diff --git a/deploy/convert_server.py b/deploy/convert_server.py
index 568a4a3..973cf8c 100755
--- a/deploy/convert_server.py
+++ b/deploy/convert_server.py
@@ -241,8 +241,18 @@ class Handler(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             self._json({"ok": False, "error": "batch_id required"}, 400)
             return
         from services.classify import classify_batch
-        result = classify_batch(batch_id)
-        self._json(result)
+        from db import documents as db_docs
+        import threading
+
+        # Посчитать сколько файлов — ответить сразу, классифицировать в фоне
+        pending = db_docs.list_pending(batch_id)
+        total = len(pending)
+        if total == 0:
+            self._json({"ok": False, "error": "no pending documents"}, 400)
+            return
+
+        threading.Thread(target=classify_batch, args=(batch_id,), daemon=True).start()
+        self._json({"ok": True, "total": total}, 202)
 
     # ── POST /apply-groups ───────────────────────────────────────────────