diff --git a/src/eynollah/eynollah.py b/src/eynollah/eynollah.py
index dad2d53..90d59fd 100644
--- a/src/eynollah/eynollah.py
+++ b/src/eynollah/eynollah.py
@@ -2253,6 +2253,7 @@ class Eynollah:
             conf_contours_textregions =[0]
 
             pcgts = writer.build_pagexml_no_full_layout(
+                num_col=num_col_classifier,
                 found_polygons_text_region=cont_page,
                 page_coord=page_coord,
                 order_of_texts=order_text_new,
@@ -2323,6 +2324,7 @@ class Eynollah:
             self.logger.info("No columns detected - generating empty PAGE-XML")
 
             pcgts = writer.build_pagexml_no_full_layout(
+                num_col=0,
                 found_polygons_text_region=[],
                 page_coord=page_coord,
                 page_slope=slope_deskew,
@@ -2612,6 +2614,7 @@ class Eynollah:
 
         if self.full_layout:
             pcgts = writer.build_pagexml_full_layout(
+                num_col=num_col_classifier,
                 found_polygons_text_region=polygons_of_textregions,
                 found_polygons_text_region_h=polygons_of_textregions_h,
                 page_coord=page_coord,
@@ -2642,6 +2645,7 @@ class Eynollah:
             )
         else:
             pcgts = writer.build_pagexml_no_full_layout(
+                num_col=num_col_classifier,
                 found_polygons_text_region=polygons_of_textregions,
                 page_coord=page_coord,
                 page_slope=slope_deskew,
diff --git a/src/eynollah/writer.py b/src/eynollah/writer.py
index b867d9e..a705a16 100644
--- a/src/eynollah/writer.py
+++ b/src/eynollah/writer.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class EynollahXmlWriter:
     def build_pagexml_no_full_layout(
         self,
         *,
+        num_col,
         found_polygons_text_region,
         page_coord,
         page_slope,
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ class EynollahXmlWriter:
         conf_tables=None,
     ):
         return self.build_pagexml_full_layout(
+            num_col=num_col,
             found_polygons_text_region=found_polygons_text_region,
             found_polygons_text_region_h=[],
             page_coord=page_coord,
@@ -131,6 +133,7 @@ class EynollahXmlWriter:
     def build_pagexml_full_layout(
         self,
         *,
+        num_col,
         found_polygons_text_region,
         found_polygons_text_region_h,
         page_coord,
@@ -171,6 +174,8 @@ class EynollahXmlWriter:
         pcgts = self.pcgts if self.pcgts else create_page_xml(
             self.image_filename, self.image_height, self.image_width)
         page = pcgts.get_Page()
+        pcgts.Metadata.Comments = "num_col %d" % num_col
+        page.set_custom('layout {num_col:%d;} ' % num_col)
         page.set_orientation(-page_slope)
         if len(cont_page):
             page.set_Border(BorderType(Coords=CoordsType(points=self.calculate_points(cont_page[0]))))