diff --git a/src/generation/batch_processor.py b/src/generation/batch_processor.py
index 2c72878..4a6be14 100644
--- a/src/generation/batch_processor.py
+++ b/src/generation/batch_processor.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from src.database.repositories import GeneratedContentRepository, ProjectReposit
 from src.generation.url_generator import generate_urls_for_batch
 from src.interlinking.tiered_links import find_tiered_links
 from src.interlinking.content_injection import inject_interlinks
-from src.generation.site_assignment import assign_sites_to_batch
+from src.generation.site_assignment import assign_sites_to_batch, assign_site_to_single_article
 from src.deployment.bunny_storage import BunnyStorageClient
 from src.deployment.deployment_service import DeploymentService
 from src.deployment.url_logger import URLLogger
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ class BatchProcessor:
                 'title': titles[article_index],
                 'keyword': keyword,
                 'resolved_targets': targets_for_tier,
+                'job': job,
+                'project_keyword': keyword,
                 'debug': debug,
                 'models': models
             })
@@ -292,6 +294,8 @@ class BatchProcessor:
         title: str,
         keyword: str,
         resolved_targets: Dict[str, int],
+        job: Job,
+        project_keyword: str,
         debug: bool,
         models = None
     ):
@@ -357,17 +361,7 @@ class BatchProcessor:
             status = "augmented"
             self.stats["augmented_articles"] += 1
         
-        # Generate and insert images
-        content, hero_url, content_image_urls = self._generate_and_insert_images(
-            project_id=project_id,
-            tier_name=tier_name,
-            tier_config=tier_config,
-            title=title,
-            content=content,
-            site_deployment_id=site_deployment_id,
-            prefix=prefix
-        )
-        
+        # Create minimal article record first so we can assign a site
         saved_content = self.content_repo.create(
             project_id=project_id,
             tier=tier_name,
@@ -378,10 +372,44 @@ class BatchProcessor:
             word_count=word_count,
             status=status,
             site_deployment_id=site_deployment_id,
-            hero_image_url=hero_url,
-            content_images=content_image_urls if content_image_urls else None
+            hero_image_url=None,
+            content_images=None
         )
         
+        # Assign site if not explicitly assigned
+        if not site_deployment_id and self.site_deployment_repo:
+            assigned_site = assign_site_to_single_article(
+                content=saved_content,
+                job=job,
+                site_repo=self.site_deployment_repo,
+                content_repo=self.content_repo,
+                project_keyword=project_keyword
+            )
+            if assigned_site:
+                site_deployment_id = assigned_site.id
+                hostname = assigned_site.custom_hostname or assigned_site.pull_zone_bcdn_hostname
+                click.echo(f"{prefix} Assigned to site: {hostname} (ID: {site_deployment_id})")
+                # Update the article with the assigned site
+                saved_content.site_deployment_id = site_deployment_id
+                self.content_repo.session.add(saved_content)
+                self.content_repo.session.commit()
+        
+        # Generate images (now with assigned site_deployment_id)
+        hero_url, content_image_urls = self._generate_images_only(
+            project_id=project_id,
+            tier_name=tier_name,
+            tier_config=tier_config,
+            title=title,
+            site_deployment_id=site_deployment_id,
+            prefix=prefix
+        )
+        
+        # Update article with image URLs
+        saved_content.hero_image_url = hero_url
+        saved_content.content_images = content_image_urls if content_image_urls else None
+        self.content_repo.session.add(saved_content)
+        self.content_repo.session.commit()
+        
         click.echo(f"{prefix} Saved (ID: {saved_content.id}, Status: {status})")
     
     def _generate_and_insert_images(
@@ -397,9 +425,14 @@ class BatchProcessor:
         """
         Generate images and insert into HTML content
         
