diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.cpp
index 33379f26..c156b584 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.cpp
@@ -207,6 +207,14 @@ void Page::render(GfxRenderer& renderer, const int fontId, const int xOffset, co
   }
 }
 
+void Page::renderTextOnly(GfxRenderer& renderer, const int fontId, const int xOffset, const int yOffset) const {
+  for (auto& element : elements) {
+    if (element->getTag() == TAG_PageLine) {
+      element->render(renderer, fontId, xOffset, yOffset);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 bool Page::serialize(FsFile& file) const {
   const uint16_t count = elements.size();
   serialization::writePod(file, count);
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.h b/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.h
index 828868ff..8d3fdff6 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.h
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/Page.h
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ class Page {
   }
 
   void render(GfxRenderer& renderer, int fontId, int xOffset, int yOffset) const;
+  void renderTextOnly(GfxRenderer& renderer, int fontId, int xOffset, int yOffset) const;
   bool serialize(FsFile& file) const;
   static std::unique_ptr<Page> deserialize(FsFile& file);
 
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/ImageBlock.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/ImageBlock.cpp
index 26669c34..3e331572 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/ImageBlock.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/blocks/ImageBlock.cpp
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void ImageBlock::render(GfxRenderer& renderer, const int x, const int y) {
 
   // Bounds check render position using logical screen dimensions
   if (x < 0 || y < 0 || x + width > screenWidth || y + height > screenHeight) {
-    LOG_ERR("IMG", "Invalid render position: (%d,%d) size (%dx%d) screen (%dx%d)", x, y, width, height, screenWidth,
+    LOG_ERR("IMG", "Render bounds rejected: (%d,%d) size (%dx%d) screen (%dx%d)", x, y, width, height, screenWidth,
             screenHeight);
     return;
   }
diff --git a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
index 3aefbc0f..3dc0c968 100644
--- a/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
+++ b/lib/Epub/Epub/parsers/ChapterHtmlSlimParser.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ constexpr int NUM_UNDERLINE_TAGS = sizeof(UNDERLINE_TAGS) / sizeof(UNDERLINE_TAG
 const char* STRIKETHROUGH_TAGS[] = {"s", "del", "strike"};
 constexpr int NUM_STRIKETHROUGH_TAGS = sizeof(STRIKETHROUGH_TAGS) / sizeof(STRIKETHROUGH_TAGS[0]);
 
-const char* IMAGE_TAGS[] = {"img"};
+const char* IMAGE_TAGS[] = {"img", "image"};
 constexpr int NUM_IMAGE_TAGS = sizeof(IMAGE_TAGS) / sizeof(IMAGE_TAGS[0]);
 
 const char* SKIP_TAGS[] = {"head"};
@@ -520,8 +520,13 @@ void XMLCALL ChapterHtmlSlimParser::startElement(void* userData, const XML_Char*
     std::string alt;
     if (atts != nullptr) {
       for (int i = 0; atts[i]; i += 2) {
-        if (strcmp(atts[i], "src") == 0) {
-          src = atts[i + 1];
+        if (strcmp(atts[i], "src") == 0 || strcmp(atts[i], "href") == 0 || strcmp(atts[i], "xlink:href") == 0) {
+          if (src.empty()) {
+            src = atts[i + 1];
+            // Strip fragment anchors (e.g. "cover.jpg#xywh=0,0,100,100")
+            auto hash = src.find('#');
+            if (hash != std::string::npos) src.erase(hash);
+          }
         } else if (strcmp(atts[i], "alt") == 0) {
           alt = atts[i + 1];
         }
diff --git a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
index 3eb31507..7ea867ca 100644
--- a/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
+++ b/src/activities/reader/EpubReaderActivity.cpp
@@ -1847,7 +1847,7 @@ void EpubReaderActivity::renderContents(std::unique_ptr<Page> page, const int or
   // Font prewarm: scan pass accumulates text, then prewarm, then real render
   const uint32_t heapBefore = esp_get_free_heap_size();
   auto scope = fcm->createPrewarmScope();
-  page->render(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);  // scan pass
+  page->renderTextOnly(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);  // scan pass
   scope.endScanAndPrewarm();
   const uint32_t heapAfter = esp_get_free_heap_size();
   fcm->logStats("prewarm");
@@ -1984,7 +1984,7 @@ void EpubReaderActivity::renderContents(std::unique_ptr<Page> page, const int or
     logReaderMemSnapshot("gray_lsb_begin");
     renderer.clearScreen(0x00);
     renderer.setRenderMode(GfxRenderer::GRAYSCALE_LSB);
-    page->render(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);
+    page->renderTextOnly(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);
     renderer.copyGrayscaleLsbBuffers();
     const auto tGrayLsb = millis();
     logReaderMemSnapshot("gray_lsb_end");
@@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ void EpubReaderActivity::renderContents(std::unique_ptr<Page> page, const int or
     logReaderMemSnapshot("gray_msb_begin");
     renderer.clearScreen(0x00);
     renderer.setRenderMode(GfxRenderer::GRAYSCALE_MSB);
-    page->render(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);
+    page->renderTextOnly(renderer, getEffectiveReaderFontId(), orientedMarginLeft, contentTop);
     renderer.copyGrayscaleMsbBuffers();
     const auto tGrayMsb = millis();
     logReaderMemSnapshot("gray_msb_end");