diff --git a/paperforge/worker/ocr.py b/paperforge/worker/ocr.py
index 85fd188b..92608b72 100644
--- a/paperforge/worker/ocr.py
+++ b/paperforge/worker/ocr.py
@@ -1819,15 +1819,21 @@ def postprocess_ocr_result(vault: Path, key: str, all_results: list[dict]) -> tu
     artifacts.blocks_raw.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     artifacts.blocks_structured.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     all_raw_blocks = build_raw_blocks_for_result_lines(key, all_results)
-    write_raw_blocks_jsonl(artifacts.blocks_raw, all_raw_blocks)
 
-    # Backfill span_metadata from source PDF (not from OCR engine)
     source_pdf_path = Path(meta.get("source_pdf", "")) if meta.get("source_pdf") else None
     if source_pdf_path and source_pdf_path.exists():
-        from paperforge.worker.ocr_pdf_spans import backfill_span_metadata_from_pdf
+        from paperforge.worker.ocr_pdf_spans import (
+            backfill_span_metadata_from_pdf,
+            backfill_missing_text_from_pdf,
+        )
 
+        # Attach PDF-derived font/geometry evidence first
         backfill_span_metadata_from_pdf(all_raw_blocks, source_pdf_path)
-        write_raw_blocks_jsonl(artifacts.blocks_raw, all_raw_blocks)
+
+        # Recover empty OCR text using the same source PDF
+        backfill_missing_text_from_pdf(all_raw_blocks, source_pdf_path)
+
+    write_raw_blocks_jsonl(artifacts.blocks_raw, all_raw_blocks)
 
     structured, doc_structure = build_structured_blocks(
         all_raw_blocks,