diff --git a/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/crud.go b/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/crud.go
index c7822fc71..6812b95ae 100644
--- a/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/crud.go
+++ b/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/crud.go
@@ -2,14 +2,47 @@ package humaapi
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/modules/auth"
+	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/web"
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/web/handler"
 
 	"github.com/danielgtaylor/huma/v2"
+	"github.com/labstack/echo/v5"
 )
 
+// translateError converts errors returned by the shared Do* pipeline (which
+// originate from Echo handlers and Vikunja domain types) into Huma
+// StatusErrors so Huma emits the right HTTP status + Vikunja-shaped body.
+// Any unrecognised error is returned as-is (Huma will wrap it as 500).
+func translateError(err error) error {
+	if err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Vikunja domain errors — keep the {code, message} shape but lift the
+	// HTTP status.
+	var proc web.HTTPErrorProcessor
+	if errors.As(err, &proc) {
+		he := proc.HTTPError()
+		status := he.HTTPCode
+		if status == 0 {
+			status = http.StatusInternalServerError
+		}
+		ve := &vikunjaError{StatusCode: status, Code: he.Code, Message: he.Message}
+		return ve
+	}
+	// Forbidden / NotFound etc. raised via echo.NewHTTPError.
+	var hErr *echo.HTTPError
+	if errors.As(err, &hErr) {
+		msg := fmt.Sprint(hErr.Message)
+		return &vikunjaError{StatusCode: hErr.Code, Message: msg}
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 // SingleID is the common path shape for /resource/{id} endpoints.
 type SingleID struct {
 	ID int64 `path:"id" doc:"Resource ID"`
@@ -96,7 +129,7 @@ func Register[T handler.CObject](api huma.API, cfg Config[T, SingleID]) {
 			return nil, huma.Error401Unauthorized(err.Error())
 		}
 		if err := handler.DoCreate(ctx, in.Body, a); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, translateError(err)
 		}
 		return &bodyOutput[T]{Body: in.Body}, nil
 	})
@@ -116,7 +149,7 @@ func Register[T handler.CObject](api huma.API, cfg Config[T, SingleID]) {
 		obj := cfg.New()
 		cfg.ApplyPath(obj, in.SingleID)
 		if _, err := handler.DoReadOne(ctx, obj, a); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, translateError(err)
 		}
 		return &bodyOutput[T]{Body: obj}, nil
 	})
@@ -136,7 +169,7 @@ func Register[T handler.CObject](api huma.API, cfg Config[T, SingleID]) {
 		obj := cfg.New()
 		result, _, _, err := handler.DoReadAll(ctx, obj, a, in.Search, in.Page, in.PerPage)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, translateError(err)
 		}
 		// Best-effort cast; ReadAll returns interface{}. For the spike
 		// we assume []T. Resources returning a different list item type
@@ -163,7 +196,7 @@ func Register[T handler.CObject](api huma.API, cfg Config[T, SingleID]) {
 		}
 		cfg.ApplyPath(in.Body, in.SingleID)
 		if err := handler.DoUpdate(ctx, in.Body, a); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, translateError(err)
 		}
 		return &bodyOutput[T]{Body: in.Body}, nil
 	})
@@ -183,7 +216,7 @@ func Register[T handler.CObject](api huma.API, cfg Config[T, SingleID]) {
 		obj := cfg.New()
 		cfg.ApplyPath(obj, in.SingleID)
 		if err := handler.DoDelete(ctx, obj, a); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return nil, translateError(err)
 		}
 		return &bodyOutput[deleteMessage]{Body: deleteMessage{Message: "Successfully deleted."}}, nil
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/errors.go b/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/errors.go
index 21c104401..ffc45b823 100644
--- a/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/errors.go
+++ b/pkg/routes/api/v1/humaapi/errors.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func (e *vikunjaError) GetStatus() int { return e.StatusCode }
