diff --git a/.github/workflows/sync-to-gitea.yml b/.github/workflows/sync-to-gitea.yml
index 03455d6..519dee5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sync-to-gitea.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sync-to-gitea.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,35 @@ jobs:
             fi
           done
 
+          if [ -z "$TARGET_URL" ]; then
+            echo "Owner guess failed; searching accessible repos via Gitea API"
+            API_URL="https://${GITEA_HOST}/api/v1/repos/search?q=${REPO_NAME}&limit=100"
+            TARGET_URL=$(python3 - <<'PY'
+import json
+import os
+import urllib.request
+
+api_url = os.environ["API_URL"]
+token = os.environ["GITEA_TOKEN"]
+repo_name = os.environ["REPO_NAME"]
+username = os.environ["GITEA_USERNAME"]
+
+req = urllib.request.Request(api_url, headers={"Authorization": f"token {token}"})
+with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=20) as resp:
+    data = json.loads(resp.read().decode("utf-8"))
+
+for repo in data.get("data", []):
+    full_name = str(repo.get("full_name", ""))
+    if full_name.lower().endswith("/" + repo_name.lower()):
+        print(f"https://{username}:{token}@{os.environ['GITEA_HOST']}/{full_name}.git")
+        break
+PY
+)
+            if [ -n "$TARGET_URL" ]; then
+              echo "Resolved Gitea target via API"
+            fi
+          fi
+
           if [ -z "$TARGET_URL" ]; then
             echo "Could not access target repo on Gitea for owners: $CANDIDATE_OWNERS"
             exit 1