diff --git a/routers/web/repo/issue_test.go b/routers/web/repo/issue_test.go
index e2c812084d..8c4991678b 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/issue_test.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/issue_test.go
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
+	project_model "forgejo.org/models/project"
+	repo_model "forgejo.org/models/repo"
 	"forgejo.org/models/unittest"
 	"forgejo.org/services/contexttest"
+	"forgejo.org/tests/forgery"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
@@ -16,77 +19,54 @@ import (
 func TestNewIssueValidateProject(t *testing.T) {
 	unittest.PrepareTestEnv(t)
 
-	for _, testCase := range []struct {
-		name      string
-		projectID int64
-		userName  string
-		userID    int64
-		repoName  string
-		repoID    int64
-		isFound   bool
-	}{
-		{
-			name:      "Project belongs to repository",
-			projectID: 1,
-			userName:  "user2",
-			userID:    2,
-			repoName:  "repo1",
-			repoID:    1,
-			isFound:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:      "Project belongs to user",
-			projectID: 4,
-			userName:  "user2",
-			userID:    2,
-			repoName:  "repo1",
-			repoID:    1,
-			isFound:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:      "Project belongs to org",
-			projectID: 7,
-			userName:  "org3",
-			userID:    3,
-			repoName:  "repo3",
-			repoID:    3,
-			isFound:   true,
-		},
-		{
-			name:      "Project neither belongs to repo nor the user",
-			projectID: 2,
-			userName:  "user2",
-			userID:    2,
-			repoName:  "repo1",
-			repoID:    1,
-			isFound:   false,
-		},
-	} {
-		t.Run(testCase.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			ctx, _ := contexttest.MockContext(
-				t, fmt.Sprintf(
-					"/%s/%s/issues/new?project=%d",
-					testCase.userName,
-					testCase.repoName,
-					testCase.projectID,
-				),
-			)
-			contexttest.LoadUser(t, ctx, testCase.userID)
-			contexttest.LoadRepo(t, ctx, testCase.repoID)
-			contexttest.LoadGitRepo(t, ctx)
-			if ctx.Repo.Owner.IsOrganization() {
-				contexttest.LoadOrganization(t, ctx, ctx.Repo.Owner.ID)
-			}
+	user := forgery.CreateUser(t, &forgery.CreateUserOptions{
+		IsAdmin: true, // to allow creating organisation
+	})
 
-			NewIssue(ctx)
+	chooseProject := func(t *testing.T, repo *repo_model.Repository, p *project_model.Project, isFound bool) {
+		ctx, _ := contexttest.MockContext(
+			t, fmt.Sprintf(
+				"%s/issues/new?project=%d",
+				repo.Link(),
+				p.ID,
+			),
+		)
+		contexttest.LoadUser(t, ctx, user.ID)
+		contexttest.LoadRepo(t, ctx, repo.ID)
+		contexttest.LoadGitRepo(t, ctx)
+		if ctx.Repo.Owner.IsOrganization() {
+			contexttest.LoadOrganization(t, ctx, ctx.Repo.Owner.ID)
+		}
 
-			if testCase.isFound {
-				assert.Equal(t, testCase.projectID, ctx.Data["project_id"])
-				assert.NotNil(t, ctx.Data["Project"])
-			} else {
-				assert.Nil(t, ctx.Data["project_id"])
-				assert.Nil(t, ctx.Data["Project"])
-			}
-		})
+		NewIssue(ctx)
+
+		if isFound {
+			assert.Equal(t, p.ID, ctx.Data["project_id"])
+			assert.NotNil(t, ctx.Data["Project"])
+		} else {
+			assert.Nil(t, ctx.Data["project_id"])
+			assert.Nil(t, ctx.Data["Project"])
+		}
 	}
+
+	userRepo := forgery.CreateRepository(t, user, nil)
+	userOrg := forgery.CreateOrganisation(t, user)
+	orgRepo := forgery.CreateRepository(t, userOrg.AsUser(), nil)
+	t.Run("Project belongs to repository", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p := forgery.CreateProject(t, userRepo, nil)
+		chooseProject(t, userRepo, p, true)
+	})
+	t.Run("Project belongs to user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p := forgery.CreateProject(t, user, nil)
+		chooseProject(t, userRepo, p, true)
+	})
+	t.Run("Project belongs to org", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p := forgery.CreateProject(t, userOrg, nil)
+		chooseProject(t, orgRepo, p, true)
+	})
+	t.Run("Project neither belongs to repo nor the user", func(t *testing.T) {
+		otherUser := forgery.CreateUser(t, nil)
+		p := forgery.CreateProject(t, otherUser, nil)
+		chooseProject(t, userRepo, p, false)
+	})
 }
diff --git a/tests/forgery/project.go b/tests/forgery/project.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c63618b11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/forgery/project.go
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Forgejo Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package forgery
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	org_model "forgejo.org/models/organization"
+	project_model "forgejo.org/models/project"
+	repo_model "forgejo.org/models/repo"
+	user_model "forgejo.org/models/user"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+type CreateProjectOptions struct {
+	TemplateType project_model.TemplateType
+	CardType     project_model.CardType
+}
+
+func CreateProject[T org_model.Organization | user_model.User | repo_model.Repository](t testing.TB, owner *T, opts *CreateProjectOptions) *project_model.Project {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	if opts == nil {
+		opts = &CreateProjectOptions{}
+	}
+
+	p := &project_model.Project{
+		Title:        t.Name(),
+		Description:  "Test project",
+		TemplateType: opts.TemplateType,
+		CardType:     opts.CardType,
+	}
+	switch o := any(owner).(type) {
+	case *org_model.Organization:
+		p.Owner = o.AsUser()
+		p.OwnerID = o.ID
+		p.Type = project_model.TypeOrganization
+	case *user_model.User:
+		p.Owner = o
+		p.OwnerID = o.ID
+		p.Type = project_model.TypeIndividual
+	case *repo_model.Repository:
+		p.Repo = o
+		p.RepoID = o.ID
+		p.Type = project_model.TypeRepository
+	default:
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected owner type %T", o)
+	}
+	err := project_model.NewProject(t.Context(), p)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		_ = project_model.DeleteProjectByID(t.Context(), p.ID)
+	})
+	return p
+}