diff --git a/mcp_server.py b/mcp_server.py
index f67f0c1..f5109ac 100644
--- a/mcp_server.py
+++ b/mcp_server.py
@@ -48,6 +48,74 @@ mcp = FastMCP("gitea-tools", instructions=(
 ))
 
 
+
+import re
+
+def extract_linked_issue_numbers(text: str | None, branch_name: str | None = None) -> list[int]:
+    issues = set()
+    if text:
+        pattern = re.compile(r'(?i)(?:close[sd]?|fix(?:e[sd])?|resolve[sd]?|ref[s]?)\s+#(\d+)')
+        issues.update(int(m) for m in pattern.findall(text))
+    if branch_name:
+        pattern = re.compile(r'(?i)issue-(\d+)')
+        issues.update(int(m) for m in pattern.findall(branch_name))
+    return sorted(list(issues))
+
+def release_in_progress_label(issue_numbers: list[int], remote: str, host: str | None, org: str | None, repo: str | None) -> dict:
+    if not issue_numbers:
+        return {}
+
+    h, o, r = _resolve(remote, host, org, repo)
+    auth = _auth(h)
+    base = repo_api_url(h, o, r)
+
+    try:
+        labels = api_request("GET", f"{base}/labels?limit=100", auth)
+        label_id = None
+        for lb in labels:
+            if lb["name"] == "status:in-progress":
+                label_id = lb["id"]
+                break
+    except Exception as exc:
+        return {num: f"error fetching repo labels: {_redact(str(exc))}" for num in issue_numbers}
+
+    results = {}
+    if label_id is None:
+        for num in issue_numbers:
+            results[num] = "not present"
+        return results
+
+    for num in issue_numbers:
+        try:
+            url = f"{base}/issues/{num}"
+            issue_data = api_request("GET", url, auth)
+            issue_labels = [lb["name"] for lb in issue_data.get("labels", [])]
+
+            if "status:in-progress" in issue_labels:
+                with _audited("release_in_progress_label", host=h, remote=remote, org=o, repo=r, issue_number=num, request_metadata={"action": "remove status:in-progress"}):
+                    api_request("DELETE", f"{url}/labels/{label_id}", auth)
+                results[num] = "released"
+            else:
+                results[num] = "not present"
+        except Exception as exc:
+            results[num] = f"error: {_redact(str(exc))}"
+
+    return results
+
+def cleanup_in_progress_for_pr(pr_payload: dict, remote: str, host: str | None, org: str | None, repo: str | None) -> dict:
+    body = pr_payload.get("body") or ""
+    title = pr_payload.get("title") or ""
+    branch = pr_payload.get("head", {}).get("ref") or ""
+
+    text = f"{title}\n{body}"
+    issues = extract_linked_issue_numbers(text, branch)
+
+    if not issues:
+        return {"cleanup_status": "no linked issue found"}
+
+    results = release_in_progress_label(issues, remote, host, org, repo)
+    return {"cleanup_status": results}
+
 # ── Helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 def _resolve(remote: str, host: str | None, org: str | None, repo: str | None):
@@ -1603,63 +1671,3 @@ def gitea_mirror_refs(
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     mcp.run(transport="stdio")
-import re
-
-def extract_linked_issue_numbers(text: str | None, branch_name: str | None = None) -> list[int]:
-    issues = set()
-    if text:
-        pattern = re.compile(r'(?i)(?:close[sd]?|fix(?:e[sd])?|resolve[sd]?|ref[s]?)\s+#(\d+)')
-        issues.update(int(m) for m in pattern.findall(text))
-    if branch_name:
-        pattern = re.compile(r'(?i)issue-(\d+)')
-        issues.update(int(m) for m in pattern.findall(branch_name))
-    return sorted(list(issues))
-
-def release_in_progress_label(issue_numbers: list[int], remote: str, host: str | None, org: str | None, repo: str | None) -> dict:
-    if not issue_numbers:
-        return {}
-
-    h, o, r = _resolve(remote, host, org, repo)
-    auth = _auth(h)
-    base = repo_api_url(h, o, r)
-
-    try:
-        existing = api_request("GET", f"{base}/labels?limit=100", auth)
-        name_to_id = {lb["name"]: lb["id"] for lb in existing}
-    except Exception as exc:
-        return {num: f"error fetching repo labels: {_redact(str(exc))}" for num in issue_numbers}
-
-    results = {}
-    for num in issue_numbers:
-        try:
-            url = f"{base}/issues/{num}"
-            issue_data = api_request("GET", url, auth)
-            labels = [lb["name"] for lb in issue_data.get("labels", [])]
-
-            if "status:in-progress" in labels:
-                new_labels = [lb for lb in labels if lb != "status:in-progress"]
-                label_ids = [name_to_id[name] for name in new_labels if name in name_to_id]
-
-                with _audited("release_in_progress_label", host=h, remote=remote, org=o, repo=r, issue_number=num, request_metadata={"action": "remove status:in-progress"}):
-                    api_request("PUT", f"{url}/labels", auth, {"labels": label_ids})
-                results[num] = "released"
-            else:
-                results[num] = "not present"
-        except Exception as exc:
-            results[num] = f"error: {_redact(str(exc))}"
-
-    return results
-
-def cleanup_in_progress_for_pr(pr_payload: dict, remote: str, host: str | None, org: str | None, repo: str | None) -> dict:
-    body = pr_payload.get("body") or ""
-    title = pr_payload.get("title") or ""
-    branch = pr_payload.get("head", {}).get("ref") or ""
-
-    text = f"{title}\n{body}"
-    issues = extract_linked_issue_numbers(text, branch)
-
-    if not issues:
-        return {"cleanup_status": "no linked issue found"}
-
-    results = release_in_progress_label(issues, remote, host, org, repo)
-    return {"cleanup_status": results}
diff --git a/tests/test_mcp_server.py b/tests/test_mcp_server.py
index ecedcd8..4e457ac 100644
--- a/tests/test_mcp_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_mcp_server.py
@@ -1377,9 +1377,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}, {"name": "bug", "id": 2}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/1" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}, {"name": "bug"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.assertEqual(payload["labels"], [2])
-                return []
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                return {}
             return {}
         self.mock_api.side_effect = api_side_effect
 
@@ -1396,8 +1395,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}, {"name": "bug", "id": 2}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/1" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "bug"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.fail("Should not PUT labels")
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                self.fail("Should not DELETE labels")
             return {}
         self.mock_api.side_effect = api_side_effect
 
@@ -1426,9 +1425,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}, {"name": "bug", "id": 2}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/123" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}, {"name": "bug"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.assertEqual(payload["labels"], [2])
-                return []
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                return {}
             return {}
         self.mock_api.side_effect = api_side_effect
 
@@ -1457,9 +1455,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}, {"name": "bug", "id": 2}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/123" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}, {"name": "bug"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.assertEqual(payload["labels"], [2])
-                return []
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                return {}
             return {}
         self.mock_api.side_effect = api_side_effect
 
@@ -1482,9 +1479,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/123" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.assertEqual(payload["labels"], [])
-                return []
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                return {}
             if method == "POST" and "comments" in url:
                 return {}
             return {}
@@ -1513,9 +1509,8 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}]}
             if method == "GET" and "issues/125" in url:
                 return {"labels": []}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
-                self.assertEqual(payload["labels"], [])
-                return []
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
+                return {}
             if method == "POST" and "comments" in url:
                 return {}
             return {}
@@ -1553,7 +1548,7 @@ class TestTrackerHygieneCleanup(unittest.TestCase):
                 return [{"name": "status:in-progress", "id": 1}]
             if method == "GET" and "issues/1" in url:
                 return {"labels": [{"name": "status:in-progress"}]}
-            if method == "PUT" and "labels" in url:
+            if method == "DELETE" and "labels/1" in url:
                 raise RuntimeError("API failure")
             return {}
         self.mock_api.side_effect = api_side_effect