+        WARNING: This method inserts images before interlink injection, which may cause
+        images to be lost during BeautifulSoup parsing. Consider using _generate_images_only()
+        and _reinsert_images() instead.
+        
         Note: image_config is always created by job config parser (with defaults if not in JSON).
         Defaults: hero images for all tiers (1280x720), content images for T1 only (1-3 images).
         """
+        click.echo(f"{prefix} WARNING: DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GEN AND INSERT THE IMAGE? This may cause images to be lost during interlink injection!")
         if not tier_config.image_config:
             return content, None, []
         
@@ -499,6 +532,144 @@ class BatchProcessor:
         
         return content, hero_url, content_image_urls
     
+    def _generate_images_only(
+        self,
+        project_id: int,
+        tier_name: str,
+        tier_config: TierConfig,
+        title: str,
+        site_deployment_id: Optional[int],
+        prefix: str
+    ) -> tuple[Optional[str], List[str]]:
+        """
+        Generate images and upload to storage, but don't insert into HTML.
+        Returns (hero_url, content_image_urls) for later insertion.
+        
+        Note: image_config is always created by job config parser (with defaults if not in JSON).
+        Defaults: hero images for all tiers (1280x720), content images for T1 only (1-3 images).
+        """
+        if not tier_config.image_config:
+            return None, []
+        
+        project = self.project_repo.get_by_id(project_id)
+        if not project:
+            return None, []
+        
+        # Initialize image generator
+        image_generator = ImageGenerator(
+            ai_client=self.generator.ai_client,
+            prompt_manager=self.generator.prompt_manager,
+            project_repo=self.project_repo
+        )
+        
+        storage_client = BunnyStorageClient()
+        hero_url = None
+        content_image_urls = []
+        
+        # Generate hero image (all tiers if enabled)
+        if tier_config.image_config.hero:
+            try:
+                click.echo(f"{prefix} Generating hero image...")
+                hero_image = image_generator.generate_hero_image(
+                    project_id=project_id,
+                    title=title,
+                    width=tier_config.image_config.hero.width,
+                    height=tier_config.image_config.hero.height
+                )
+                
+                if hero_image and site_deployment_id:
+                    site = self.site_deployment_repo.get_by_id(site_deployment_id) if self.site_deployment_repo else None
+                    if site:
+                        main_keyword_slug = slugify(project.main_keyword)
+                        file_path = f"images/{main_keyword_slug}.jpg"
+                        hero_url = upload_image_to_storage(storage_client, site, hero_image, file_path)
+                        if hero_url:
+                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Hero image uploaded: {hero_url}")
+                        else:
+                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Hero image upload failed")
+            except Exception as e:
+                click.echo(f"{prefix} Hero image generation failed: {e}")
+        
+        # Generate content images (T1 only, if enabled)
+        if tier_config.image_config.content and tier_config.image_config.content.max_num_images > 0:
+            try:
+                num_images = random.randint(
+                    tier_config.image_config.content.min_num_images,
+                    tier_config.image_config.content.max_num_images
+                )
+                
+                if num_images > 0:
+                    click.echo(f"{prefix} Generating {num_images} content image(s)...")
+                    
+                    entities = project.entities or []
+                    related_searches = project.related_searches or []
+                    
+                    if not entities or not related_searches:
+                        click.echo(f"{prefix} Skipping content images (no entities/related_searches)")
+                    else:
+                        for i in range(num_images):
+                            try:
+                                entity = random.choice(entities)
+                                related_search = random.choice(related_searches)
+                                
+                                content_image = image_generator.generate_content_image(
+                                    project_id=project_id,
+                                    entity=entity,
+                                    related_search=related_search,
+                                    width=tier_config.image_config.content.width,
+                                    height=tier_config.image_config.content.height
+                                )
+                                
+                                if content_image and site_deployment_id:
+                                    site = self.site_deployment_repo.get_by_id(site_deployment_id) if self.site_deployment_repo else None
+                                    if site:
+                                        main_keyword_slug = slugify(project.main_keyword)
+                                        entity_slug = slugify(entity)
+                                        related_slug = slugify(related_search)
+                                        file_path = f"images/{main_keyword_slug}-{entity_slug}-{related_slug}.jpg"
+                                        img_url = upload_image_to_storage(storage_client, site, content_image, file_path)
+                                        if img_url:
+                                            content_image_urls.append(img_url)
+                                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image {i+1}/{num_images} uploaded: {img_url}")
+                            except Exception as e:
+                                click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image {i+1} generation failed: {e}")
+            except Exception as e:
+                click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image generation failed: {e}")
+        
+        return hero_url, content_image_urls
+    
+    def _reinsert_images(
+        self,
+        content_records: List,
+        project
+    ) -> None:
+        """Re-insert images into content after interlink injection"""
+        import re
+        
+        for content in content_records:
+            if not content.hero_image_url and not content.content_images:
+                continue
+            
+            html = content.content
+            
+            # Remove existing images first (to avoid duplicates)
+            # Remove all img tags
+            html = re.sub(r'<img[^>]*>', '', html)
+            
+            # Insert hero image if exists
+            if content.hero_image_url:
+                alt_text = generate_alt_text(project)
+                html = insert_hero_after_h1(html, content.hero_image_url, alt_text)
+            
+            # Insert content images if exist
+            if content.content_images:
+                alt_texts = [generate_alt_text(project) for _ in content.content_images]
+                html = insert_content_images_after_h2s(html, content.content_images, alt_texts)
+            
+            # Update content
+            content.content = html
+            self.content_repo.update(content)
+    
     def _process_articles_concurrent(
         self,
         article_tasks: List[Dict[str, Any]],
@@ -590,6 +761,8 @@ class BatchProcessor:
         title: str,
         keyword: str,
         resolved_targets: Dict[str, int],
+        job: Job,
+        project_keyword: str,
         debug: bool,
         models = None
     ):
@@ -680,17 +853,7 @@ class BatchProcessor:
                 with self.stats_lock:
                     self.stats["augmented_articles"] += 1
             
-            # Generate and insert images
-            content, hero_url, content_image_urls = self._generate_and_insert_images(
-                project_id=project_id,
-                tier_name=tier_name,
-                tier_config=tier_config,
-                title=title,
-                content=content,
-                site_deployment_id=site_deployment_id,
-                prefix=prefix
-            )
-            
+            # Create article first so we can assign a site
             saved_content = thread_content_repo.create(
                 project_id=project_id,
                 tier=tier_name,
@@ -701,10 +864,121 @@ class BatchProcessor:
                 word_count=word_count,
                 status=status,
                 site_deployment_id=site_deployment_id,
-                hero_image_url=hero_url,
-                content_images=content_image_urls if content_image_urls else None
+                hero_image_url=None,
+                content_images=None
             )
             
+            # Assign site if not explicitly assigned
+            if not site_deployment_id:
+                from src.database.repositories import SiteDeploymentRepository
+                thread_site_repo = SiteDeploymentRepository(thread_session)
+                assigned_site = assign_site_to_single_article(
+                    content=saved_content,
+                    job=job,
+                    site_repo=thread_site_repo,
+                    content_repo=thread_content_repo,
+                    project_keyword=project_keyword
+                )
+                if assigned_site:
+                    site_deployment_id = assigned_site.id
+                    hostname = assigned_site.custom_hostname or assigned_site.pull_zone_bcdn_hostname
+                    click.echo(f"{prefix} Assigned to site: {hostname} (ID: {site_deployment_id})")
+                    # Update the article with the assigned site
+                    saved_content.site_deployment_id = site_deployment_id
+                    thread_session.add(saved_content)
+                    thread_session.commit()
+            
+            # Generate images (now with assigned site_deployment_id)
+            from src.generation.image_generator import ImageGenerator
+            from src.generation.image_upload import upload_image_to_storage
+            from src.deployment.bunny_storage import BunnyStorageClient
+            
+            thread_image_generator = ImageGenerator(
+                ai_client=thread_generator.ai_client,
+                prompt_manager=thread_generator.prompt_manager,
+                project_repo=thread_project_repo
+            )
+            
+            hero_url = None
+            content_image_urls = []
+            
+            if tier_config.image_config:
+                project = thread_project_repo.get_by_id(project_id)
+                if project:
+                    storage_client = BunnyStorageClient()
+                    from src.database.repositories import SiteDeploymentRepository
+                    thread_site_repo = SiteDeploymentRepository(thread_session)
+                    
+                    # Generate hero image
+                    if tier_config.image_config.hero:
+                        try:
+                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Generating hero image...")
+                            hero_image = thread_image_generator.generate_hero_image(
+                                project_id=project_id,
+                                title=title,
+                                width=tier_config.image_config.hero.width,
+                                height=tier_config.image_config.hero.height
+                            )
+                            
+                            if hero_image and site_deployment_id:
+                                site = thread_site_repo.get_by_id(site_deployment_id)
+                                if site:
+                                    main_keyword_slug = slugify(project.main_keyword)
+                                    file_path = f"images/{main_keyword_slug}.jpg"
+                                    hero_url = upload_image_to_storage(storage_client, site, hero_image, file_path)
+                                    if hero_url:
+                                        click.echo(f"{prefix} Hero image uploaded: {hero_url}")
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Hero image generation failed: {e}")
+                    
+                    # Generate content images
+                    if tier_config.image_config.content and tier_config.image_config.content.max_num_images > 0:
+                        try:
+                            num_images = random.randint(
+                                tier_config.image_config.content.min_num_images,
+                                tier_config.image_config.content.max_num_images
+                            )
+                            
+                            if num_images > 0:
+                                click.echo(f"{prefix} Generating {num_images} content image(s)...")
+                                
+                                entities = project.entities or []
+                                related_searches = project.related_searches or []
+                                
+                                if entities and related_searches:
+                                    for i in range(num_images):
+                                        try:
+                                            entity = random.choice(entities)
+                                            related_search = random.choice(related_searches)
+                                            
+                                            content_image = thread_image_generator.generate_content_image(
+                                                project_id=project_id,
+                                                entity=entity,
+                                                related_search=related_search,
+                                                width=tier_config.image_config.content.width,
+                                                height=tier_config.image_config.content.height
+                                            )
+                                            
+                                            if content_image and site_deployment_id:
+                                                site = thread_site_repo.get_by_id(site_deployment_id)
+                                                if site:
+                                                    main_keyword_slug = slugify(project.main_keyword)
+                                                    entity_slug = slugify(entity)
+                                                    related_slug = slugify(related_search)
+                                                    file_path = f"images/{main_keyword_slug}-{entity_slug}-{related_slug}.jpg"
+                                                    img_url = upload_image_to_storage(storage_client, site, content_image, file_path)
+                                                    if img_url:
+                                                        content_image_urls.append(img_url)
+                                                        click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image {i+1}/{num_images} uploaded: {img_url}")
+                                        except Exception as e:
+                                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image {i+1} generation failed: {e}")
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            click.echo(f"{prefix} Content image generation failed: {e}")
+            
+            # Update article with image URLs
+            saved_content.hero_image_url = hero_url
+            saved_content.content_images = content_image_urls if content_image_urls else None
+            thread_session.add(saved_content)
             thread_session.commit()
             click.echo(f"{prefix} Saved (ID: {saved_content.id}, Status: {status})")
             
@@ -825,6 +1099,16 @@ class BatchProcessor:
         )
         click.echo(f"    Interlinks injected successfully")
         
+        # Step 3.5: Re-insert images after interlink injection
+        click.echo(f"    Re-inserting images...")
+        self._reinsert_images(content_records, project)
+        click.echo(f"    Images re-inserted successfully")
+        
+        # Refresh content records to ensure we have latest content with images
+        self.content_repo.session.expire_all()
+        for content in content_records:
+            self.content_repo.session.refresh(content)
+        
         # Step 4: Apply templates
         click.echo(f"    Applying templates...")
         url_map = {url_info["content_id"]: url_info["url"] for url_info in article_urls}
@@ -836,6 +1120,8 @@ class BatchProcessor:
                     template_count += 1
             except Exception as e:
                 click.echo(f"    Warning: Failed to apply template to content {content.id}: {e}")
+                import traceback
+                click.echo(f"    Traceback: {traceback.format_exc()}")
         
