diff --git a/internal/services/export.go b/internal/services/export.go
index f812023..b0efe0f 100644
--- a/internal/services/export.go
+++ b/internal/services/export.go
@@ -127,11 +127,10 @@ func (s *ExportService) ToCSV(w io.Writer, data *ProjectExportData) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write header: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Get category hierarchy for sorting
-	categoryOrder := make(map[string]int)
+	// Build category order: start from DefaultCategories, override with live DB values if available.
+	categoryOrder := defaultCategoryOrder()
 	if s.categoryRepo != nil {
-		categories, err := s.categoryRepo.GetAll()
-		if err == nil {
+		if categories, err := s.categoryRepo.GetAll(); err == nil {
 			for _, cat := range categories {
 				categoryOrder[cat.Code] = cat.DisplayOrder
 			}
@@ -516,6 +515,15 @@ func (s *ExportService) resolveCategories(pricelistID *uint, lotNames []string)
 	return categories
 }
 
+// defaultCategoryOrder returns a category code → display_order map built from models.DefaultCategories.
+func defaultCategoryOrder() map[string]int {
+	m := make(map[string]int, len(models.DefaultCategories))
+	for _, cat := range models.DefaultCategories {
+		m[cat.Code] = cat.DisplayOrder
+	}
+	return m
+}
+
 // sortItemsByCategory sorts items by category display order (items without category go to the end).
 func sortItemsByCategory(items []ExportItem, categoryOrder map[string]int) {
 	for i := 0; i < len(items)-1; i++ {