diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 734ffd405..db2efc95a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -31,3 +31,4 @@
 build/
 out/
 bin/
+manual-test-settings.properties
diff --git a/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/ArchiveWorkItem.java b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/ArchiveWorkItem.java
index 9a87fac9c..4f428830b 100644
--- a/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/ArchiveWorkItem.java
+++ b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/ArchiveWorkItem.java
@@ -61,14 +61,19 @@ public String toString() {
 
     @Override
     public boolean concurrentWith(WorkItem other) {
-        if (!(other instanceof ArchiveWorkItem)) {
-            return true;
+        if (!(other instanceof ArchiveWorkItem otherArchiveItem)) {
+            if (!(other instanceof LabelsUpdaterWorkItem otherLabelsUpdaterItem)) {
+                return true;
+            }
+            if (!bot.equals(otherLabelsUpdaterItem.bot())) {
+                return true;
+            }
+            return false;
         }
-        ArchiveWorkItem otherItem = (ArchiveWorkItem)other;
-        if (!pr.id().equals(otherItem.pr.id())) {
+        if (!pr.id().equals(otherArchiveItem.pr.id())) {
             return true;
         }
-        if (!bot.codeRepo().name().equals(otherItem.bot.codeRepo().name())) {
+        if (!bot.codeRepo().name().equals(otherArchiveItem.bot.codeRepo().name())) {
             return true;
         }
         return false;
diff --git a/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterWorkItem.java b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterWorkItem.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6a0f9f31c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterWorkItem.java
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package org.openjdk.skara.bots.mlbridge;
+
+import org.openjdk.skara.bot.WorkItem;
+import org.openjdk.skara.issuetracker.Label;
+
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.util.*;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+
+/**
+ * This WorkItem runs once when the bots starts up to update the repository
+ * with all mailing list labels configured for it.
+ */
+public class LabelsUpdaterWorkItem implements WorkItem {
+    private static final Logger log = Logger.getLogger(LabelsUpdaterWorkItem.class.getName());
+
+    private final MailingListBridgeBot bot;
+
+    public LabelsUpdaterWorkItem(MailingListBridgeBot bot) {
+        this.bot = bot;
+    }
+
+    public MailingListBridgeBot bot() {
+        return bot;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean concurrentWith(WorkItem other) {
+        if (!(other instanceof LabelsUpdaterWorkItem otherItem)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (!bot.equals(otherItem.bot)) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Collection<WorkItem> run(Path scratchPath) {
+        if (bot.labelsUpdated()) {
+            return List.of();
+        }
+
+        var existingLabelsMap = new HashMap<String, Label>();
+        bot.codeRepo().labels().forEach(l -> existingLabelsMap.put(l.name(), l));
+
+        var configuredLabels = bot.lists().stream()
+                .flatMap(configuration -> configuration.labels().stream()
+                        .map(labelName -> new Label(labelName, configuration.list().toString())))
+                .toList();
+
+        for (Label configuredLabel : configuredLabels) {
+            var existingLabel = existingLabelsMap.get(configuredLabel.name());
+            if (existingLabel == null) {
+                log.info("Adding label: " + configuredLabel.name() + " to repo: " + bot.codeRepo().name());
+                bot.codeRepo().addLabel(configuredLabel);
+            } else if (!existingLabel.description().equals(configuredLabel.description())) {
+                log.info("Updating label: " + configuredLabel.name() + " with description: "
+                        + configuredLabel.description() + " for repo: " + bot.codeRepo().name());
+                bot.codeRepo().updateLabel(configuredLabel);
+            }
+        }
+
+        log.fine("Done updating labels for: " + bot.codeRepo());
+        bot.setLabelsUpdated(true);
+        return List.of();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String botName() {
+        return MailingListBridgeBotFactory.NAME;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String workItemName() {
+        return "labels-updater";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/MailingListBridgeBot.java b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/MailingListBridgeBot.java
index 3b2c54e41..7339cc8c8 100644
--- a/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/MailingListBridgeBot.java
+++ b/bots/mlbridge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/MailingListBridgeBot.java
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ public class MailingListBridgeBot implements Bot {
 
     private ZonedDateTime lastPartialUpdate;
     private ZonedDateTime lastFullUpdate;
+    private volatile boolean labelsUpdated = false;
 
     MailingListBridgeBot(EmailAddress from, HostedRepository repo, HostedRepository archive, String archiveRef,
                          HostedRepository censusRepo, String censusRef, List<MailingListConfiguration> lists,
@@ -188,9 +189,22 @@ Optional<Path> seedStorage() {
         return Optional.ofNullable(seedStorage);
     }
 
