
+        coarse_scores.append((round(float(angle), 2), round(score, 1)))
+        if score > best_coarse_score:
+            best_coarse_score = score
+            best_coarse_angle = float(angle)
+
+    debug["coarse_best_angle"] = round(best_coarse_angle, 2)
+    debug["coarse_best_score"] = round(best_coarse_score, 1)
+    debug["coarse_scores"] = coarse_scores
+
+    # --- Phase 2: fine sweep (vertical projection → column alignment) ---
+    fine_lo = best_coarse_angle - fine_range
+    fine_hi = best_coarse_angle + fine_range
+    fine_angles = np.arange(fine_lo, fine_hi + fine_step * 0.5, fine_step)
+    best_fine_angle = best_coarse_angle
+    best_fine_score = -1.0
+    fine_scores = []
+
+    for angle in fine_angles:
+        if abs(angle) < 1e-6:
+            rotated_crop = crop
+        else:
+            M = cv2.getRotationMatrix2D(crop_center, angle, 1.0)
+            rotated_crop = cv2.warpAffine(crop, M, (crop_w, crop_h),
+                                          flags=cv2.INTER_NEAREST,
+                                          borderMode=cv2.BORDER_CONSTANT,
+                                          borderValue=0)
+        v_profile = np.sum(rotated_crop, axis=0, dtype=np.float64)
+        score = float(np.var(v_profile))
+        fine_scores.append((round(float(angle), 2), round(score, 1)))
+        if score > best_fine_score:
+            best_fine_score = score
+            best_fine_angle = float(angle)
+
+    debug["fine_best_angle"] = round(best_fine_angle, 2)
+    debug["fine_best_score"] = round(best_fine_score, 1)
+    debug["fine_scores"] = fine_scores
+
+    final_angle = best_fine_angle
+
+    # Clamp to ±5°
+    final_angle = max(-5.0, min(5.0, final_angle))
+
+    logger.info(f"deskew_iterative: coarse={best_coarse_angle:.2f}° fine={best_fine_angle:.2f}° -> {final_angle:.2f}°")
+
+    if abs(final_angle) < 0.05:
+        return img, 0.0, debug
+
+    # --- Rotate full-res image ---
+    center = (w // 2, h // 2)
+    M = cv2.getRotationMatrix2D(center, final_angle, 1.0)
+    rotated = cv2.warpAffine(img, M, (w, h),
+                              flags=cv2.INTER_LINEAR,
+                              borderMode=cv2.BORDER_REPLICATE)
+
+    return rotated, final_angle, debug
+
+
 # =============================================================================
 # Stage 3: Dewarp (Book Curvature Correction)
 # =============================================================================
diff --git a/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py b/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
index 4d8b3e8..75ba7ff 100644
--- a/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
+++ b/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ from cv_vocab_pipeline import (
     create_ocr_image,
     deskew_image,
     deskew_image_by_word_alignment,
+    deskew_image_iterative,
     detect_column_geometry,
     detect_document_type,
     detect_row_geometry,
@@ -485,10 +486,23 @@ async def auto_deskew(session_id: str):
         logger.warning(f"Word alignment deskew failed: {e}")
         deskewed_wa_bytes, angle_wa = orig_bytes, 0.0
 
+    # Method 3: Iterative Projection-Profile
+    angle_iterative = 0.0
+    iterative_debug = {}
+    try:
+        deskewed_iter, angle_iterative, iterative_debug = deskew_image_iterative(img_bgr.copy())
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warning(f"Iterative deskew failed: {e}")
+        deskewed_iter = img_bgr
+
     duration = time.time() - t0
 
-    # Pick best method
-    if abs(angle_wa) >= abs(angle_hough) or abs(angle_hough) < 0.1:
+    # Pick best method — prefer iterative when it found a non-zero angle
+    if abs(angle_iterative) >= 0.05:
+        method_used = "iterative"
+        angle_applied = angle_iterative
+        deskewed_bgr = deskewed_iter
+    elif abs(angle_wa) >= abs(angle_hough) or abs(angle_hough) < 0.1:
         method_used = "word_alignment"
         angle_applied = angle_wa
         wa_array = np.frombuffer(deskewed_wa_bytes, dtype=np.uint8)
@@ -520,6 +534,7 @@ async def auto_deskew(session_id: str):
     deskew_result = {
         "angle_hough": round(angle_hough, 3),
         "angle_word_alignment": round(angle_wa, 3),
+        "angle_iterative": round(angle_iterative, 3),
         "angle_applied": round(angle_applied, 3),
         "method_used": method_used,
         "confidence": round(confidence, 2),
@@ -542,7 +557,8 @@ async def auto_deskew(session_id: str):
     await update_session_db(session_id, **db_update)
 
     logger.info(f"OCR Pipeline: deskew session {session_id}: "
-                f"hough={angle_hough:.2f} wa={angle_wa:.2f} -> {method_used} {angle_applied:.2f}")
+                f"hough={angle_hough:.2f} wa={angle_wa:.2f} iter={angle_iterative:.2f} "
+                f"-> {method_used} {angle_applied:.2f}")
 
     await _append_pipeline_log(session_id, "deskew", {
         "angle_applied": round(angle_applied, 3),