diff --git a/shared/html.utils.spec.ts b/shared/html.utils.spec.ts
index fc590cb..b33d9df 100644
--- a/shared/html.utils.spec.ts
+++ b/shared/html.utils.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
-import { stripHtmlTags, decodeHtmlEntities, escapeHtml } from './html.utils';
+import { stripHtmlTags, decodeHtmlEntities, escapeHtml, ensureImageAlt } from './html.utils';
 
 describe('stripHtmlTags', () => {
   it('should return empty string for empty input', () => {
@@ -184,3 +184,42 @@ describe('escapeHtml and decodeHtmlEntities roundtrip', () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe('ensureImageAlt', () => {
+  it('adds an empty alt to a raw <img> without alt', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img src="test.png">')).toBe('<img src="test.png" alt="">');
+  });
+
+  it('leaves an <img> that already has an alt untouched', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img src="test.png" alt="A cat">')).toBe('<img src="test.png" alt="A cat">');
+  });
+
+  it('leaves an <img> with an empty alt untouched', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img alt="" src="test.png">')).toBe('<img alt="" src="test.png">');
+  });
+
+  it('preserves a self-closing slash', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img src="test.png" />')).toBe('<img src="test.png" alt=""/>');
+  });
+
+  it('only touches images without alt when several are present', () => {
+    const input = '<p><img src="a.png"><img src="b.png" alt="B"></p>';
+    expect(ensureImageAlt(input)).toBe('<p><img src="a.png" alt=""><img src="b.png" alt="B"></p>');
+  });
+
+  it('is case-insensitive about an existing ALT attribute', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img src="a.png" ALT="x">')).toBe('<img src="a.png" ALT="x">');
+  });
+
+  it('is not fooled by an "alt" substring inside another attribute', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<img src="a.png" data-salt="1">')).toBe('<img src="a.png" data-salt="1" alt="">');
+  });
+
+  it('leaves non-img content unchanged', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('<a href="x">link</a>')).toBe('<a href="x">link</a>');
+  });
+
+  it('returns an empty string unchanged', () => {
+    expect(ensureImageAlt('')).toBe('');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/shared/html.utils.ts b/shared/html.utils.ts
index 8aeb971..64bcdcd 100644
--- a/shared/html.utils.ts
+++ b/shared/html.utils.ts
@@ -35,3 +35,19 @@ export function escapeHtml(text: string): string {
     .replace(/</g, '&lt;')
     .replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
 }
+
+/**
+ * Ensure every <img> has an alt attribute.
+ *
+ * Images reach the HTML two ways: from Markdown (the renderer always emits an alt, even an
+ * empty one) and as manual raw <img> tags (which frequently lack alt). A missing alt makes
+ * screen readers announce the file name, so any <img> without an alt gets a decorative
+ * empty alt="". Images that already carry an alt (including alt="") are left untouched.
+ *
+ * Apply this LATE, on the final HTML, so both image sources are covered uniformly.
+ */
+export function ensureImageAlt(html: string): string {
+  return html.replace(/<img\b[^>]*>/gi, (tag) =>
+    /\balt\s*=/i.test(tag) ? tag : tag.replace(/\s*(\/?)>$/, ' alt=""$1>'),
+  );
+}
diff --git a/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.spec.ts b/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.spec.ts
index 5ab4aec..1cc6c25 100644
--- a/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.spec.ts
+++ b/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.spec.ts
@@ -604,6 +604,36 @@ title: Test
       expect(result.html).toContain('alt="Photo"');
     });
 
+    it('should add a decorative empty alt to a raw <img> without alt', () => {
+      const input = `---
+title: Test
+---
+
+<img src="photo.jpg">
+`;
+      const parser = new JekyllMarkdownParser(baseUrl, linkBasePath);
+      const result = parser.parse(input);
+
+      // Manual raw <img> without alt must still get an alt="" (a11y). Applied late on the
+      // final HTML, so both markdown images and raw <img> are covered uniformly.
+      expect(result.html).toContain(`src="${baseUrl}photo.jpg"`);
+      expect(result.html).toContain('alt=""');
+    });
+
+    it('should not add a second alt to a raw <img> that already has one', () => {
+      const input = `---
+title: Test
+---
+
+<img src="photo.jpg" alt="Photo">
+`;
+      const parser = new JekyllMarkdownParser(baseUrl, linkBasePath);
+      const result = parser.parse(input);
+
+      expect(result.html).toContain('alt="Photo"');
+      expect(result.html).not.toContain('alt=""');
+    });
+
     it('should handle ./ prefix by stripping it', () => {
       const input = `---
 title: Test
diff --git a/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.ts b/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.ts
index 4a29c00..6d1a015 100644
--- a/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.ts
+++ b/shared/jekyll-markdown-parser.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { Marked, Renderer, Tokens } from 'marked';
 import { markedHighlight } from 'marked-highlight';
 import { gfmHeadingId, getHeadingList, resetHeadings } from './gfm-heading-id';
 import hljs from 'highlight.js';
-import { escapeHtml } from './html.utils';
+import { escapeHtml, ensureImageAlt } from './html.utils';
 
 // Precompiled regexes for performance
 const PROTOCOL_REGEX = /^\w+:/;
@@ -322,7 +322,11 @@ export class JekyllMarkdownParser {
     const html = this.marked.parse(processedMarkdown) as string;
     const headingIds = getHeadingList().map(h => h.id);
     const withImages = this.transformRelativeImagePaths(html);
-    const finalHtml = this.transformRelativeLinks(withImages);
+    const withLinks = this.transformRelativeLinks(withImages);
+    // Late a11y pass on the FINAL html: images come both from Markdown (which already carries
+    // an alt via imageRenderer) and as manual raw <img> (which may lack alt). Adding a
+    // decorative alt="" here covers both sources uniformly, after all other transforms ran.
+    const finalHtml = ensureImageAlt(withLinks);
     return { html: finalHtml, headingIds };
   }