 // (`{"message": "..."}` for plain errors; `{"code": X, "message": "..."}` when
 // a domain code is supplied). Registered as huma.NewError so every Huma
 // handler's error return routes through here.
-func NewVikunjaError(status int, msg string, errs ...error) huma.StatusError {
+func NewVikunjaError(status int, msg string, _ ...error) huma.StatusError {
 	return &vikunjaError{StatusCode: status, Message: msg}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/routes/routes.go b/pkg/routes/routes.go
index f9b9ce7f2..92ebb0079 100644
--- a/pkg/routes/routes.go
+++ b/pkg/routes/routes.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net"
+	"net/http"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -313,9 +314,9 @@ var unauthenticatedAPIPaths = map[string]bool{
 	"/api/v1/docs.json":                      true,
 	"/api/v1/docs":                           true,
 	"/api/v1/docs/redoc.standalone.js":       true,
-	"/api/v1/openapi":                        true,
-	"/api/v1/openapi.json":                   true,
-	"/api/v1/openapi.yaml":                   true,
+	"/api/v1/oas3/openapi":                   true,
+	"/api/v1/oas3/openapi.json":              true,
+	"/api/v1/oas3/openapi.yaml":              true,
 	"/api/v1/metrics":                        true,
 	"/api/v1/oauth/token":                    true,
 }
@@ -425,12 +426,47 @@ func registerAPIRoutes(e *echo.Echo, a *echo.Group) {
 	// ===== Huma OAS 3.1 spike wiring =====
 	// Registers the Vikunja error formatter globally and mounts a parallel
 	// Huma API on the same /api/v1 group, so the legacy routes keep working
-	// and the new registrations produce the 3.1 spec at /api/v1/openapi.json.
+	// and the new registrations produce the 3.1 spec at /api/v1/oas3/openapi.json.
 	humaapi.Install()
 	humaConfig := huma.DefaultConfig("Vikunja API (OAS 3.1 spike)", "0.0.1")
-	humaConfig.OpenAPIPath = "/openapi"
-	humaAPI := humaecho5.NewWithGroup(e, a, humaConfig)
+	// Serve the spec ourselves on the unauth group below; disabling Huma's
+	// built-in registration prevents the JWT middleware from covering it.
+	humaConfig.OpenAPIPath = ""
+	// Disable Huma's built-in docs UI — Vikunja already serves its own at
+	// /api/v1/docs (Redoc, legacy swagger 2.0).
+	humaConfig.DocsPath = ""
+	// Match the legacy handler's forgiving body contract: all fields optional
+	// unless explicitly tagged `required`. Huma defaults to strict-required
+	// for every non-omitempty field, which would reject PUT /labels bodies
+	// that omit derived timestamps / created_by. The legacy govalidator tags
+	// on the model still enforce the real rules during Create/Update.
+	humaConfig.FieldsOptionalByDefault = true
+	// Echo v5 panics on duplicate (method, path) registrations. The legacy
+	// Label routes live at /api/v1/labels, so Huma is mounted under a
+	// sub-group (/api/v1/oas3) to avoid the collision while still exercising
+	// the adapter + JWT middleware inherited from `a`. Full migration will
+	// reclaim the real paths once the legacy handlers are deleted.
+	humaGroup := a.Group("/oas3")
+	humaAPI := humaecho5.NewWithGroup(e, humaGroup, humaConfig)
 	humaapi.RegisterLabelRoutes(humaAPI)
+	// Expose the spec on the unauthenticated group so the frontend and tools
+	// can fetch it without a bearer token (matches the legacy /docs.json
+	// treatment). Echo routes registered on `n` before JWT middleware was
+	// attached to `a` escape the auth requirement.
+	n.GET("/oas3/openapi.json", func(c *echo.Context) error {
+		body, err := humaAPI.OpenAPI().MarshalJSON()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return c.Blob(http.StatusOK, "application/json", body)
+	})
+	n.GET("/oas3/openapi.yaml", func(c *echo.Context) error {
+		body, err := humaAPI.OpenAPI().YAML()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return c.Blob(http.StatusOK, "application/yaml", body)
+	})
 
 	a.GET("/token/test", apiv1.TestToken)
 	a.POST("/token/test", apiv1.CheckToken)