diff --git a/hive-forge/src/client.rs b/hive-forge/src/client.rs
index cff4c592..173a1ce7 100644
--- a/hive-forge/src/client.rs
+++ b/hive-forge/src/client.rs
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ impl Client {
         decode_json(resp, &format!("GET {url}"))
     }
 
+    /// GET `<api>/<path>` and decode JSON. Returns `None` if the
+    /// server responds with 404 (resource absent rather than an error).
+    pub fn get_json_optional(&self, path: &str) -> Result<Option<Value>> {
+        let url = format!("{}{}", self.api(), path);
+        let resp = self.http.get(&url).send().context("GET")?;
+        if resp.status() == reqwest::StatusCode::NOT_FOUND {
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+        decode_json(resp, &format!("GET {url}")).map(Some)
+    }
+
     /// GET a paginated list endpoint and concatenate all pages.
     /// `path` should NOT include `page=` (we own it); other query
     /// params (`?limit=N&state=open&...`) are preserved. Pages drain
@@ -160,6 +171,19 @@ impl Client {
         decode_json(resp, &format!("PATCH {url}"))
     }
 
+    /// PUT a JSON body to `<api>/<path>` and decode the response.
+    pub fn put_json<B: Serialize>(&self, path: &str, body: &B) -> Result<Value> {
+        let url = format!("{}{}", self.api(), path);
+        let resp = self
+            .http
+            .put(&url)
+            .header(CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json")
+            .json(body)
+            .send()
+            .context("PUT")?;
+        decode_json(resp, &format!("PUT {url}"))
+    }
+
     /// DELETE `<api>/<path>`. Optional JSON body for endpoints that
     /// need it (Forgejo's subscription unwatch uses bodyless DELETE).
     pub fn delete(&self, path: &str, body: Option<&Value>) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/hive-forge/src/verbs/subscription.rs b/hive-forge/src/verbs/subscription.rs
index f204f10f..451275db 100644
--- a/hive-forge/src/verbs/subscription.rs
+++ b/hive-forge/src/verbs/subscription.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 use anyhow::Result;
 use clap::Args as ClapArgs;
-use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use serde_json::json;
 
 use crate::client::Client;
 use crate::verbs::print_json;
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ pub fn run(client: &Client, args: Args) -> Result<()> {
         } else {
             (true, false)
         };
-        let resp = client.post_json(
+        // Forgejo requires PUT (not POST) for this endpoint.
+        let resp = client.put_json(
             &format!("/repos/{repo}/subscription"),
             &json!({ "subscribed": subscribed, "ignored": ignored }),
         )?;
@@ -43,9 +44,13 @@ pub fn run(client: &Client, args: Args) -> Result<()> {
             "ignored": resp.get("ignored"),
         }));
     }
-    let resp: Value = client.get_json(&format!("/repos/{repo}/subscription"))?;
-    print_json(&json!({
-        "subscribed": resp.get("subscribed"),
-        "ignored": resp.get("ignored"),
-    }))
+    // Forgejo returns 404 when the current user is not watching the repo
+    // (rather than a response with subscribed=false).
+    match client.get_json_optional(&format!("/repos/{repo}/subscription"))? {
+        Some(resp) => print_json(&json!({
+            "subscribed": resp.get("subscribed"),
+            "ignored": resp.get("ignored"),
+        })),
+        None => print_json(&json!({ "subscribed": false, "ignored": false })),
+    }
 }