diff --git a/app/api/projects/create/route.ts b/app/api/projects/create/route.ts
index 0cb4ec1..48dae04 100644
--- a/app/api/projects/create/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/projects/create/route.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { getServerSession } from 'next-auth';
 import { authOptions } from '@/lib/auth/authOptions';
 import { query } from '@/lib/db-postgres';
 import { randomUUID } from 'crypto';
-import { createRepo, createWebhook, GITEA_ADMIN_USER_EXPORT } from '@/lib/gitea';
+import { createRepo, createWebhook, getRepo, listWebhooks, GITEA_ADMIN_USER_EXPORT } from '@/lib/gitea';
 import { provisionTheiaWorkspace } from '@/lib/cloud-run-workspace';
 import type { ProjectPhaseData, ProjectPhaseScores } from '@/lib/types/project-artifacts';
 
@@ -67,23 +67,45 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
 
     try {
       const repoName = slug; // e.g. "taskmaster"
-      const repo = await createRepo(repoName, {
-        description: `${projectName} — managed by Vibn`,
-        private: true,
-        auto_init: true,
-      });
+      let repo;
+
+      try {
+        repo = await createRepo(repoName, {
+          description: `${projectName} — managed by Vibn`,
+          private: true,
+          auto_init: true,
+        });
+        console.log(`[API] Gitea repo created: ${GITEA_ADMIN_USER}/${repoName}`);
+      } catch (createErr) {
+        const msg = createErr instanceof Error ? createErr.message : String(createErr);
+        // 409 = repo already exists — link to it instead of failing
+        if (msg.includes('409')) {
+          console.log(`[API] Gitea repo already exists, linking to ${GITEA_ADMIN_USER}/${repoName}`);
+          repo = await getRepo(GITEA_ADMIN_USER, repoName);
+          if (!repo) throw new Error(`Repo ${repoName} exists but could not be fetched`);
+        } else {
+          throw createErr;
+        }
+      }
 
       giteaRepo = repo.full_name;          // e.g. "mark/taskmaster"
       giteaRepoUrl = repo.html_url;        // e.g. "https://git.vibnai.com/mark/taskmaster"
       giteaCloneUrl = repo.clone_url;
       giteaSshUrl = repo.ssh_url;
 
-      // 2. Register webhook on the repo pointing back to Vibn
+      // Register webhook — skip if one already points to this project
       const webhookUrl = `${APP_URL}/api/webhooks/gitea?projectId=${projectId}`;
-      const hook = await createWebhook(GITEA_ADMIN_USER, repoName, webhookUrl, GITEA_WEBHOOK_SECRET);
-      giteaWebhookId = hook.id;
+      const existingHooks = await listWebhooks(GITEA_ADMIN_USER, repoName).catch(() => []);
+      const alreadyHooked = existingHooks.some(h => h.config.url.includes(projectId));
 
-      console.log(`[API] Gitea repo created: ${giteaRepo}, webhook: ${giteaWebhookId}`);
+      if (!alreadyHooked) {
+        const hook = await createWebhook(GITEA_ADMIN_USER, repoName, webhookUrl, GITEA_WEBHOOK_SECRET);
+        giteaWebhookId = hook.id;
+        console.log(`[API] Webhook registered: ${giteaRepo}, id: ${giteaWebhookId}`);
+      } else {
+        giteaWebhookId = existingHooks.find(h => h.config.url.includes(projectId))?.id ?? null;
+        console.log(`[API] Webhook already exists for ${giteaRepo}`);
+      }
     } catch (err) {
       // Non-fatal — log and continue. Project is still created.
       giteaError = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);