diff --git a/pixelocr/page.py b/pixelocr/page.py
index 13c9f9c..94bc62d 100644
--- a/pixelocr/page.py
+++ b/pixelocr/page.py
@@ -159,14 +159,15 @@ class Line(PageObject):
     @cached_property
     def baseline(self):
         """Detect baseline height, relative to the top."""
-        bitmap = self.image.bitmap
+        skip = self.height // 2
+        bitmap = self.image.bitmap[skip:, :]
         bitmap = grey_closing(bitmap, (0, 10), mode='constant')
         histogram = bitmap.sum(axis=1)
         gradient = list(filters.correlate1d(histogram, [-1, 1], axis=0, mode='constant'))
         gradient[0] = histogram[0]
         gradient.append(-histogram[-1])
         # top = gradient.argmax()
-        bottom = np.argmin(gradient)
+        bottom = np.argmin(gradient) + skip
         return self.y + bottom
 
     @property