diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
index 670686fd..23cdf688 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/documents.py
@@ -118,7 +118,12 @@ async def _store_document_with_chunks(
     Handles versioning/rollback on failure.
     """
     chunks = await ensure_chunks_embedded(client._config, chunks, client.embedder)
-    items = await asyncio.to_thread(extract_items, "", docling_document)
+    items = await asyncio.to_thread(
+        extract_items,
+        "",
+        docling_document,
+        fast_picture_text=client._config.processing.fast_picture_text,
+    )
 
     async with client.store._write_lock:
         versions = await client.store.current_table_versions()
@@ -175,7 +180,11 @@ async def _update_document_with_chunks(
     items: list[DocumentItem] | None = None
     if docling_document is not None:
         items = await asyncio.to_thread(
-            extract_items, document.id, docling_document, existing_picture_data
+            extract_items,
+            document.id,
+            docling_document,
+            existing_picture_data,
+            fast_picture_text=client._config.processing.fast_picture_text,
         )
 
     async with client.store._write_lock:
@@ -282,8 +291,13 @@ async def _store_documents_with_chunks(
         for _, chunks, _ in prepared
     ]
 
+    fast_picture_text = client._config.processing.fast_picture_text
+
     def _extract_all_items():
-        return [extract_items("", d) for _, _, d in prepared]
+        return [
+            extract_items("", d, fast_picture_text=fast_picture_text)
+            for _, _, d in prepared
+        ]
 
     all_item_lists = await asyncio.to_thread(_extract_all_items)
 
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/processing.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/processing.py
index 198f7736..25deac36 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/processing.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/client/processing.py
@@ -173,11 +173,13 @@ def _merge_picture_chunks(
     text_chunks: list[Chunk],
     document_id: str | None,
     existing_picture_data: dict[str, bytes] | None,
+    fast_picture_text: bool,
 ) -> list[Chunk]:
     picture_chunks = build_picture_chunks(
         docling_document,
         document_id=document_id,
         existing_picture_data=existing_picture_data,
+        fast_picture_text=fast_picture_text,
     )
 
     if not picture_chunks:
@@ -235,6 +237,7 @@ async def chunk(
         text_chunks,
         document_id,
         existing_picture_data,
+        config.processing.fast_picture_text,
     )
 
 
@@ -243,6 +246,7 @@ def build_picture_chunks(
     *,
     document_id: str | None = None,
     existing_picture_data: dict[str, bytes] | None = None,
+    fast_picture_text: bool = True,
 ) -> list[Chunk]:
     """Emit one synthetic ``Chunk`` per ``PictureItem`` with available bytes.
 
@@ -271,7 +275,12 @@ def build_picture_chunks(
         if picture_data is None:
             continue
 
-        text = extract_item_text(picture, docling_document) or ""
+        text = (
+            extract_item_text(
+                picture, docling_document, fast_picture_text=fast_picture_text
+            )
+            or ""
+        )
 
         page_numbers: list[int] = []
         for p in picture.prov:
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
index 08622db7..ee65a663 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/config/models.py
@@ -191,6 +191,14 @@ class ProcessingConfig(BaseModel):
     """When a PDF carries `/EmbeddedFiles`, ingest each attachment as a separate
     Document linked back to the wrapper via ``metadata.parent_uri``. Cap depth
     at 3 to bound nested-attachment recursion."""
+    fast_picture_text: bool = True
+    """Picture chunk/item text uses the cheap caption accessor
+    (``FloatingItem.caption_text``) instead of rendering each picture through a
+    full-document Markdown serializer. The serializer re-validates the entire
+    DoclingDocument per picture (bbox clamping over every table cell), which is
+    O(pictures x document) at ingest. Set False to restore exact
+    ``export_to_markdown`` text. Only governs ingestion; rebuild and store
+    migrations always use the fast path."""
     auto_title: bool = False
     title_model: ModelConfig = Field(
         default_factory=lambda: ModelConfig(
diff --git a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/document_item.py b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/document_item.py
index f86080e7..518a11c4 100644
--- a/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/document_item.py
+++ b/haiku_rag_slim/haiku/rag/store/models/document_item.py
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ def _decode_picture_bytes(item: "PictureItem") -> bytes | None:
     return base64.b64decode(encoded, validate=False)
 
 
-def extract_item_text(item: "NodeItem", docling_doc: "DoclingDocument") -> str | None:
+def extract_item_text(
+    item: "NodeItem",
+    docling_doc: "DoclingDocument",
+    *,
+    fast_picture_text: bool = True,
+) -> str | None:
     """Extract text content from a DocItem.
 
