An aqueous coating composition comprising, (A) an emulsion polymer comprising, based on the weight of the emulsion polymer, from 0.48% to 1.20% by weight of structural units of a phosphorous acid monomer, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof, from 0.5% to 3% by weight of structural units of diacetone (meth)acrylamide, from 10% to 80% by weight of structural units of a vinyl aromatic monomer, structural units of a C 1 -C 24 -alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acids, and optionally, structural units of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof; (B) a dicarboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof; wherein the dicarboxylic acid has the structure of formula (I): HOOC-R-COOH (I) where R is alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, cycloalkynylene, arylene, or heterocyclic arylene; containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms; wherein the dicarboxylic acid, the salt thereof, or mixtures thereof are present in an amount to provide -OOC-R-COO- segments at a concentration of from 0.28% to 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous coating composition; and (C) from 0.05% to 5% by weight of a flash rust inhibitor, based on the weight of the aqueous coating composition. (A) an emulsion polymer comprising, based on the weight of the emulsion polymer, from 0.48% to 1.20% by weight of structural units of a phosphorous acid monomer, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof, from 0.5% to 3% by weight of structural units of diacetone (meth)acrylamide, from 10% to 80% by weight of structural units of a vinyl aromatic monomer, structural units of a C 1 -C 24 -alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acids, and optionally, structural units of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof; from 0.48% to 1.20% by weight of structural units of a phosphorous acid monomer, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof, from 0.5% to 3% by weight of structural units of diacetone (meth)acrylamide, from 10% to 80% by weight of structural units of a vinyl aromatic monomer, structural units of a C 1 -C 24 -alkyl ester of (meth)acrylic acids, and optionally, structural units of an α, β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof; (B) a dicarboxylic acid, a salt thereof, or mixtures thereof; wherein the dicarboxylic acid has the structure of formula (I): HOOC-R-COOH (I) where R is alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, cycloalkynylene, arylene, or heterocyclic arylene; containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms; wherein the dicarboxylic acid, the salt thereof, or mixtures thereof are present in an amount to provide -OOC-R-COO- segments at a concentration of from 0.28% to 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous coating composition; and where R is alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, cycloalkylene, cycloalkenylene, cycloalkynylene, arylene, or heterocyclic arylene; containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms; wherein the dicarboxylic acid, the salt thereof, or mixtures thereof are present in an amount to provide -OOC-R-COO- segments at a concentration of from 0.28% to 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous coating composition; and (C) from 0.05% to 5% by weight of a flash rust inhibitor, based on the weight of the aqueous coating composition. <EOS>