diff --git a/internal/forgejo/client.go b/internal/forgejo/client.go
index 14b8b29..14b5a6a 100644
--- a/internal/forgejo/client.go
+++ b/internal/forgejo/client.go
@@ -429,6 +429,42 @@ func (c *Client) CreateLabel(owner, repo, labelName, color string) (*Label, erro
 	return &label, nil
 }
 
+// CheckRepoPermission verifies the bot user has write (push) access to the repo.
+func (c *Client) CheckRepoPermission(owner, repo string) error {
+	reqURL := fmt.Sprintf("%s/api/v1/repos/%s/%s", c.baseURL, owner, repo)
+	httpReq, err := http.NewRequest("GET", reqURL, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	httpReq.Header.Set("Authorization", "token "+c.apiToken)
+
+	resp, err := c.httpClient.Do(httpReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("forgejo API request failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
+		respBody, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		return fmt.Errorf("forgejo API returned %d: %s", resp.StatusCode, string(respBody))
+	}
+
+	var result struct {
+		Permissions struct {
+			Admin bool `json:"admin"`
+			Push  bool `json:"push"`
+			Pull  bool `json:"pull"`
+		} `json:"permissions"`
+	}
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&result); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if !result.Permissions.Push {
+		return fmt.Errorf("bot user does not have write access to %s/%s — add it as a collaborator with Write permission", owner, repo)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // GetOrCreateLabel looks up a label by name, creating it if it doesn't exist.
 func (c *Client) GetOrCreateLabel(owner, repo, labelName, color string) (*Label, error) {
 	label, err := c.GetLabel(owner, repo, labelName)
diff --git a/internal/handlers/admin/repos.go b/internal/handlers/admin/repos.go
index 22f2bc8..a3ba5a9 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/admin/repos.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/admin/repos.go
@@ -51,6 +51,19 @@ func (h *RepoHandler) Create(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Verify the bot user has write access to the Forgejo repo
+	if err := h.deps.ForgejoClient.CheckRepoPermission(forgejoOwner, forgejoRepo); err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("repo permission check failed")
+		h.deps.Renderer.Render(c.Writer, c.Request, "admin/repos/new", map[string]interface{}{
+			"Error":        "Forgejo repo check failed: " + err.Error(),
+			"Name":         name,
+			"Slug":         slug,
+			"ForgejoOwner": forgejoOwner,
+			"ForgejoRepo":  forgejoRepo,
+		})
+		return
+	}
+
 	webhookSecret, err := forgejo.GenerateWebhookSecret()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("generate webhook secret error")
@@ -105,10 +118,17 @@ func (h *RepoHandler) EditForm(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Check bot write access to the Forgejo repo
+	var repoPermErr string
+	if err := h.deps.ForgejoClient.CheckRepoPermission(repo.ForgejoOwner, repo.ForgejoRepo); err != nil {
+		repoPermErr = err.Error()
+	}
+
 	h.deps.Renderer.Render(c.Writer, c.Request, "admin/repos/edit", map[string]interface{}{
-		"Repo":       repo,
-		"BaseURL":    h.deps.Config.BaseURL,
-		"ForgejoURL": h.deps.Config.ForgejoURL,
+		"Repo":        repo,
+		"BaseURL":     h.deps.Config.BaseURL,
+		"ForgejoURL":  h.deps.Config.ForgejoURL,
+		"RepoPermErr": repoPermErr,
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/web/templates/pages/admin/repos/edit.html b/web/templates/pages/admin/repos/edit.html
index 161a056..c353ed3 100644
--- a/web/templates/pages/admin/repos/edit.html
+++ b/web/templates/pages/admin/repos/edit.html
@@ -9,6 +9,27 @@
 
     <h1 class="text-2xl font-bold text-gray-900 mb-6">Edit Repo</h1>
 
+    {{if .RepoPermErr}}
+    <div class="mb-6 rounded-md bg-red-50 p-4 ring-1 ring-red-200">
+        <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <svg class="h-5 w-5 text-red-600" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke-width="2" stroke="currentColor">
+                <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 9v3.75m-9.303 3.376c-.866 1.5.217 3.374 1.948 3.374h14.71c1.73 0 2.813-1.874 1.948-3.374L13.949 3.378c-.866-1.5-3.032-1.5-3.898 0L2.697 16.126zM12 15.75h.007v.008H12v-.008z" />
+            </svg>
+            <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-red-800">Bot write access missing</p>
+        </div>
+        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-red-700">{{.RepoPermErr}}</p>
+    </div>
+    {{else}}
+    <div class="mb-6 rounded-md bg-green-50 p-4 ring-1 ring-green-200">
+        <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <svg class="h-5 w-5 text-green-600" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke-width="2" stroke="currentColor">
+                <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M9 12.75L11.25 15 15 9.75M21 12a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z" />
+            </svg>
+            <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-green-800">Bot write access verified</p>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+    {{end}}
+
     {{if .Repo.WebhookVerified}}
     <div class="mb-6 rounded-md bg-green-50 p-4 ring-1 ring-green-200">
         <div class="flex items-center gap-2">