diff --git a/pkg/cmd/label/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/label/create/create.go
index 9fc38bf0d..581cf5234 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/label/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/label/create/create.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package create
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
 	"net/http"
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ type CreateOptions struct {
 	Color       string
 	Description string
 	Name        string
+	Force       bool
 }
 
 func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Command {
@@ -81,10 +83,13 @@ func NewCmdCreate(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*CreateOptions) error) *cobra.Co
 
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.Description, "description", "d", "", "Description of the label")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&opts.Color, "color", "c", "", "Color of the label, if not specified one will be selected at random")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&opts.Force, "force", "f", false, "Set the label color and description even if the name already exists.")
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
+var errLabelAlreadyExists = errors.New("label already exists")
+
 func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 	httpClient, err := opts.HttpClient()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -105,12 +110,15 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 	err = createLabel(httpClient, baseRepo, opts)
 	opts.IO.StopProgressIndicator()
 	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, errLabelAlreadyExists) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("label with name %q already exists; use `--force` to update its color and description", opts.Name)
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 
 	if opts.IO.IsStdoutTTY() {
 		cs := opts.IO.ColorScheme()
-		successMsg := fmt.Sprintf("\n%s Label %q created in %s\n", cs.SuccessIcon(), opts.Name, ghrepo.FullName(baseRepo))
+		successMsg := fmt.Sprintf("%s Label %q created in %s\n", cs.SuccessIcon(), opts.Name, ghrepo.FullName(baseRepo))
 		fmt.Fprint(opts.IO.Out, successMsg)
 	}
 
@@ -130,5 +138,33 @@ func createLabel(client *http.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, opts *CreateOptions
 	}
 	requestBody := bytes.NewReader(requestByte)
 	result := shared.Label{}
-	return apiClient.REST(repo.RepoHost(), "POST", path, requestBody, &result)
+	err = apiClient.REST(repo.RepoHost(), "POST", path, requestBody, &result)
+
+	if httpError, ok := err.(api.HTTPError); ok && isLabelAlreadyExistsError(httpError) {
+		err = errLabelAlreadyExists
+	}
+
+	if opts.Force && errors.Is(err, errLabelAlreadyExists) {
+		return updateLabel(apiClient, repo, opts)
+	}
+
+	return err
+}
+
+func updateLabel(apiClient *api.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, opts *CreateOptions) error {
+	path := fmt.Sprintf("repos/%s/%s/labels/%s", repo.RepoOwner(), repo.RepoName(), opts.Name)
+	requestByte, err := json.Marshal(map[string]string{
+		"description": opts.Description,
+		"color":       opts.Color,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	requestBody := bytes.NewReader(requestByte)
+	result := shared.Label{}
+	return apiClient.REST(repo.RepoHost(), "PATCH", path, requestBody, &result)
+}
+
+func isLabelAlreadyExistsError(err api.HTTPError) bool {
+	return err.StatusCode == 422 && len(err.Errors) == 1 && err.Errors[0].Field == "name" && err.Errors[0].Code == "already_exists"
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/label/create/create_test.go b/pkg/cmd/label/create/create_test.go
index be40563a1..2d92f7a6f 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/label/create/create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/label/create/create_test.go
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func TestCreateRun(t *testing.T) {
 					httpmock.StatusStringResponse(201, "{}"),
 				)
 			},
-			wantStdout: "\n✓ Label \"test\" created in OWNER/REPO\n",
+			wantStdout: "✓ Label \"test\" created in OWNER/REPO\n",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "creates label notty",
@@ -115,6 +115,24 @@ func TestCreateRun(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantStdout: "",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "creates existing label",
+			opts: &CreateOptions{Name: "test", Description: "some description", Force: true},
+			httpStubs: func(reg *httpmock.Registry) {
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.REST("POST", "repos/OWNER/REPO/labels"),
+					httpmock.WithHeader(
+						httpmock.StatusStringResponse(422, `{"message":"Validation Failed","errors":[{"resource":"Label","code":"already_exists","field":"name"}]}`),
+						"Content-Type",
+						"application/json",
+					),
+				)
+				reg.Register(
+					httpmock.REST("PATCH", "repos/OWNER/REPO/labels/test"),
+					httpmock.StatusStringResponse(201, "{}"),
+				)
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {