diff --git a/modules/features/commcoach/routeFeatureCommcoach.py b/modules/features/commcoach/routeFeatureCommcoach.py
index 654d6c03..424b94f3 100644
--- a/modules/features/commcoach/routeFeatureCommcoach.py
+++ b/modules/features/commcoach/routeFeatureCommcoach.py
@@ -937,10 +937,8 @@ async def exportDossier(
 
     if format == "pdf":
         pdfBytes = await renderDossierPdf(ctx, sessions, tasks, scores)
-        if pdfBytes:
-            return Response(content=pdfBytes, media_type="application/pdf",
-                          headers={"Content-Disposition": f'attachment; filename="dossier_{contextId[:8]}.pdf"'})
-        format = "md"
+        return Response(content=pdfBytes, media_type="application/pdf",
+                      headers={"Content-Disposition": f'attachment; filename="dossier_{contextId[:8]}.pdf"'})
 
     md = buildDossierMarkdown(ctx, sessions, tasks, scores)
     return Response(content=md, media_type="text/markdown",
@@ -976,10 +974,8 @@ async def exportSession(
 
     if format == "pdf":
         pdfBytes = await renderSessionPdf(session, messages, tasks, scores)
-        if pdfBytes:
-            return Response(content=pdfBytes, media_type="application/pdf",
-                          headers={"Content-Disposition": f'attachment; filename="session_{sessionId[:8]}.pdf"'})
-        format = "md"
+        return Response(content=pdfBytes, media_type="application/pdf",
+                      headers={"Content-Disposition": f'attachment; filename="session_{sessionId[:8]}.pdf"'})
 
     md = buildSessionMarkdown(session, messages, tasks, scores)
     return Response(content=md, media_type="text/markdown",
diff --git a/modules/features/commcoach/serviceCommcoachExport.py b/modules/features/commcoach/serviceCommcoachExport.py
index 28a4ffc3..13786d3e 100644
--- a/modules/features/commcoach/serviceCommcoachExport.py
+++ b/modules/features/commcoach/serviceCommcoachExport.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ def buildSessionMarkdown(session: Dict[str, Any], messages: List[Dict[str, Any]]
 
 async def renderDossierPdf(context: Dict[str, Any], sessions: List[Dict[str, Any]],
                            tasks: List[Dict[str, Any]], scores: List[Dict[str, Any]],
-                           aiService=None) -> Optional[bytes]:
+                           aiService=None) -> bytes:
     """Render a dossier as PDF directly from markdown content via reportlab."""
     md = buildDossierMarkdown(context, sessions, tasks, scores)
     title = context.get("title", "Coaching Dossier")
@@ -152,71 +152,78 @@ async def renderDossierPdf(context: Dict[str, Any], sessions: List[Dict[str, Any
 
 async def renderSessionPdf(session: Dict[str, Any], messages: List[Dict[str, Any]],
                            tasks: List[Dict[str, Any]], scores: List[Dict[str, Any]],
-                           aiService=None) -> Optional[bytes]:
+                           aiService=None) -> bytes:
     """Render a session as PDF directly from markdown content via reportlab."""
     md = buildSessionMarkdown(session, messages, tasks, scores)
     title = f"Coaching Session — {_formatDate(session.get('startedAt'))}"
     return _markdownToPdf(md, title)
 
 
-def _markdownToPdf(markdownText: str, title: str) -> Optional[bytes]:
-    """Convert markdown text to a styled PDF using reportlab."""
-    try:
-        from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import A4
-        from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Paragraph, Spacer
-        from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet, ParagraphStyle
-        from reportlab.lib.enums import TA_LEFT
-        from reportlab.lib import colors
-    except ImportError:
-        logger.warning("reportlab not available for PDF export")
-        return None
+def _markdownToPdf(markdownText: str, title: str) -> bytes:
+    """Convert markdown text to a styled PDF using reportlab. Raises on failure."""
+    import re as _re
+    import io
+    from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import A4
+    from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Paragraph, Spacer
+    from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet, ParagraphStyle
+    from reportlab.lib.enums import TA_LEFT
+    from reportlab.lib import colors
 
-    try:
-        import io
-        buf = io.BytesIO()
-        doc = SimpleDocTemplate(buf, pagesize=A4, rightMargin=60, leftMargin=60, topMargin=50, bottomMargin=40)
+    buf = io.BytesIO()
+    doc = SimpleDocTemplate(buf, pagesize=A4, rightMargin=60, leftMargin=60, topMargin=50, bottomMargin=40)
 
-        baseStyles = getSampleStyleSheet()
-        sTitle = ParagraphStyle("DocTitle", parent=baseStyles["Title"], fontSize=18, spaceAfter=20, textColor=colors.HexColor("#1e40af"))
-        sH2 = ParagraphStyle("DocH2", parent=baseStyles["Heading2"], fontSize=13, spaceBefore=16, spaceAfter=6, textColor=colors.HexColor("#1f2937"))
-        sH3 = ParagraphStyle("DocH3", parent=baseStyles["Heading3"], fontSize=11, spaceBefore=12, spaceAfter=4, textColor=colors.HexColor("#374151"))
-        sBody = ParagraphStyle("DocBody", parent=baseStyles["Normal"], fontSize=10, leading=14, spaceAfter=4, alignment=TA_LEFT)
-        sBullet = ParagraphStyle("DocBullet", parent=sBody, leftIndent=18, bulletIndent=6, spaceBefore=2, spaceAfter=2)
-        sMeta = ParagraphStyle("DocMeta", parent=sBody, fontSize=8, textColor=colors.grey)
+    baseStyles = getSampleStyleSheet()
+    sTitle = ParagraphStyle("DocTitle", parent=baseStyles["Title"], fontSize=18, spaceAfter=20, textColor=colors.HexColor("#1e40af"))
+    sH2 = ParagraphStyle("DocH2", parent=baseStyles["Heading2"], fontSize=13, spaceBefore=16, spaceAfter=6, textColor=colors.HexColor("#1f2937"))
+    sH3 = ParagraphStyle("DocH3", parent=baseStyles["Heading3"], fontSize=11, spaceBefore=12, spaceAfter=4, textColor=colors.HexColor("#374151"))
+    sBody = ParagraphStyle("DocBody", parent=baseStyles["Normal"], fontSize=10, leading=14, spaceAfter=4, alignment=TA_LEFT)
+    sBullet = ParagraphStyle("DocBullet", parent=sBody, leftIndent=18, bulletIndent=6, spaceBefore=2, spaceAfter=2)
+    sMeta = ParagraphStyle("DocMeta", parent=sBody, fontSize=8, textColor=colors.grey)
 
-        story = [Paragraph(title, sTitle), Spacer(1, 10)]
+    story = [Paragraph(_escXml(title), sTitle), Spacer(1, 10)]
 
-        for line in markdownText.split("\n"):
-            stripped = line.strip()
-            if not stripped:
-                story.append(Spacer(1, 4))
-            elif stripped.startswith("# "):
-                continue
-            elif stripped.startswith("### "):
-                story.append(Paragraph(stripped[4:], sH3))
-            elif stripped.startswith("## "):
-                story.append(Paragraph(stripped[3:], sH2))
-            elif stripped.startswith("---"):
-                story.append(Spacer(1, 8))
-            elif stripped.startswith("*") and stripped.endswith("*"):
-                story.append(Paragraph(f"<i>{stripped.strip('*')}</i>", sMeta))
-            elif stripped.startswith("- [x] "):
-                story.append(Paragraph(f"\u2713 {stripped[6:]}", sBullet))
-            elif stripped.startswith("- [ ] "):
-                story.append(Paragraph(f"\u25CB {stripped[6:]}", sBullet))
-            elif stripped.startswith("- "):
-                story.append(Paragraph(f"\u2022 {stripped[2:]}", sBullet))
-            else:
-                text = stripped.replace("**", "<b>").replace("__", "<b>")
-                text = text.replace("*", "<i>").replace("_", "<i>")
-                story.append(Paragraph(text, sBody))
+    for line in markdownText.split("\n"):
+        stripped = line.strip()
+        if not stripped:
+            story.append(Spacer(1, 4))
+        elif stripped.startswith("# "):
+            continue
+        elif stripped.startswith("### "):
+            story.append(Paragraph(_escXml(stripped[4:]), sH3))
+        elif stripped.startswith("## "):
+            story.append(Paragraph(_escXml(stripped[3:]), sH2))
+        elif stripped.startswith("---"):
+            story.append(Spacer(1, 8))
+        elif stripped.startswith("*") and stripped.endswith("*") and not stripped.startswith("**"):
+            story.append(Paragraph(f"<i>{_escXml(stripped.strip('*'))}</i>", sMeta))
+        elif stripped.startswith("- [x] "):
+            story.append(Paragraph(f"\u2713 {_mdToXml(stripped[6:])}", sBullet))
+        elif stripped.startswith("- [ ] "):
+            story.append(Paragraph(f"\u25CB {_mdToXml(stripped[6:])}", sBullet))
+        elif stripped.startswith("- "):
+            story.append(Paragraph(f"\u2022 {_mdToXml(stripped[2:])}", sBullet))
+        else:
+            story.append(Paragraph(_mdToXml(stripped), sBody))
 
-        doc.build(story)
-        buf.seek(0)
-        return buf.getvalue()
-    except Exception as e:
-        logger.warning(f"PDF generation failed: {e}")
-        return None
+    doc.build(story)
+    buf.seek(0)
+    return buf.getvalue()
+
+
+def _escXml(text: str) -> str:
+    """Escape text for reportlab XML paragraphs."""
+    return text.replace("&", "&amp;").replace("<", "&lt;").replace(">", "&gt;")
+
+
+def _mdToXml(text: str) -> str:
+    """Convert markdown inline formatting to reportlab XML. Bold, italic, escape the rest."""
+    import re as _re
+    text = text.replace("&", "&amp;").replace("<", "&lt;").replace(">", "&gt;")
+    text = _re.sub(r'\*\*(.+?)\*\*', r'<b>\1</b>', text)
+    text = _re.sub(r'__(.+?)__', r'<b>\1</b>', text)
+    text = _re.sub(r'\*(.+?)\*', r'<i>\1</i>', text)
+    text = _re.sub(r'_(.+?)_', r'<i>\1</i>', text)
+    return text