--- a/scripts/fill_form.py
+++ b/scripts/fill_form.py
@@ -81,9 +81,33 @@
                 writer.update_page_form_field_values(
                     writer.pages[page_num],
                     str_data,
+                    auto_regenerate=False,
                 )
+            except TypeError:
+                # Older pypdf without auto_regenerate
+                try:
+                    writer.update_page_form_field_values(
+                        writer.pages[page_num],
+                        str_data,
+                    )
+                except Exception as e:
+                    logger.warning("Could not fill fields on page %d: %s", page_num + 1, e)
             except Exception as e:
                 logger.warning("Could not fill fields on page %d: %s", page_num + 1, e)
+
+        # Fallback: directly update field objects for any missed fields
+        from pypdf.generic import NameObject, TextStringObject, ArrayObject
+        if hasattr(writer, '_root_object') and '/AcroForm' in writer._root_object:
+            acroform = writer._root_object['/AcroForm']
+            form_fields = acroform.get('/Fields', ArrayObject())
+            for field_ref in form_fields:
+                field_obj = field_ref.get_object()
+                field_name = str(field_obj.get('/T', ''))
+                if field_name in str_data:
+                    current_val = str(field_obj.get('/V', ''))
+                    if not current_val:
+                        logger.info("Patching missed field: %s = %s", field_name, str_data[field_name])
+                        field_obj[NameObject('/V')] = TextStringObject(str_data[field_name])
     else:
         logger.info("No AcroForm fields found; adding text annotations as overlay")
         try: