diff --git a/src/timmy/vassal/dispatch.py b/src/timmy/vassal/dispatch.py
index b659bb03..d0feb99b 100644
--- a/src/timmy/vassal/dispatch.py
+++ b/src/timmy/vassal/dispatch.py
@@ -110,6 +110,92 @@ async def _get_or_create_label(
     return None
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Dispatch action helpers
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+async def _apply_label_to_issue(
+    client: Any,
+    base_url: str,
+    headers: dict,
+    repo: str,
+    issue_number: int,
+    label_name: str,
+) -> bool:
+    """Get-or-create the label then apply it to the issue. Returns True on success."""
+    label_id = await _get_or_create_label(client, base_url, headers, repo, label_name)
+    if label_id is None:
+        return False
+    resp = await client.post(
+        f"{base_url}/repos/{repo}/issues/{issue_number}/labels",
+        headers=headers,
+        json={"labels": [label_id]},
+    )
+    return resp.status_code in (200, 201)
+
+
+async def _post_dispatch_comment(
+    client: Any,
+    base_url: str,
+    headers: dict,
+    repo: str,
+    issue: TriagedIssue,
+    label_name: str,
+) -> bool:
+    """Post the vassal routing comment. Returns True on success."""
+    agent_name = issue.agent_target.value.capitalize()
+    comment_body = (
+        f"🤖 **Vassal dispatch** → routed to **{agent_name}**\n\n"
+        f"Priority score: {issue.priority_score}  \n"
+        f"Rationale: {issue.rationale}  \n"
+        f"Label: `{label_name}`"
+    )
+    resp = await client.post(
+        f"{base_url}/repos/{repo}/issues/{issue.number}/comments",
+        headers=headers,
+        json={"body": comment_body},
+    )
+    return resp.status_code in (200, 201)
+
+
+async def _perform_gitea_dispatch(
+    issue: TriagedIssue,
+    record: DispatchRecord,
+) -> None:
+    """Apply label and post comment via Gitea. Mutates *record* in-place."""
+    try:
+        import httpx
+
+        from config import settings
+    except ImportError as exc:
+        logger.warning("dispatch_issue: missing dependency — %s", exc)
+        return
+
+    if not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
+        logger.info("dispatch_issue: Gitea disabled — skipping label/comment")
+        return
+
+    base_url = f"{settings.gitea_url}/api/v1"
+    repo = settings.gitea_repo
+    headers = {
+        "Authorization": f"token {settings.gitea_token}",
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+    }
+    label_name = _LABEL_MAP[issue.agent_target]
+
+    try:
+        async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=15) as client:
+            record.label_applied = await _apply_label_to_issue(
+                client, base_url, headers, repo, issue.number, label_name
+            )
+            record.comment_posted = await _post_dispatch_comment(
+                client, base_url, headers, repo, issue, label_name
+            )
+    except Exception as exc:
+        logger.warning("dispatch_issue: Gitea action failed — %s", exc)
+
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Dispatch action
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -144,58 +230,7 @@ async def dispatch_issue(issue: TriagedIssue) -> DispatchRecord:
         _registry[issue.number] = record
         return record
 
-    try:
-        import httpx
-
-        from config import settings
-    except ImportError as exc:
-        logger.warning("dispatch_issue: missing dependency — %s", exc)
-        _registry[issue.number] = record
-        return record
-
-    if not settings.gitea_enabled or not settings.gitea_token:
-        logger.info("dispatch_issue: Gitea disabled — skipping label/comment")
-        _registry[issue.number] = record
-        return record
-
-    base_url = f"{settings.gitea_url}/api/v1"
-    repo = settings.gitea_repo
-    headers = {
-        "Authorization": f"token {settings.gitea_token}",
-        "Content-Type": "application/json",
-    }
-    label_name = _LABEL_MAP[issue.agent_target]
-
-    try:
-        async with httpx.AsyncClient(timeout=15) as client:
-            label_id = await _get_or_create_label(client, base_url, headers, repo, label_name)
-
-            # Apply label
-            if label_id is not None:
-                resp = await client.post(
-                    f"{base_url}/repos/{repo}/issues/{issue.number}/labels",
-                    headers=headers,
-                    json={"labels": [label_id]},
-                )
-                record.label_applied = resp.status_code in (200, 201)
-
-            # Post routing comment
-            agent_name = issue.agent_target.value.capitalize()
-            comment_body = (
-                f"🤖 **Vassal dispatch** → routed to **{agent_name}**\n\n"
-                f"Priority score: {issue.priority_score}  \n"
-                f"Rationale: {issue.rationale}  \n"
-                f"Label: `{label_name}`"
-            )
-            resp = await client.post(
-                f"{base_url}/repos/{repo}/issues/{issue.number}/comments",
-                headers=headers,
-                json={"body": comment_body},
-            )
-            record.comment_posted = resp.status_code in (200, 201)
-
-    except Exception as exc:
-        logger.warning("dispatch_issue: Gitea action failed — %s", exc)
+    await _perform_gitea_dispatch(issue, record)
 
     _registry[issue.number] = record
     logger.info(