diff --git a/pa_job_manager.py b/pa_job_manager.py
index bc6a10a..82c21a1 100644
--- a/pa_job_manager.py
+++ b/pa_job_manager.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
 from sqlalchemy.orm import scoped_session
 
 ### LOCAL FILE IMPORTS ###
-from shared import DB_URL, PA_JOB_MANAGER_HOST, PA_JOB_MANAGER_PORT, THUMBSIZE, SymlinkName, GenThumb, SECS_IN_A_DAY
+from shared import DB_URL, PA_JOB_MANAGER_HOST, PA_JOB_MANAGER_PORT, THUMBSIZE, SymlinkName, GenThumb, SECS_IN_A_DAY, PA_EXIF_ROTATER
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, date
 
 ### PYTHON LIB IMPORTS ###
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import face_recognition
 import re
 import sys
 import ffmpeg
+import subprocess
 
 
 # global debug setting
@@ -1901,21 +1902,20 @@ def JobTransformImage(job):
     amt=[jex.value for jex in job.extra if jex.name == "amt"][0]
     e=session.query(Entry).join(File).filter(Entry.id==id).first()
     print( f"JobTransformImage: job={job.id}, id={id}, amt={amt}" )
-    im = Image.open( e.FullPathOnFS() )
 
     if amt == "fliph":
         AddLogForJob(job, f"INFO: Flipping {e.FullPathOnFS()} horizontally" )
+        im = Image.open( e.FullPathOnFS() )
         out = im.transpose(Image.FLIP_LEFT_RIGHT)
+        out.save( e.FullPathOnFS() )
     elif amt == "flipv":
         AddLogForJob(job, f"INFO: Flipping {e.FullPathOnFS()} vertically" )
+        im = Image.open( e.FullPathOnFS() )
         out = im.transpose(Image.FLIP_TOP_BOTTOM)
+        out.save( e.FullPathOnFS() )
     else:
         AddLogForJob(job, f"INFO: Rotating {e.FullPathOnFS()} by {amt} degrees" )
-        if im.format == 'JPEG':
-            im=ImageOps.exif_transpose(im)
-        out = im.rotate(int(amt), expand=True)
-    out.save( e.FullPathOnFS() )
-    print( f"JobTransformImage DONE transform: job={job.id}, id={id}, amt={amt}" )
+        p = subprocess.run([PA_EXIF_ROTATER, e.FullPathOnFS(), amt ] )
     settings = session.query(Settings).first()
     e.file_details.thumbnail, _ , _ = GenThumb( e.FullPathOnFS(), settings.auto_rotate )
     e.file_details.hash = md5( job, e )
diff --git a/shared.py b/shared.py
index d76196f..4c7e580 100644
--- a/shared.py
+++ b/shared.py
@@ -40,17 +40,20 @@ OLDEST_LOG_LIMIT = 5
 if hostname == "lappy":
     PA_JOB_MANAGER_HOST="localhost"
     DB_URL = 'postgresql+psycopg2://pa:for_now_pa@localhost:5432/pa'
-    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = './utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_AUTOROTATE = './utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = './utils/pa_rotate'
 # if we dont set the env or we are explicitly DEV, run web server on localhost & db on mara (port 65432)
 elif 'ENV' not in os.environ or os.environ['ENV'] == "development":
     PA_JOB_MANAGER_HOST="localhost"
     DB_URL = 'postgresql+psycopg2://pa:for_now_pa@mara.ddp.net:65432/pa'
-    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = './utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_AUTOROTATE = './utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = './utils/pa_rotate'
 # if we explicitly are on PROD, run web server on localhost (pa_web container) & db on mara (port 5432 on padb container)- only accessed via internal docker ports)
 elif os.environ['ENV'] == "production":
     PA_JOB_MANAGER_HOST="localhost"
     DB_URL = 'postgresql+psycopg2://pa:for_now_pa@padb/pa'
-    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = '/code/utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_AUTOROTATE = '/code/utils/pa_exifautotran'
+    PA_EXIF_ROTATER = '/code/utils/pa_rotate'
 else:
     print( "ERROR: I do not know which environment (development, etc.) and which DB (on which host to use)" )
     exit( -1 )
@@ -132,7 +135,7 @@ def GenThumb(fname,auto_rotate):
             im_orig = Image.open(fname)
             if im_orig.format == 'JPEG':
                 # run cmdline util to re-orient jpeg (only changes if needed, and does it losslessly)
-                p = subprocess.run([PA_EXIF_ROTATER,fname] )
+                p = subprocess.run([PA_EXIF_AUTOROTATE,fname] )
                 im=Image.open(fname)
             else:
                 im=im_orig
diff --git a/utils/pa_rotate b/utils/pa_rotate
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..71bbf8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/pa_rotate
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+echo "start"
+b=`basename $1`
+echo "b=$b"
+mv $1 /tmp/$b
+echo "mv $1 to /tmp/$b"
+jpegtran -outfile $1 -rotate $2 /tmp/$b
+echo "done jpegtran"