diff --git a/pageindex/client.py b/pageindex/client.py
index 30a6bb0..1d36409 100644
--- a/pageindex/client.py
+++ b/pageindex/client.py
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ class PageIndexClient:
                 'doc_name': result.get('doc_name', ''),
                 'doc_description': result.get('doc_description', ''),
                 'page_count': len(pages),
-                'pdf_parser': self.pdf_parser,
                 'structure': result['structure'],
                 'pages': pages,
             }
@@ -139,8 +138,6 @@ class PageIndexClient:
         }
         if doc.get('type') == 'pdf':
             entry['page_count'] = doc.get('page_count')
-            if doc.get('pdf_parser'):
-                entry['pdf_parser'] = doc['pdf_parser']
         elif doc.get('type') == 'md':
             entry['line_count'] = doc.get('line_count')
         return entry
@@ -232,4 +229,4 @@ class PageIndexClient:
         """Return page content for the given pages string (e.g. '5-7', '3,8', '12')."""
         if self.workspace:
             self._ensure_doc_loaded(doc_id)
-        return get_page_content(self.documents, doc_id, pages)
+        return get_page_content(self.documents, doc_id, pages, pdf_parser=self.pdf_parser)
diff --git a/pageindex/retrieve.py b/pageindex/retrieve.py
index 52bc2eb..dabd258 100644
--- a/pageindex/retrieve.py
+++ b/pageindex/retrieve.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def _count_pages(doc_info: dict) -> int:
     return get_number_of_pages(doc_info['path'])
 
 
-def _get_pdf_page_content(doc_info: dict, page_nums: list[int]) -> list[dict]:
+def _get_pdf_page_content(doc_info: dict, page_nums: list[int], pdf_parser: str = DEFAULT_PDF_PARSER) -> list[dict]:
     """Extract text for specific PDF pages (1-indexed). Prefer cached pages, fallback to PDF."""
     cached_pages = doc_info.get('pages')
     if cached_pages:
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ def _get_pdf_page_content(doc_info: dict, page_nums: list[int]) -> list[dict]:
             {'page': p, 'content': page_map[p]}
             for p in page_nums if p in page_map
         ]
-    parser = doc_info.get('pdf_parser') or DEFAULT_PDF_PARSER
-    all_pages = read_pdf_pages(doc_info['path'], pdf_parser=parser)
+    all_pages = read_pdf_pages(doc_info['path'], pdf_parser=pdf_parser)
     total = len(all_pages)
     valid_pages = [p for p in page_nums if 1 <= p <= total]
     return [
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ def get_document_structure(documents: dict, doc_id: str) -> str:
     return json.dumps(structure_no_text, ensure_ascii=False)
 
 
-def get_page_content(documents: dict, doc_id: str, pages: str) -> str:
+def get_page_content(documents: dict, doc_id: str, pages: str, pdf_parser: str = DEFAULT_PDF_PARSER) -> str:
     """
     Retrieve page content for a document.
 
@@ -126,7 +125,7 @@ def get_page_content(documents: dict, doc_id: str, pages: str) -> str:
 
     try:
         if doc_info.get('type') == 'pdf':
-            content = _get_pdf_page_content(doc_info, page_nums)
+            content = _get_pdf_page_content(doc_info, page_nums, pdf_parser=pdf_parser)
         else:
             content = _get_md_page_content(doc_info, page_nums)
     except Exception as e: