diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/podofo/impose.cpp b/src/calibre/utils/podofo/impose.cpp
index e695fe9c0f..2923e6369f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/podofo/impose.cpp
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/podofo/impose.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "global.h"
+#include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 
 using namespace pdf;
@@ -16,10 +17,14 @@ impose_page(PdfMemDocument *doc, unsigned int dest_page_num, unsigned int src_pa
     auto xobj = doc->CreateXObjectForm(src_page.GetMediaBox(), "HeaderFooter");
     xobj->FillFromPage(src_page);
     auto &dest = doc->GetPages().GetPageAt(dest_page_num);
-    PdfPainter painter;
-    painter.SetCanvas(dest);
-    painter.DrawXObject(*xobj, 0, 0);
-    painter.FinishDrawing();
+    dest.GetOrCreateResources().AddResource("XObject", xobj->GetIdentifier(), xobj->GetObject().GetIndirectReference());
+    // prepend the header footer xobject to the stream. This means header/footer is drawn first then the contents, which works
+    // since chromium does not draw in margin areas. The reverse, i.e. appending, does not work with older WebEngine before Qt 6.5.
+    PdfContents *contents = dest.GetContents();
+    std::ostringstream s;
+    s << "q\n1 0 0 1 0 0 cm\n/" << xobj->GetIdentifier().GetString() << " Do\nQ\n" << contents->GetCopy();
+    contents->Reset();
+    contents->GetStreamForAppending().SetData(s.str());
 }
 
 static PyObject*