diff --git a/models/issues/issue.go b/models/issues/issue.go
index 655cdebdfc6b9..4a394663a51e6 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue.go
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ type Issue struct {
 	Milestone         *Milestone             `xorm:"-"`
 	isMilestoneLoaded bool                   `xorm:"-"`
 	Project           *project_model.Project `xorm:"-"`
+	ProjectBoardID    int64                  `xorm:"-"`
+	ProjectBoardTitle string                 `xorm:"-"`
+	isProjectLoaded   bool                   `xorm:"-"`
 	Priority          int
 	AssigneeID        int64            `xorm:"-"`
 	Assignee          *user_model.User `xorm:"-"`
@@ -377,6 +380,7 @@ func (issue *Issue) ResetAttributesLoaded() {
 	issue.isMilestoneLoaded = false
 	issue.isAttachmentsLoaded = false
 	issue.isAssigneeLoaded = false
+	issue.isProjectLoaded = false
 }
 
 // GetIsRead load the `IsRead` field of the issue
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_list.go b/models/issues/issue_list.go
index 26b93189b8bed..bb932f75ad2cd 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_list.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_list.go
@@ -185,36 +185,56 @@ func (issues IssueList) LoadMilestones(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 func (issues IssueList) LoadProjects(ctx context.Context) error {
 	issueIDs := issues.getIssueIDs()
-	projectMaps := make(map[int64]*project_model.Project, len(issues))
 	left := len(issueIDs)
 
 	type projectWithIssueID struct {
-		*project_model.Project `xorm:"extends"`
-		IssueID                int64
+		project_model.Project `xorm:"extends"`
+		IssueID               int64
+		ProjectColumnID       int64  `xorm:"'project_board_id'"`
+		ColumnTitle           string `xorm:"'column_title'"`
 	}
 
+	type issueProjectInfo struct {
+		project     *project_model.Project
+		columnID    int64
+		columnTitle string
+	}
+
+	infoMap := make(map[int64]*issueProjectInfo, len(issues))
+
 	for left > 0 {
 		limit := min(left, db.DefaultMaxInSize)
 
 		projects := make([]*projectWithIssueID, 0, limit)
 		err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
 			Table("project").
-			Select("project.*, project_issue.issue_id").
+			Select("project.*, project_issue.issue_id, project_issue.project_board_id, project_board.title AS column_title").
 			Join("INNER", "project_issue", "project.id = project_issue.project_id").
+			Join("LEFT", "project_board", "project_board.id = project_issue.project_board_id").
 			In("project_issue.issue_id", issueIDs[:limit]).
 			Find(&projects)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		for _, project := range projects {
-			projectMaps[project.IssueID] = project.Project
+		for _, row := range projects {
+			p := row.Project
+			infoMap[row.IssueID] = &issueProjectInfo{
+				project:     &p,
+				columnID:    row.ProjectColumnID,
+				columnTitle: row.ColumnTitle,
+			}
 		}
 		left -= limit
 		issueIDs = issueIDs[limit:]
 	}
 
 	for _, issue := range issues {
-		issue.Project = projectMaps[issue.ID]
+		if info, ok := infoMap[issue.ID]; ok {
+			issue.Project = info.project
+			issue.ProjectBoardID = info.columnID
+			issue.ProjectBoardTitle = info.columnTitle
+		}
+		issue.isProjectLoaded = true
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/models/issues/issue_project.go b/models/issues/issue_project.go
index 01852447834c7..be570fd7e55bd 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_project.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_project.go
@@ -14,18 +14,35 @@ import (
 
 // LoadProject load the project the issue was assigned to
 func (issue *Issue) LoadProject(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
-	if issue.Project == nil {
-		var p project_model.Project
-		has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Table("project").
-			Join("INNER", "project_issue", "project.id=project_issue.project_id").
-			Where("project_issue.issue_id = ?", issue.ID).Get(&p)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		} else if has {
-			issue.Project = &p
-		}
+	if issue.isProjectLoaded {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	type projectWithColumn struct {
+		project_model.Project `xorm:"extends"`
+		ProjectColumnID       int64  `xorm:"'project_board_id'"`
+		ColumnTitle           string `xorm:"'column_title'"`
+	}
+
+	var result projectWithColumn
+	has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).
+		Table("project").
+		Select("project.*, project_issue.project_board_id, project_board.title AS column_title").
+		Join("INNER", "project_issue", "project.id = project_issue.project_id").
+		Join("LEFT", "project_board", "project_board.id = project_issue.project_board_id").
+		Where("project_issue.issue_id = ?", issue.ID).
+		Get(&result)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if has {
+		p := result.Project
+		issue.Project = &p
+		issue.ProjectBoardID = result.ProjectColumnID
+		issue.ProjectBoardTitle = result.ColumnTitle
 	}
-	return err
+	issue.isProjectLoaded = true
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (issue *Issue) projectID(ctx context.Context) int64 {
diff --git a/modules/structs/issue.go b/modules/structs/issue.go
index 2540481d0ffcc..8187f58a3916c 100644
--- a/modules/structs/issue.go
+++ b/modules/structs/issue.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ type Issue struct {
 	Attachments      []*Attachment `json:"assets"`
 	Labels           []*Label      `json:"labels"`
 	Milestone        *Milestone    `json:"milestone"`
+	Project          *ProjectMeta  `json:"project"`
 	// deprecated
 	Assignee  *User   `json:"assignee"`
 	Assignees []*User `json:"assignees"`
diff --git a/modules/structs/issue_project.go b/modules/structs/issue_project.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..53f7880c447b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/structs/issue_project.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package structs
+
+import "time"
+
+// ProjectMeta represents a project board summary embedded in issue/PR responses
+// swagger:model
+type ProjectMeta struct {
+	ID          int64     `json:"id"`
+	Title       string    `json:"title"`
+	Description string    `json:"description"`
+	State       StateType `json:"state"`
+	// swagger:strfmt date-time
+	Created time.Time `json:"created_at"`
+	// swagger:strfmt date-time
+	Updated *time.Time `json:"updated_at"`
+	// swagger:strfmt date-time
+	Closed   *time.Time `json:"closed_at"`
+	ColumnID int64      `json:"column_id"`
+	Column   string     `json:"column"`
+}
diff --git a/modules/structs/pull.go b/modules/structs/pull.go
index 3ad2f78bd3444..5b02d45804f6e 100644
--- a/modules/structs/pull.go
+++ b/modules/structs/pull.go
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ type PullRequest struct {
 	// The labels attached to the pull request
 	Labels []*Label `json:"labels"`
 	// The milestone associated with the pull request
-	Milestone *Milestone `json:"milestone"`
+	Milestone *Milestone   `json:"milestone"`
+	Project   *ProjectMeta `json:"project"`
 	// The primary assignee of the pull request
 	Assignee *User `json:"assignee"`
 	// The list of users assigned to the pull request
diff --git a/services/convert/issue.go b/services/convert/issue.go
index acd67fece4c47..1932a018919b9 100644
--- a/services/convert/issue.go
+++ b/services/convert/issue.go
@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@ func toIssue(ctx context.Context, doer *user_model.User, issue *issues_model.Iss
 		apiIssue.Milestone = ToAPIMilestone(issue.Milestone)
 	}
 