+    public boolean labelsUpdated() {
+        return labelsUpdated;
+    }
+
+    public void setLabelsUpdated(boolean labelsUpdated) {
+        this.labelsUpdated = labelsUpdated;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public List<WorkItem> getPeriodicItems() {
         List<WorkItem> ret = new LinkedList<>();
+
+        if (!labelsUpdated) {
+            ret.add(new LabelsUpdaterWorkItem(this));
+        }
+
         List<PullRequest> prs;
 
         if (lastFullUpdate == null || lastFullUpdate.isBefore(ZonedDateTime.now().minus(Duration.ofMinutes(10)))) {
diff --git a/bots/mlbridge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterTests.java b/bots/mlbridge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4e23d7e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bots/mlbridge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/mlbridge/LabelsUpdaterTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+package org.openjdk.skara.bots.mlbridge;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.*;
+import org.openjdk.skara.email.EmailAddress;
+import org.openjdk.skara.test.*;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+
+public class LabelsUpdaterTests {
+
+    @Test
+    void simple(TestInfo testInfo) throws IOException {
+        try (var credentials = new HostCredentials(testInfo);
+             var listServer = new TestMailmanServer();) {
+            var targetRepo = credentials.getHostedRepository();
+            var listAddress = EmailAddress.parse(listServer.createList("test"));
+            var mlBot = MailingListBridgeBot.newBuilder()
+                    .repo(targetRepo)
+                    .lists(List.of(new MailingListConfiguration(listAddress, Set.of("foo", "bar"))))
+                    .build();
+
+            // Check that the repo contains no labels
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().isEmpty(), "Repo has labels from the start: " + targetRepo.labels());
+
+            // Run an archive pass
+            TestBotRunner.runPeriodicItems(mlBot);
+
+            assertEquals(2, targetRepo.labels().size(), "Wrong number of labels");
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().stream()
+                    .anyMatch(l -> l.name().equals("foo") && l.description().orElseThrow().equals(listAddress.toString())),
+                    "No label 'foo' found");
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().stream()
+                            .anyMatch(l -> l.name().equals("bar") && l.description().orElseThrow().equals(listAddress.toString())),
+                    "No label 'bar' found");
+
+            // Run again and expect no change
+            TestBotRunner.runPeriodicItems(mlBot);
+
+            assertEquals(2, targetRepo.labels().size(), "Wrong number of labels");
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void update(TestInfo testInfo) throws IOException {
+        try (var credentials = new HostCredentials(testInfo);
+             var listServer = new TestMailmanServer();) {
+            var targetRepo = credentials.getHostedRepository();
+            var listAddress = EmailAddress.parse(listServer.createList("test"));
+            var listAddress2 = EmailAddress.parse(listServer.createList("test2"));
+            var mlBot = MailingListBridgeBot.newBuilder()
+                    .repo(targetRepo)
+                    .lists(List.of(new MailingListConfiguration(listAddress, Set.of("foo"))))
+                    .build();
+
+            // Check that the repo contains no labels
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().isEmpty(), "Repo has labels from the start: " + targetRepo.labels());
+
+            // Run an archive pass
+            TestBotRunner.runPeriodicItems(mlBot);
+
+            assertEquals(1, targetRepo.labels().size(), "Wrong number of labels");
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().stream()
+                            .anyMatch(l -> l.name().equals("foo") && l.description().orElseThrow().equals(listAddress.toString())),
+                    "No label 'foo' found");
+
+            var mlBot2 = MailingListBridgeBot.newBuilder()
+                    .repo(targetRepo)
+                    .lists(List.of(new MailingListConfiguration(listAddress2, Set.of("foo"))))
+                    .build();
+
+            // Run second bot and expect label to have updated
+            TestBotRunner.runPeriodicItems(mlBot2);
+
+            assertEquals(1, targetRepo.labels().size(), "Wrong number of labels");
+            assertTrue(targetRepo.labels().stream()
+                            .anyMatch(l -> l.name().equals("foo") && l.description().orElseThrow().equals(listAddress2.toString())),
+                    "No label 'foo' found");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/bots/tester/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/tester/InMemoryHostedRepository.java b/bots/tester/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/tester/InMemoryHostedRepository.java
index 87e06ad65..879e7b3cb 100644
--- a/bots/tester/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/tester/InMemoryHostedRepository.java
+++ b/bots/tester/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/bots/tester/InMemoryHostedRepository.java
@@ -223,4 +223,16 @@ public void restrictPushAccess(Branch branch, HostUser user) {
     public List<Label> labels() {
         return List.of();
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void addLabel(Label label) {
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void updateLabel(Label label) {
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void deleteLabel(Label label) {
+    }
 }
diff --git a/forge/build.gradle b/forge/build.gradle
index ba1a42bfb..b1c926334 100644
--- a/forge/build.gradle
+++ b/forge/build.gradle
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ module {
     name = 'org.openjdk.skara.forge'
     test {
         requires 'org.openjdk.skara.test'
+        requires 'org.openjdk.skara.proxy'
         requires 'org.junit.jupiter.api'
         requires 'jdk.httpserver'
         opens 'org.openjdk.skara.forge' to 'org.junit.platform.commons'
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ dependencies {
     implementation project(':issuetracker')
 
