diff --git a/templates.py b/templates.py
index baa91ff..185dc13 100644
--- a/templates.py
+++ b/templates.py
@@ -156,16 +156,16 @@ def gitea(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
             raw = response.read()
             return json.loads(raw) if raw else None
 
+    # Gitea happily creates a second label with the same name, so the only way to
+    # stay idempotent is to look first.
+    existing = {label["name"] for label in call("GET", f"/repos/{args.repo}/labels?limit=100") or []}
     for name, color, description in RENOVATE_LABELS:
-        try:
-            call("POST", f"/repos/{args.repo}/labels",
-                 {"name": name, "color": color, "description": description})
-            print(f"label {name}: created")
-        except urllib.error.HTTPError as error:
-            if error.code in (409, 422):
-                print(f"label {name}: already there")
-            else:
-                sys.exit(f"label {name}: {error.code} {error.read()[:200]!r}")
+        if name in existing:
+            print(f"label {name}: already there")
+            continue
+        call("POST", f"/repos/{args.repo}/labels",
+             {"name": name, "color": color, "description": description})
+        print(f"label {name}: created")
 
     try:
         call("GET", f"/repos/{args.repo}/contents/{RENOVATE_FILE}")