         click.echo(f"    Applied templates to {template_count}/{len(content_records)} articles")
         click.echo(f"  {tier_name}: Post-processing complete")
diff --git a/src/generation/site_assignment.py b/src/generation/site_assignment.py
index 2126c28..816daf7 100644
--- a/src/generation/site_assignment.py
+++ b/src/generation/site_assignment.py
@@ -44,6 +44,89 @@ def _get_keyword_sites(
     return matching
 
 
+def assign_site_to_single_article(
+    content: GeneratedContent,
+    job: Job,
+    site_repo: SiteDeploymentRepository,
+    content_repo,
+    project_keyword: str
+) -> Optional[SiteDeployment]:
+    """
+    Assign a site to a single article if it doesn't already have one.
+    
+    Uses the same priority logic as assign_sites_to_batch:
+    - Tier1: preferred sites → keyword sites → random
+    - Tier2+: keyword sites → random
+    
+    Args:
+        content: GeneratedContent record to assign site to
+        job: Job configuration with site assignment settings
+        site_repo: SiteDeploymentRepository for querying/updating
+        content_repo: GeneratedContentRepository to query already-assigned sites
+        project_keyword: Main keyword from project
+    
+    Returns:
+        Assigned SiteDeployment if successful, None if already assigned or no sites available
+    """
+    if content.site_deployment_id:
+        return None
+    
+    all_sites = site_repo.get_all()
+    if not all_sites:
+        logger.warning(f"No sites available for content_id={content.id}")
+        return None
+    
+    already_assigned_articles = content_repo.get_by_project_and_tier(
+        content.project_id, content.tier, require_site=False
+    )
+    already_assigned_site_ids: Set[int] = {
+        a.site_deployment_id for a in already_assigned_articles if a.site_deployment_id
+    }
+    
+    available_pool = [s for s in all_sites if s.id not in already_assigned_site_ids]
+    
+    if not available_pool:
+        logger.warning(f"No available sites for content_id={content.id} (all sites already used in this tier)")
+        return None
+    
+    is_tier1 = content.tier.lower() == "tier1"
+    assigned_site = None
+    
+    preferred_sites_map = {}
+    if is_tier1 and job.tier1_preferred_sites:
+        for hostname in job.tier1_preferred_sites:
+            site = site_repo.get_by_hostname(hostname) or site_repo.get_by_bcdn_hostname(hostname)
+            if site and site.id not in already_assigned_site_ids:
+                preferred_sites_map[site.id] = site
+    
+    if is_tier1 and preferred_sites_map:
+        for site_id, site in preferred_sites_map.items():
+            assigned_site = site
+            logger.info(f"Assigned content_id={content.id} to preferred site: {site.custom_hostname or site.pull_zone_bcdn_hostname}")
+            break
+    
+    if not assigned_site and content.keyword:
+        keyword_matches = _get_keyword_sites(available_pool, content.keyword)
+        for site in keyword_matches:
+            if site.id not in already_assigned_site_ids:
+                assigned_site = site
+                logger.info(f"Assigned content_id={content.id} to keyword site: {site.site_name}")
+                break
+    
+    if not assigned_site:
+        remaining_pool = [s for s in available_pool if s.id not in already_assigned_site_ids]
+        if remaining_pool:
+            assigned_site = random.choice(remaining_pool)
+            logger.info(f"Assigned content_id={content.id} to random site: {assigned_site.custom_hostname or assigned_site.pull_zone_bcdn_hostname}")
+    
+    if assigned_site:
+        content.site_deployment_id = assigned_site.id
+        site_repo.session.add(content)
+        site_repo.session.commit()
+    
+    return assigned_site
+
+
 def assign_sites_to_batch(
     content_records: List[GeneratedContent],
     job: Job,