diff --git a/.github/actions/issue-auto-implement/README.md b/.github/actions/issue-auto-implement/README.md
index a949382d..e9c9145e 100644
--- a/.github/actions/issue-auto-implement/README.md
+++ b/.github/actions/issue-auto-implement/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Reusable composite action for label-triggered issue automation: assess (request
 
 1. **Workflow** — Ensure `.github/workflows/issue-auto-implement.yml` exists and calls this action (see the workflow in this repo for the exact `on:` and `uses:`).
 2. **Secrets and variable** — In the repo: Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions. Add secret **`AUTO_IMPLEMENT_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`** (Anthropic API key). Add variable **`AUTO_IMPLEMENT_ALLOWED_TRIGGER_TEAM`** (e.g. `your-org/your-team`); only members of this team can trigger the action.
-3. **Trigger label** — Create a label **`automation/auto-implement`** (or `{your-prefix}/auto-implement` if you set `label_prefix`) in the repo so you can add it to issues. The action will create the other labels (`needs-info`, `pr-created`) when it runs.
+3. **Trigger label** — Create the labels once so you can add them to issues. Either run the **Issue auto-implement setup** workflow (Actions → Issue auto-implement setup → Run workflow), which creates `automation/auto-implement`, `automation/needs-info`, and `automation/pr-created`; or create the trigger label **`automation/auto-implement`** manually in the repo (Settings or Issues → Labels). The main action also ensures these labels exist when it runs, but the trigger label must exist before you can add it to an issue.
 4. **Trigger** — On an issue, add the label `automation/auto-implement`. The workflow runs: it assesses the issue (request more info vs implement), and if implement, runs the Claude Code CLI and opens a PR. You can also comment on the issue (to add context and re-trigger) or review the PR (to iterate).
 
 ## Usage (reference)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-auto-implement-setup.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-auto-implement-setup.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c49edced
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-auto-implement-setup.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# One-time setup: create the labels required by issue-auto-implement.
+# Run manually (Actions → Issue auto-implement setup → Run workflow) once per repo.
+# After this runs, the "automation/auto-implement" label will exist so you can add it to issues.
+name: Issue auto-implement setup
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
+jobs:
+  create-labels:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      issues: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Create labels
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          REPO: ${{ github.repository }}
+          LABEL_PREFIX: automation
+        run: |
+          for LABEL in auto-implement needs-info pr-created; do
+            NAME="${LABEL_PREFIX}/${LABEL}"
+            CODE=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
+              -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
+              -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
+              "https://api.github.com/repos/$REPO/labels" \
+              -d "{\"name\":\"$NAME\",\"color\":\"ededed\",\"description\":\"Issue auto-implement: $LABEL\"}")
+            if [ "$CODE" = "201" ]; then
+              echo "Created label: $NAME"
+            elif [ "$CODE" = "422" ]; then
+              echo "Label already exists: $NAME"
+            else
+              echo "::warning::Unexpected response $CODE for $NAME"
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "Done. You can now add the label $LABEL_PREFIX/auto-implement to issues."