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Describe the feature or problem you'd like to solve
There is currently no way to remove a single label from an issue without replacing the issue's entire label set. The only issue-label tool, update_issue_labels (pkg/github/issues_granular.go), states in its own description: "This replaces the current labels with the provided list."
To remove one label, a client must:
Read all current labels on the issue
Compute the full set minus the one to remove
Send the complete remaining set back
If step 1 or 2 is incomplete or stale, labels are silently dropped. This read-modify-write pattern is error-prone for agents and adds round-trips.
Proposed solution
Add discrete, non-destructive tools backed by the existing REST endpoints:
add_label_to_issue → POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels
These operate on a single label without touching the rest of the issue's labels.
Precedent in the codebase
Sub-issues already follow exactly this granular pattern with add_sub_issue and remove_sub_issue, rather than forcing a full-set replacement. Labels-on-issues would benefit from the same treatment.
Additional context
Related to #2412 (bulk/batch label operations). This proposal is the single-issue, single-label complement: #2412 covers operating across many issues at once, while this covers safely adding/removing one label on one issue without clobbering the others.
I agree we need a non-destructive way to add/remove individual labels.
Where I'd diverge is on the shape. Rather than introduce two new tools (add_label_to_issue / remove_label_from_issue), I think we can fold this into the existing update_issue_labels tool via a method parameter, similar to label_write etc.
I will link a PR shortly.
Activity
MayorFaj commentedon Jun 21, 2026
I agree we need a non-destructive way to add/remove individual labels.
Where I'd diverge is on the shape. Rather than introduce two new tools (add_label_to_issue / remove_label_from_issue), I think we can fold this into the existing update_issue_labels tool via a method parameter, similar to
label_writeetc.I will link a PR shortly.