diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f1a90a0..5530633 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -138,4 +138,6 @@ dist
 # Vite files
 vite.config.js.timestamp-*
 vite.config.ts.timestamp-*
-.vite/
\ No newline at end of file
+.vite/
+
+todo.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/pdf/pdfService.ts b/src/pdf/pdfService.ts
index a0e4852..f174179 100644
--- a/src/pdf/pdfService.ts
+++ b/src/pdf/pdfService.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ export async function mergePdfFiles(
   newPdf: PdfFile,
   insertAt: number
 ): Promise<PdfFile> {
-  const baseDoc = await PDFDocument.load(basePdf.arrayBuffer);
-  const newDoc = await PDFDocument.load(newPdf.arrayBuffer);
+  const baseDoc = basePdf.doc ?? await PDFDocument.load(basePdf.arrayBuffer);
+  const newDoc = newPdf.doc ?? await PDFDocument.load(newPdf.arrayBuffer);
 
   const mergedDoc = await PDFDocument.create();
 
@@ -42,17 +42,12 @@ export async function mergePdfFiles(
     Array.from({ length: newPageCount }, (_, i) => i)
   );
 
-  // base pages before insertion
   for (let i = 0; i < clampedInsertAt; i += 1) {
     mergedDoc.addPage(basePages[i]);
   }
-
-  // inserted new pages
   for (let i = 0; i < newPages.length; i += 1) {
     mergedDoc.addPage(newPages[i]);
   }
-
-  // remaining base pages
   for (let i = clampedInsertAt; i < basePages.length; i += 1) {
     mergedDoc.addPage(basePages[i]);
   }
@@ -69,7 +64,8 @@ export async function mergePdfFiles(
   return {
     name: `${baseName}_plus_${newName}.pdf`,
     arrayBuffer: buffer,
-    pageCount: basePageCount + newPageCount,
+    pageCount: mergedDoc.getPageCount(),
+    doc: mergedDoc, // 👈 important
   };
 }