diff --git a/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/page.tsx b/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/page.tsx
index 5cc77fe..6078447 100644
--- a/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/page.tsx
+++ b/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/page.tsx
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ export default function OcrOverlayPage() {
         setSteps(
           PADDLE_DIRECT_STEPS.map((s, i) => ({
             ...s,
-            status: i < 1 ? 'completed' : i === 1 ? 'active' : 'pending',
+            status: i < 4 ? 'completed' : i === 4 ? 'active' : 'pending',
           })),
         )
-        setCurrentStep(1)
+        setCurrentStep(4)
       } else {
         setMode('pipeline')
         // Map DB step to overlay UI step
@@ -231,6 +231,12 @@ export default function OcrOverlayPage() {
         case 0:
           return <StepOrientation sessionId={sessionId} onNext={handleOrientationComplete} />
         case 1:
+          return <StepDeskew sessionId={sessionId} onNext={handleNext} />
+        case 2:
+          return <StepDewarp sessionId={sessionId} onNext={handleNext} />
+        case 3:
+          return <StepCrop sessionId={sessionId} onNext={handleNext} />
+        case 4:
           return <PaddleDirectStep sessionId={sessionId} onNext={handleNext} />
         default:
           return null
@@ -472,7 +478,7 @@ export default function OcrOverlayPage() {
               : 'text-gray-500 dark:text-gray-400 hover:text-gray-700 dark:hover:text-gray-300'
           }`}
         >
-          Paddle Direct (2 Schritte)
+          Paddle Direct (5 Schritte)
         </button>
       </div>
 
diff --git a/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/types.ts b/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/types.ts
index 034b808..ba578a4 100644
--- a/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/types.ts
+++ b/admin-lehrer/app/(admin)/ai/ocr-overlay/types.ts
@@ -49,11 +49,14 @@ export const OVERLAY_UI_TO_DB: Record<number, number> = {
 }
 
 /**
- * 2-step pipeline for Paddle Direct mode.
- * Upload → PaddleOCR+Overlay (skips deskew/dewarp/crop/rows)
+ * 5-step pipeline for Paddle Direct mode.
+ * Same preprocessing (orient/deskew/dewarp/crop), then PaddleOCR replaces rows+words+overlay.
  */
 export const PADDLE_DIRECT_STEPS: PipelineStep[] = [
-  { id: 'orientation', name: 'Upload', icon: '📤', status: 'pending' },
+  { id: 'orientation', name: 'Orientierung', icon: '🔄', status: 'pending' },
+  { id: 'deskew', name: 'Begradigung', icon: '📐', status: 'pending' },
+  { id: 'dewarp', name: 'Entzerrung', icon: '🔧', status: 'pending' },
+  { id: 'crop', name: 'Zuschneiden', icon: '✂️', status: 'pending' },
   { id: 'paddle-direct', name: 'PaddleOCR + Overlay', icon: '⚡', status: 'pending' },
 ]
 
diff --git a/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py b/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
index 6b05a87..aa6434d 100644
--- a/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
+++ b/klausur-service/backend/ocr_pipeline_api.py
@@ -2511,17 +2511,23 @@ async def _word_stream_generator(
 
 @router.post("/sessions/{session_id}/paddle-direct")
 async def paddle_direct(session_id: str):
-    """Run PaddleOCR on the original image and build a word grid directly.
+    """Run PaddleOCR on the preprocessed image and build a word grid directly.
 
-    Skips deskew/dewarp/crop/rows — just Upload → PaddleOCR → Overlay.
-    The original image is stored as cropped_png so OverlayReconstruction
+    Expects orientation/deskew/dewarp/crop to be done already.
+    Uses the cropped image (falls back to dewarped, then original).
+    The used image is stored as cropped_png so OverlayReconstruction
     can display it as the background.
     """
-    original_png = await get_session_image(session_id, "original")
-    if not original_png:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No original image found for this session")
+    # Try preprocessed images first (crop > dewarp > original)
+    img_png = await get_session_image(session_id, "cropped")
+    if not img_png:
+        img_png = await get_session_image(session_id, "dewarped")
+    if not img_png:
+        img_png = await get_session_image(session_id, "original")
+    if not img_png:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="No image found for this session")
 
-    img_arr = np.frombuffer(original_png, dtype=np.uint8)
+    img_arr = np.frombuffer(img_png, dtype=np.uint8)
     img_bgr = cv2.imdecode(img_arr, cv2.IMREAD_COLOR)
     if img_bgr is None:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=400, detail="Failed to decode original image")
@@ -2562,11 +2568,11 @@ async def paddle_direct(session_id: str):
         },
     }
 
-    # Store original image as cropped_png so OverlayReconstruction shows it
+    # Store preprocessed image as cropped_png so OverlayReconstruction shows it
     await update_session_db(
         session_id,
         word_result=word_result,
-        cropped_png=original_png,
+        cropped_png=img_png,
         current_step=8,
     )