diff --git a/cmd/issues/create.go b/cmd/issues/create.go
index e866abb9..33e018f0 100644
--- a/cmd/issues/create.go
+++ b/cmd/issues/create.go
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ func runIssuesCreate(requestCtx stdctx.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	var projectTarget *task.IssueProject
+	if project := ctx.String("project"); project != "" {
+		projectTarget, err = task.ResolveIssueProject(requestCtx, ctx.Login.Client(), ctx.Owner, ctx.Repo, project)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	issue, err := task.CreateIssue(requestCtx, ctx.Login,
 		ctx.Owner,
 		ctx.Repo,
@@ -56,8 +64,8 @@ func runIssuesCreate(requestCtx stdctx.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if project := ctx.String("project"); project != "" {
-		if err := task.AddIssueToProject(requestCtx, ctx.Login.Client(), ctx.Owner, ctx.Repo, issue.ID, project); err != nil {
+	if projectTarget != nil {
+		if err := projectTarget.AddIssue(requestCtx, ctx.Login.Client(), issue.ID); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/modules/task/project.go b/modules/task/project.go
index 5f5d94dc..bccb94d7 100644
--- a/modules/task/project.go
+++ b/modules/task/project.go
@@ -13,25 +13,50 @@ import (
 	gitea "gitea.dev/sdk"
 )
 
-// AddIssueToProject adds an issue to the default column of a project.
-// The project argument may be either a project ID or a project title.
-func AddIssueToProject(requestCtx stdctx.Context, client *gitea.Client, owner, repo string, issueID int64, project string) error {
+// IssueProject is a resolved project column target for an issue.
+type IssueProject struct {
+	scope     gitea.ProjectScope
+	projectID int64
+	columnID  int64
+}
+
+// ResolveIssueProject resolves a project ID or title to a project and its default column.
+func ResolveIssueProject(requestCtx stdctx.Context, client *gitea.Client, owner, repo, project string) (*IssueProject, error) {
 	scope, projectID, err := resolveProject(requestCtx, client, owner, repo, project)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	column, err := defaultProjectColumn(requestCtx, client, scope, projectID)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not find default column for project '%s': %w", project, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find default column for project '%s': %w", project, err)
 	}
 
-	if _, err := client.Projects.AddIssueToProjectColumn(requestCtx, scope, projectID, column.ID, issueID); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not add issue to project '%s': %w", project, err)
+	return &IssueProject{
+		scope:     scope,
+		projectID: projectID,
+		columnID:  column.ID,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+// AddIssue adds an issue to the resolved project column.
+func (p *IssueProject) AddIssue(requestCtx stdctx.Context, client *gitea.Client, issueID int64) error {
+	if _, err := client.Projects.AddIssueToProjectColumn(requestCtx, p.scope, p.projectID, p.columnID, issueID); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("could not add issue to project: %w", err)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+// AddIssueToProject adds an issue to the default column of a project.
+// The project argument may be either a project ID or a project title.
+func AddIssueToProject(requestCtx stdctx.Context, client *gitea.Client, owner, repo string, issueID int64, project string) error {
+	projectTarget, err := ResolveIssueProject(requestCtx, client, owner, repo, project)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return projectTarget.AddIssue(requestCtx, client, issueID)
+}
+
 func defaultProjectColumn(requestCtx stdctx.Context, client *gitea.Client, scope gitea.ProjectScope, projectID int64) (*gitea.ProjectColumn, error) {
 	var fallback *gitea.ProjectColumn
 	page := 1