diff --git a/internal/app/cmd/daemon.go b/internal/app/cmd/daemon.go
index 0c31c42..b69cdd3 100644
--- a/internal/app/cmd/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/app/cmd/daemon.go
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ func runDaemon(ctx context.Context, daemArgs *daemonArgs, configFile *string) fu
 		default:
 			log.Infof("runner: %s, with version: %s, with labels: %v, declare successfully",
 				resp.Msg.Runner.Name, resp.Msg.Runner.Version, resp.Msg.Runner.Labels)
+			// Merge any admin-added labels from the server
+			runner.MergeServerLabels(resp.Msg.Runner.Labels)
 		}
 
 		// Start periodic capabilities update goroutine
diff --git a/internal/app/run/runner.go b/internal/app/run/runner.go
index 34d4040..abc99c7 100644
--- a/internal/app/run/runner.go
+++ b/internal/app/run/runner.go
@@ -308,10 +308,31 @@ func (r *Runner) run(ctx context.Context, task *runnerv1.Task, reporter *report.
 }
 
 // Declare sends the runner's labels and capabilities to the server.
-func (r *Runner) Declare(ctx context.Context, labels []string, capabilitiesJSON string) (*connect.Response[runnerv1.DeclareResponse], error) {
+func (r *Runner) Declare(ctx context.Context, declareLabels []string, capabilitiesJSON string) (*connect.Response[runnerv1.DeclareResponse], error) {
 	return r.client.Declare(ctx, connect.NewRequest(&runnerv1.DeclareRequest{
 		Version:          ver.Version(),
-		Labels:           labels,
+		Labels:           declareLabels,
 		CapabilitiesJson: capabilitiesJSON,
 	}))
 }
+
+// MergeServerLabels merges labels returned from the server (which may include admin-added labels)
+// with the runner's existing labels. This allows admins to add labels via the Gitea UI.
+func (r *Runner) MergeServerLabels(serverLabels []string) {
+	existing := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, l := range r.labels {
+		existing[l.Name] = true
+	}
+
+	for _, labelStr := range serverLabels {
+		label, err := labels.Parse(labelStr)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("ignoring invalid server label %q: %v", labelStr, err)
+			continue
+		}
+		if !existing[label.Name] {
+			r.labels = append(r.labels, label)
+			log.Infof("merged server label: %s", labelStr)
+		}
+	}
+}