     testImplementation project(':test')
+    testImplementation project(':proxy')
 }
 
 publishing {
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/HostedRepository.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/HostedRepository.java
index 95c42e9ff..dde9d86ca 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/HostedRepository.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/HostedRepository.java
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ URI createPullRequestUrl(HostedRepository target,
     boolean canPush(HostUser user);
     void restrictPushAccess(Branch branch, HostUser users);
     List<Label> labels();
+    void addLabel(Label label);
+    void updateLabel(Label label);
+    void deleteLabel(Label label);
 
     default PullRequest createPullRequest(HostedRepository target,
                                           String targetRef,
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
index f892ee1d0..ac232886b 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/github/GitHubRepository.java
@@ -582,4 +582,37 @@ public List<Label> labels() {
                       .map(o -> new Label(o.get("name").asString(), o.get("description").asString()))
                       .collect(Collectors.toList());
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void addLabel(Label label) {
+        var params = JSON.object()
+                .put("name", label.name())
+                // Color is Gray and matches all current labels
+                .put("color", "ededed");
+        if (label.description().isPresent()) {
+            params.put("description", label.description().get());
+        }
+        request.post("labels")
+                .body(params)
+                .execute();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void updateLabel(Label label) {
+        var params = JSON.object();
+        if (label.description().isPresent()) {
+            params.put("description", label.description().get());
+        } else {
+            params.put("description", JSONValue.fromNull());
+        }
+        request.post("labels/" + label.name())
+                .body(params)
+                .execute();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void deleteLabel(Label label) {
+        request.delete("labels/" + label.name())
+                .execute();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
index 947671371..3953e6171 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabHost.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class GitLabHost implements Forge {
 
     private HostUser cachedCurrentUser = null;
 
-    GitLabHost(String name, URI uri, boolean useSsh, Credential pat, Set<String> groups) {
+    public GitLabHost(String name, URI uri, boolean useSsh, Credential pat, Set<String> groups) {
         this.name = name;
         this.uri = uri;
         this.useSsh = useSsh;
diff --git a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabRepository.java b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabRepository.java
index d1c93d14b..0c0bcacb5 100644
--- a/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabRepository.java
+++ b/forge/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/gitlab/GitLabRepository.java
@@ -602,4 +602,38 @@ public List<Label> labels() {
                       .map(o -> new Label(o.get("name").asString(), o.get("description").asString()))
                       .collect(Collectors.toList());
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void addLabel(Label label) {
+        var params = JSON.object()
+                .put("name", label.name())
+                // Color is Blue-Gray and matches all current labels
+                .put("color", "#428BCA");
+        if (label.description().isPresent()) {
+            params.put("description", label.description().get());
+        }
+        request.post("labels")
+                .body(params)
+                .execute();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void updateLabel(Label label) {
+        var params = JSON.object()
+                .put("new_name", label.name());
+        if (label.description().isPresent()) {
+            params.put("description", label.description().get());
+        } else {
+            throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Gitlab does not support clearing the description");
+        }
+        request.put("labels/" + label.name())
+                .body(params)
+                .execute();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void deleteLabel(Label label) {
+        request.delete("labels/" + label.name())
+                .execute();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/forge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/ManualForgeTests.java b/forge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/ManualForgeTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72e953293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/forge/src/test/java/org/openjdk/skara/forge/ManualForgeTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package org.openjdk.skara.forge;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Disabled;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.openjdk.skara.forge.github.GitHubApplication;
+import org.openjdk.skara.forge.github.GitHubHost;
+import org.openjdk.skara.forge.gitlab.GitLabHost;
+import org.openjdk.skara.host.Credential;
+import org.openjdk.skara.issuetracker.Label;
+import org.openjdk.skara.network.URIBuilder;
+import org.openjdk.skara.proxy.HttpProxy;
+import org.openjdk.skara.test.ManualTestSettings;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
+import java.nio.file.Paths;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+
+/**
+ * This class contains manual tests for interactions with different forges
+ * (GitHub and GitLab). To be able to run them, you need to provide a
+ * properties file with the necessary connection details for running these
+ * tests. See ManualTestSettings.
+ *
+ * To be able to run the tests, you need to remove or comment out the @Disabled
+ * annotation first.
+ */
+@Disabled("Manual")
+public class ManualForgeTests {
+
+    @Test
+    void gitHubLabels() throws IOException {
+        HttpProxy.setup();
+        var settings = ManualTestSettings.loadManualTestSettings();
+        var uri = URIBuilder.base("https://github.com/").build();
+        var id = settings.getProperty("github.app.id");
+        var installation = settings.getProperty("github.app.installation");
+        var keyFile = Paths.get(settings.getProperty("github.app.key.file"));
+
+        var keyContents = Files.readString(keyFile, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
+        var app = new GitHubApplication(keyContents, id, installation);
+        var gitHubHost = new GitHubHost(uri, app, null, null, Set.of());
+
+        var repo = gitHubHost.repository(settings.getProperty("github.repository")).orElseThrow();
+
+        verifyLabels(repo, true);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void gitLabLabels() throws IOException {
+        var settings = ManualTestSettings.loadManualTestSettings();
+        var uri = URIBuilder.base(settings.getProperty("gitlab.uri")).build();
+        var user = settings.getProperty("gitlab.user");
+        var pat = settings.getProperty("gitlab.pat");
+        var credential = new Credential(user, pat);
+
+        var gitLabHost = new GitLabHost("gitlab", uri, false, credential, Set.of());
+
+        var repo = gitLabHost.repository(settings.getProperty("gitlab.repository")).orElseThrow();
+
+        verifyLabels(repo, false);
+    }
+
+    private void verifyLabels(HostedRepository repo, boolean supportsDeleteDescription) {
+        var labels = repo.labels();
+        var labelName = "skara-test-label";
+        var label1 = new Label(labelName, "bar");
+        // If the label is already there
+        if (labels.stream().anyMatch(l -> l.name().equals(labelName))) {
+            repo.deleteLabel(label1);
+        }
+        repo.addLabel(label1);
+        labels = repo.labels();
+        assertTrue(labels.contains(label1));
+
+        var label2 = new Label(labelName, "new description");
+        repo.updateLabel(label2);
+        labels = repo.labels();
+        assertTrue(labels.contains(label2));
+        assertFalse(labels.contains(label1));
+
+        var label3 = new Label(labelName, null);
+        if (supportsDeleteDescription) {
+            repo.updateLabel(label3);
+            labels = repo.labels();
+            assertTrue(labels.contains(label3));
+            assertFalse(labels.contains(label2));
+            assertFalse(labels.contains(label1));
+        }
+
+        repo.deleteLabel(label3);
+        labels = repo.labels();
+        assertFalse(labels.contains(label3));
+        assertFalse(labels.contains(label2));
+        assertFalse(labels.contains(label1));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/ManualTestSettings.java b/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/ManualTestSettings.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df23fdf23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/ManualTestSettings.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package org.openjdk.skara.test;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.InputStream;
+import java.nio.file.*;
+import java.util.Properties;
+
+/**
+ * This class provides settings for manual tests which the user provides
+ * through the manual-test-settings.properties file in the root of the project.
+ */
+public class ManualTestSettings {
+
+    public static final String MANUAL_TEST_SETTINGS_FILE = "manual-test-settings.properties";
+
+    public static Properties loadManualTestSettings() throws IOException {
+        var dir = Paths.get(".").toAbsolutePath();
+        Path file = dir.resolve(MANUAL_TEST_SETTINGS_FILE);
+        while (!Files.exists(file)) {
+            dir = dir.getParent();
+            if (!Files.isDirectory(dir)) {
+                throw new RuntimeException("Could not find " + MANUAL_TEST_SETTINGS_FILE);
+            }
+            file = dir.resolve(MANUAL_TEST_SETTINGS_FILE);
+        }
+        var properties = new Properties();
+        try (InputStream in = Files.newInputStream(file)) {
+            properties.load(in);
+        }
+        return properties;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/TestHostedRepository.java b/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/TestHostedRepository.java
index ffa60cd48..ce54bc039 100644
--- a/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/TestHostedRepository.java
+++ b/test/src/main/java/org/openjdk/skara/test/TestHostedRepository.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ public class TestHostedRepository extends TestIssueProject implements HostedRepo
     private final Pattern pullRequestPattern;
     private final Map<Hash, List<CommitComment>> commitComments;
     private Map<String, Boolean> collaborators = new HashMap<>();
+    private List<Label> labels = new ArrayList<>();
 
     public TestHostedRepository(TestHost host, String projectName, Repository localRepository) {
         super(host, projectName);
@@ -314,6 +315,24 @@ Repository localRepository() {
 
     @Override
     public List<Label> labels() {
-        return List.of();
+        return labels;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void addLabel(Label label) {
+        labels.add(label);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void updateLabel(Label label) {
+        var existingLabel = labels.stream().filter(l -> l.name().equals(label.name())).findAny();
+        existingLabel.ifPresent(value -> labels.remove(value));
+        labels.add(label);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void deleteLabel(Label label) {
+        var existingLabel = labels.stream().filter(l -> l.name().equals(label.name())).findAny();
+        existingLabel.ifPresent(value -> labels.remove(value));
     }
 }