diff --git a/apps/mail/components/labels/label-dialog.tsx b/apps/mail/components/labels/label-dialog.tsx
index 1084ea4ed3..85cade4e81 100644
--- a/apps/mail/components/labels/label-dialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/mail/components/labels/label-dialog.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ import {
 import { CurvedArrow } from '@/components/icons/icons';
 import { LABEL_COLORS } from '@/lib/label-colors';
 import type { Label as LabelType } from '@/types';
+
+const DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS = {
+  backgroundColor: '#202020',
+  textColor: '#FFFFFF',
+} as const;
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Label } from '@/components/ui/label';
 import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
@@ -49,13 +54,9 @@ export function LabelDialog({
   const form = useForm<LabelType>({
     defaultValues: {
       name: '',
-      color: {
-        backgroundColor: '',
-        textColor: '',
-      },
+      color: DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS,
     },
   });
-
   const formColor = form.watch('color');
 
   // Reset form when editingLabel changes or dialog opens
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ export function LabelDialog({
       } else {
         form.reset({
           name: '',
-          color: { backgroundColor: '#E2E2E2', textColor: '#000000' },
+          color: DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS,
         });
       }
     }
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ export function LabelDialog({
     setDialogOpen(false);
     form.reset({
       name: '',
-      color: { backgroundColor: '#E2E2E2', textColor: '#000000' },
+      color: DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS,
     });
   };
 
diff --git a/apps/mail/components/ui/nav-main.tsx b/apps/mail/components/ui/nav-main.tsx
index 91ee06fc9f..9c20d3fc21 100644
--- a/apps/mail/components/ui/nav-main.tsx
+++ b/apps/mail/components/ui/nav-main.tsx
@@ -173,11 +173,16 @@ export function NavMain({ items }: NavMainProps) {
   );
 
   const onSubmit = async (data: LabelType) => {
-    toast.promise(createLabel(data), {
-      loading: 'Creating label...',
-      success: 'Label created successfully',
-      error: 'Failed to create label',
-    });
+    toast.promise(
+      createLabel(data).then(() => {
+        refetch();
+      }),
+      {
+        loading: 'Creating label...',
+        success: 'Label created successfully',
+        error: 'Failed to create label',
+      }
+    );
   };
 
   return (
diff --git a/apps/server/src/trpc/routes/label.ts b/apps/server/src/trpc/routes/label.ts
index 4bbe038176..2c49007293 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/trpc/routes/label.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/trpc/routes/label.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ import { getZeroAgent } from '../../lib/server-utils';
 import { Ratelimit } from '@upstash/ratelimit';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
+const DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS = {
+  backgroundColor: '#202020',
+  textColor: '#FFFFFF',
+} as const;
+
 export const labelsRouter = router({
   list: activeDriverProcedure
     .use(
@@ -41,15 +46,10 @@ export const labelsRouter = router({
     .input(
       z.object({
         name: z.string(),
-        color: z
-          .object({
-            backgroundColor: z.string(),
-            textColor: z.string(),
-          })
-          .default({
-            backgroundColor: '',
-            textColor: '',
-          }),
+        color: z.object({
+          backgroundColor: z.string().regex(/^#[0-9A-F]{6}$/i, 'Must be a valid hex color').default(DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS.backgroundColor),
+          textColor: z.string().regex(/^#[0-9A-F]{6}$/i, 'Must be a valid hex color').default(DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS.textColor),
+        }).default(DEFAULT_LABEL_COLORS),
       }),
     )
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {