diff --git a/mdfluence/api.py b/mdfluence/api.py
index 48ce97d..0cfc0fa 100644
--- a/mdfluence/api.py
+++ b/mdfluence/api.py
@@ -237,10 +237,9 @@ def create_attachment(self, confluence_page, fp, message=""):
         )
 
     def add_labels(self, page, labels):
-        # return self.api.content(page.id).post(
         return self._post(
             f"content/{page.id}/label",
-            data=[{"name": label, "type": "global"} for label in labels],
+            json=[{"name": label, "type": "global"} for label in labels],
         )
 
     def get_url(self, page):
diff --git a/mdfluence/upsert.py b/mdfluence/upsert.py
index 2bb2e88..e3cbe5e 100644
--- a/mdfluence/upsert.py
+++ b/mdfluence/upsert.py
@@ -124,9 +124,15 @@ def labels_need_updating(page, existing_page):
     if page.labels is None:
         return False
 
-    if sorted(
-        [label.name for label in existing_page.metadata.labels.results]
-    ) != sorted(page.labels):
+    existing_labels = getattr(
+        getattr(getattr(existing_page, "metadata", None), "labels", None),
+        "results",
+        None,
+    )
+    if existing_labels is None:
+        return True
+
+    if sorted([label.name for label in existing_labels]) != sorted(page.labels):
         return True
 
 
diff --git a/test_package/unit/test_upsert.py b/test_package/unit/test_upsert.py
index 104cf87..8d8ee0c 100644
--- a/test_package/unit/test_upsert.py
+++ b/test_package/unit/test_upsert.py
@@ -264,6 +264,21 @@ def test_page_needs_updating_page_changed(mocker):
     )
 
 
+def test_labels_need_updating_when_no_metadata(mocker):
+    """Page has no metadata.labels.results — should return True (needs update)"""
+    existing_page_mock = mocker.Mock(spec=[])
+
+    page = Page(
+        space=mocker.sentinel.space,
+        title=mocker.sentinel.title,
+        body="hello",
+        parent_id=mocker.sentinel.parent_id,
+        labels=["label1"],
+    )
+
+    assert mdfluence.upsert.labels_need_updating(page, existing_page_mock)
+
+
 def test_page_needs_updating_content_replace_all_labels_and_labels_not_changed(mocker):
     """We want to replace all the labels, but they have not changed"""
     labels = ["label1", "label2"]