Methods and apparatus for enhancing the robustness of watermark extraction from digital host content are provided. Embedded watermarks may be extracted from received digital host content in accordance with a stego key. A first watermark is extracted and a number of errors in the first extracted watermark is assessed. If the number of errors is above a first pre-determined value, at least a second watermark is extracted from the host content. A number of errors in at least the second extracted watermark is assessed. If the number of errors in at least the second extracted watermark is above a second pre-determined value, the extraction results for the extracted watermarks are combined in order to cumulatively assess the validity of the first extracted watermark and at least the second extracted watermark.