diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 2659d4e..8fa56f5 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/forgejo"
 	adminhandlers "github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/handlers/admin"
 	publichandlers "github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/handlers/public"
+	forgejosync "github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/sync"
 	"github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/templates"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ func main() {
 	defer cancel()
 
 	go sessionStore.Cleanup(ctx, 30*time.Minute)
+	go forgejosync.SyncUnsyncedTickets(ctx, db, forgejoClient)
 
 	publicRouter := publichandlers.NewRouter(publichandlers.Dependencies{
 		DB:            db,
diff --git a/internal/sync/sync.go b/internal/sync/sync.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8aad89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/sync/sync.go
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+package sync
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"math"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/forgejo"
+	"github.com/mattnite/forgejo-tickets/internal/models"
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
+)
+
+const (
+	initialBackoff = 5 * time.Second
+	maxBackoff     = 5 * time.Minute
+	maxRetries     = 10
+)
+
+// SyncUnsyncedTickets runs a background loop that finds tickets without a
+// Forgejo issue number and creates issues for them, retrying with exponential
+// backoff. It stops when ctx is cancelled or all tickets are synced.
+func SyncUnsyncedTickets(ctx context.Context, db *gorm.DB, client *forgejo.Client) {
+	backoff := initialBackoff
+
+	for attempt := 0; attempt < maxRetries; attempt++ {
+		var tickets []models.Ticket
+		if err := db.Preload("Repo").Preload("User").
+			Where("forgejo_issue_number IS NULL").
+			Find(&tickets).Error; err != nil {
+			log.Error().Err(err).Msg("sync: failed to query unsynced tickets")
+			if !sleep(ctx, backoff) {
+				return
+			}
+			backoff = nextBackoff(backoff)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if len(tickets) == 0 {
+			log.Info().Msg("sync: all tickets synced")
+			return
+		}
+
+		log.Info().Int("count", len(tickets)).Msg("sync: found unsynced tickets")
+
+		allSynced := true
+		for _, ticket := range tickets {
+			if err := syncTicket(ctx, db, client, ticket); err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Str("ticket_id", ticket.ID.String()).Msg("sync: failed to sync ticket")
+				allSynced = false
+			}
+		}
+
+		if allSynced {
+			log.Info().Msg("sync: all tickets synced successfully")
+			return
+		}
+
+		if !sleep(ctx, backoff) {
+			return
+		}
+		backoff = nextBackoff(backoff)
+	}
+
+	log.Warn().Msg("sync: gave up after max retries, remaining unsynced tickets will be retried on next restart")
+}
+
+func syncTicket(_ context.Context, db *gorm.DB, client *forgejo.Client, ticket models.Ticket) error {
+	// Look up or create the "customer" label
+	var labelIDs []int64
+	label, err := client.GetOrCreateLabel(ticket.Repo.ForgejoOwner, ticket.Repo.ForgejoRepo, "customer", "#0075ca")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Str("ticket_id", ticket.ID.String()).Msg("sync: failed to get/create label")
+	} else {
+		labelIDs = append(labelIDs, label.ID)
+	}
+
+	issue, err := client.CreateIssue(ticket.Repo.ForgejoOwner, ticket.Repo.ForgejoRepo, forgejo.CreateIssueRequest{
+		Title:  ticket.Title,
+		Body:   ticket.Description + "\n\n---\n*Submitted by: " + ticket.User.Email + "*",
+		Labels: labelIDs,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := db.Model(&ticket).Update("forgejo_issue_number", issue.Number).Error; err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Info().Str("ticket_id", ticket.ID.String()).Int64("issue_number", issue.Number).Msg("sync: ticket synced")
+	return nil
+}
+
+func sleep(ctx context.Context, d time.Duration) bool {
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return false
+	case <-time.After(d):
+		return true
+	}
+}
+
+func nextBackoff(current time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	next := time.Duration(float64(current) * math.Phi)
+	if next > maxBackoff {
+		return maxBackoff
+	}
+	return next
+}
diff --git a/web/templates/pages/admin/users/detail.html b/web/templates/pages/admin/users/detail.html
index e2d3139..7071dc5 100644
--- a/web/templates/pages/admin/users/detail.html
+++ b/web/templates/pages/admin/users/detail.html
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
                 <td class="px-4 py-3">
                     <a href="/tickets/{{.ID}}" class="text-sm font-medium text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-500">{{.Title}}</a>
                 </td>
-                <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{.RepoName}}</td>
+                <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{.Repo.Name}}</td>
                 <td class="px-4 py-3">{{statusBadge (print .Status)}}</td>
                 <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{formatDate .CreatedAt}}</td>
             </tr>
diff --git a/web/templates/pages/tickets/list.html b/web/templates/pages/tickets/list.html
index d326260..7f33936 100644
--- a/web/templates/pages/tickets/list.html
+++ b/web/templates/pages/tickets/list.html
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
                     <td class="px-4 py-3">
                         <a href="/tickets/{{.ID}}" class="text-sm font-medium text-blue-600 hover:text-blue-500">{{.Title}}</a>
                     </td>
-                    <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{.RepoName}}</td>
+                    <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{.Repo.Name}}</td>
                     <td class="px-4 py-3">{{statusBadge (print .Status)}}</td>
                     <td class="px-4 py-3 text-sm text-gray-500">{{formatDate .CreatedAt}}</td>
                 </tr>