diff --git a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
index ce795f974..4a622001e 100644
--- a/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
+++ b/docling_core/types/doc/document.py
@@ -3750,6 +3750,8 @@ def export_to_markdown(
         allowed_meta_names: Optional[set[str]] = None,
         blocked_meta_names: Optional[set[str]] = None,
         mark_meta: bool = False,
+        image_dir: Optional[Path] = None,
+        image_path_prefix: str = "",
     ) -> str:
         r"""Serialize to Markdown.
 
@@ -3812,6 +3814,15 @@ def export_to_markdown(
         :type allowed_meta_names: Optional[set[str]] = None
         :param blocked_meta_names: Optional[set[str]]: Meta names to block; takes precedence over allowed_meta_names.
         :type blocked_meta_names: Optional[set[str]] = None
+        :param image_dir: When set together with `image_mode=ImageRefMode.REFERENCED`, pictures are
+            saved as PNG files under this directory and referenced from the Markdown output instead
+            of requiring the caller to save images and rewrite URIs manually. The directory is
+            created if it does not already exist. (Default value = None).
+        :type image_dir: Optional[Path] = None
+        :param image_path_prefix: Prefix prepended to each saved image's filename when building the
+            Markdown image reference, e.g. "images/" or a URL prefix. Only used when `image_dir` is
+            set. (Default value = "").
+        :type image_path_prefix: str = ""
         """
         from docling_core.transforms.serializer.markdown import (
             MarkdownDocSerializer,
@@ -3827,8 +3838,16 @@ def export_to_markdown(
                 DeprecationWarning,
             )
 
+        export_doc: DoclingDocument = self
+        if image_dir is not None:
+            export_doc = self._with_pictures_refs(image_dir=image_dir, page_no=page_no)
+            for item, _ in export_doc.iterate_items(page_no=page_no, with_groups=False):
+                if isinstance(item, PictureItem) and item.image is not None and item.image.uri is not None:
+                    filename = Path(str(item.image.uri)).name
+                    item.image.uri = Path(f"{image_path_prefix}{filename}")
+
         serializer = MarkdownDocSerializer(
-            doc=self,
+            doc=export_doc,
             params=MarkdownParams(
                 labels=my_labels,
                 layers=my_layers,
diff --git a/test/test_docling_doc.py b/test/test_docling_doc.py
index c073f9011..cef4c6801 100644
--- a/test/test_docling_doc.py
+++ b/test/test_docling_doc.py
@@ -1335,6 +1335,32 @@ def test_save_to_disk(sample_doc):
     assert True
 
 
+def test_export_to_markdown_image_dir(sample_doc: DoclingDocument, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    image_dir = tmp_path / "assets"
+
+    md = sample_doc.export_to_markdown(
+        image_mode=ImageRefMode.REFERENCED,
+        image_dir=image_dir,
+        image_path_prefix="assets/",
+    )
+
+    saved_images = list(image_dir.glob("*.png"))
+    assert len(saved_images) == 1, "expected exactly one image to be saved to image_dir"
+
+    image_lines = [line for line in md.splitlines() if "![" in line]
+    assert len(image_lines) == 1, "expected exactly one image reference in the markdown output"
+    assert saved_images[0].name in image_lines[0], "markdown should reference the saved image's filename"
+    assert "assets" in image_lines[0], "markdown reference should include image_path_prefix"
+
+
+def test_export_to_markdown_without_image_dir_is_unaffected(sample_doc: DoclingDocument) -> None:
+    # image_dir defaults to None, so no images should be written to disk and
+    # behavior should match calling export_to_markdown without the new params.
+    baseline = sample_doc.export_to_markdown(image_mode=ImageRefMode.PLACEHOLDER)
+    unchanged = sample_doc.export_to_markdown(image_mode=ImageRefMode.PLACEHOLDER, image_path_prefix="assets/")
+    assert baseline == unchanged
+
+
 def test_document_stack_operations(sample_doc):
     # _print(document=doc)