+	if err := issue.LoadProject(ctx); err != nil {
+		return &api.Issue{}
+	}
+	if issue.Project != nil {
+		apiIssue.Project = ToAPIProject(issue, issue.Project)
+	}
+
 	if err := issue.LoadAssignees(ctx); err != nil {
 		return &api.Issue{}
 	}
diff --git a/services/convert/project.go b/services/convert/project.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fe7b6769d1db9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/convert/project.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package convert
+
+import (
+	issues_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/issues"
+	project_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/project"
+	api "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
+)
+
+// ToAPIProject converts a project to its API representation for embedding in issue/PR responses.
+func ToAPIProject(issue *issues_model.Issue, p *project_model.Project) *api.ProjectMeta {
+	state := api.StateOpen
+	if p.IsClosed {
+		state = api.StateClosed
+	}
+
+	result := &api.ProjectMeta{
+		ID:          p.ID,
+		Title:       p.Title,
+		Description: p.Description,
+		State:       state,
+		Created:     p.CreatedUnix.AsTime(),
+		Updated:     p.UpdatedUnix.AsTimePtr(),
+	}
+	if p.IsClosed {
+		result.Closed = p.ClosedDateUnix.AsTimePtr()
+	}
+
+	if issue.ProjectBoardID > 0 {
+		result.ColumnID = issue.ProjectBoardID
+		result.Column = issue.ProjectBoardTitle
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
diff --git a/services/convert/pull.go b/services/convert/pull.go
index bb675811f2d38..bde504009a1fe 100644
--- a/services/convert/pull.go
+++ b/services/convert/pull.go
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ func ToAPIPullRequest(ctx context.Context, pr *issues_model.PullRequest, doer *u
 		Body:           apiIssue.Body,
 		Labels:         apiIssue.Labels,
 		Milestone:      apiIssue.Milestone,
+		Project:        apiIssue.Project,
 		Assignee:       apiIssue.Assignee,
 		Assignees:      util.SliceNilAsEmpty(apiIssue.Assignees),
 		State:          apiIssue.State,
@@ -355,6 +356,7 @@ func ToAPIPullRequests(ctx context.Context, baseRepo *repo_model.Repository, prs
 			Body:           apiIssue.Body,
 			Labels:         apiIssue.Labels,
 			Milestone:      apiIssue.Milestone,
+			Project:        apiIssue.Project,
 			Assignee:       apiIssue.Assignee,
 			Assignees:      apiIssue.Assignees,
 			State:          apiIssue.State,
diff --git a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
index adc6c18175512..2c4319341680f 100644
--- a/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
+++ b/templates/swagger/v1_json.tmpl
@@ -26261,6 +26261,9 @@
           "format": "int64",
           "x-go-name": "PinOrder"
         },
+        "project": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/ProjectMeta"
+        },
         "pull_request": {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/PullRequestMeta"
         },
@@ -27574,6 +27577,53 @@
       },
       "x-go-package": "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
     },
+    "ProjectMeta": {
+      "description": "ProjectMeta represents a project board summary embedded in issue/PR responses",
+      "type": "object",
+      "properties": {
+        "closed_at": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "date-time",
+          "x-go-name": "Closed"
+        },
+        "column": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "x-go-name": "Column"
+        },
+        "column_id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64",
+          "x-go-name": "ColumnID"
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "date-time",
+          "x-go-name": "Created"
+        },
+        "description": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "x-go-name": "Description"
+        },
+        "id": {
+          "type": "integer",
+          "format": "int64",
+          "x-go-name": "ID"
+        },
+        "state": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/StateType"
+        },
+        "title": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "x-go-name": "Title"
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "type": "string",
+          "format": "date-time",
+          "x-go-name": "Updated"
+        }
+      },
+      "x-go-package": "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/structs"
+    },
     "PublicKey": {
       "description": "PublicKey publickey is a user key to push code to repository",
       "type": "object",
@@ -27783,6 +27833,9 @@
           "format": "int64",
           "x-go-name": "PinOrder"
         },
+        "project": {
+          "$ref": "#/definitions/ProjectMeta"
+        },
         "requested_reviewers": {
           "description": "The users requested to review the pull request",
           "type": "array",
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_issue_test.go b/tests/integration/api_issue_test.go
index 8d85543dc8a83..3fc984dce0f9c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_issue_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_issue_test.go
@@ -448,3 +448,55 @@ func TestAPISearchIssuesWithLabels(t *testing.T) {
 	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiIssues)
 	assert.Len(t, apiIssues, 2)
 }
+
+func TestAPIIssueProjectMeta(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 1})
+	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo.OwnerID})
+	token := getTokenForLoggedInUser(t, loginUser(t, owner.Name), auth_model.AccessTokenScopeReadIssue)
+
+	t.Run("IssueWithProject", func(t *testing.T) {
+		defer tests.PrintCurrentTest(t)()
+
+		req := NewRequest(t, "GET", fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issues/1", owner.Name, repo.Name)).AddTokenAuth(token)
+		resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+		var apiIssue api.Issue
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiIssue)
+
+		assert.NotNil(t, apiIssue.Project)
+		assert.Equal(t, int64(1), apiIssue.Project.ID)
+		assert.Equal(t, "First project", apiIssue.Project.Title)
+		assert.Equal(t, int64(1), apiIssue.Project.ColumnID)
+		assert.Equal(t, "To Do", apiIssue.Project.Column)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("IssueWithProjectNoColumn", func(t *testing.T) {
+		defer tests.PrintCurrentTest(t)()
+
+		req := NewRequest(t, "GET", fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issues/2", owner.Name, repo.Name)).AddTokenAuth(token)
+		resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+		var apiIssue api.Issue
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiIssue)
+
+		assert.NotNil(t, apiIssue.Project)
+		assert.Equal(t, int64(1), apiIssue.Project.ID)
+		assert.Equal(t, int64(0), apiIssue.Project.ColumnID)
+		assert.Empty(t, apiIssue.Project.Column)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("IssueWithoutProject", func(t *testing.T) {
+		defer tests.PrintCurrentTest(t)()
+
+		repo2 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 2})
+		owner2 := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo2.OwnerID})
+		token2 := getTokenForLoggedInUser(t, loginUser(t, owner2.Name), auth_model.AccessTokenScopeReadIssue)
+
+		req := NewRequest(t, "GET", fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issues/1", owner2.Name, repo2.Name)).AddTokenAuth(token2)
+		resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+		var apiIssue api.Issue
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &apiIssue)
+
+		assert.Nil(t, apiIssue.Project)
+	})
+}