     Handles different item types:
@@ -62,9 +67,15 @@ def extract_item_text(item: "NodeItem", docling_doc: "DoclingDocument") -> str |
     - PictureItem: Prefer the VLM description (when picture_description is on)
       so pictures carry meaningful prose into chunk text and survive
       ``expand_with_items``' ``if item.text:`` filter; otherwise fall back to
-      a placeholder markdown export (no base64).
+      the picture's caption.
+
+    With ``fast_picture_text`` (the default), a description-less picture's text
+    comes from ``caption_text`` — O(captions). When False, it is rendered via
+    ``export_to_markdown`` with an empty image placeholder, which builds a
+    full-document serializer (re-validating the whole DoclingDocument) per
+    picture; the resulting text is still just the caption for an
+    annotation-less picture.
     """
-    from docling_core.types.doc.base import ImageRefMode
     from docling_core.types.doc.document import PictureItem, TableItem
 
     if text := getattr(item, "text", None):
@@ -73,6 +84,10 @@ def extract_item_text(item: "NodeItem", docling_doc: "DoclingDocument") -> str |
     if isinstance(item, PictureItem):
         if description := _picture_description_text(item):
             return description
+        if fast_picture_text:
+            return item.caption_text(docling_doc)
+        from docling_core.types.doc.base import ImageRefMode
+
         return item.export_to_markdown(
             docling_doc,
             image_mode=ImageRefMode.PLACEHOLDER,
@@ -96,6 +111,8 @@ def extract_items(
     document_id: str,
     docling_doc: "DoclingDocument",
     existing_picture_data: dict[str, bytes] | None = None,
+    *,
+    fast_picture_text: bool = True,
 ) -> list[DocumentItem]:
     """Extract document items from a DoclingDocument for the items table.
 
@@ -120,7 +137,10 @@ def extract_items(
         label = getattr(item, "label", None)
         label_str = str(label.value) if hasattr(label, "value") else str(label or "")
 
-        text = extract_item_text(item, docling_doc) or ""
+        text = (
+            extract_item_text(item, docling_doc, fast_picture_text=fast_picture_text)
+            or ""
+        )
 
         page_numbers: list[int] = []
         if prov := getattr(item, "prov", None):
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index b5924d74..a44602a1 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ logging.getLogger("vcr.cassette").setLevel(logging.WARNING)
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
 def qa_corpus() -> list[dict[str, str]]:
     corpus_path = Path(__file__).parent / "data" / "qa_corpus.json"
-    with open(corpus_path) as f:
+    with open(corpus_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
         return json.load(f)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_document.py b/tests/test_document.py
index eb41a9a4..ef7f6059 100644
--- a/tests/test_document.py
+++ b/tests/test_document.py
@@ -281,6 +281,42 @@ def test_set_docling_with_page_images():
     assert "1" in pages
 
 
+def test_extract_item_text_picture_modes(monkeypatch):
+    """fast_picture_text (default) returns the caption via caption_text and
+    never builds a Markdown serializer; fast_picture_text=False matches the
+    placeholder export."""
+    from docling_core.types.doc.base import ImageRefMode
+    from docling_core.types.doc.document import (
+        DoclingDocument,
+        ImageRef,
+        PictureItem,
+    )
+    from docling_core.types.doc.labels import DocItemLabel
+    from PIL import Image as PILImageModule
+
+    from haiku.rag.store.models.document_item import extract_item_text
+
+    img = PILImageModule.new("RGB", (8, 8), "blue")
+    doc = DoclingDocument(name="caption_test")
+    caption = doc.add_text(label=DocItemLabel.CAPTION, text="A figure caption")
+    doc.add_picture(image=ImageRef.from_pil(img, dpi=72), caption=caption)
+    picture = doc.pictures[0]
+
+    # Slow path equals the placeholder markdown export.
+    expected_slow = picture.export_to_markdown(
+        doc, image_mode=ImageRefMode.PLACEHOLDER, image_placeholder=""
+    )
+    assert extract_item_text(picture, doc, fast_picture_text=False) == expected_slow
+
+    # Fast path returns the caption and must not construct a serializer.
+    def _boom(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise AssertionError("export_to_markdown should not run on the fast path")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(PictureItem, "export_to_markdown", _boom)
+    assert extract_item_text(picture, doc) == "A figure caption"
+    assert extract_item_text(picture, doc, fast_picture_text=True) == "A figure caption"
+
+
 def test_get_page_images():
     """get_page_images returns requested pages from docling_pages blob."""
     import json