diff --git a/cli/repo/cron/cron_add.go b/cli/repo/cron/cron_add.go
index df86ef483c6..2884181f27d 100644
--- a/cli/repo/cron/cron_add.go
+++ b/cli/repo/cron/cron_add.go
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ var cronCreateCmd = &cli.Command{
 			Usage:    "cron schedule",
 			Required: true,
 		},
+		&cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "enabled",
+			Usage: "whether cron is enabled",
+			Value: true,
+		},
 		common.FormatFlag(tmplCronList, true),
 	},
 }
@@ -58,6 +63,7 @@ func cronCreate(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command) error {
 		schedule         = c.String("schedule")
 		repoIDOrFullName = c.String("repository")
 		format           = c.String("format") + "\n"
+		enabled          = c.Bool("enabled")
 	)
 	if repoIDOrFullName == "" {
 		repoIDOrFullName = c.Args().First()
@@ -77,6 +83,7 @@ func cronCreate(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command) error {
 		Name:     cronName,
 		Branch:   branch,
 		Schedule: schedule,
+		Enabled:  enabled,
 	}
 	cron, err = client.CronCreate(repoID, cron)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cli/repo/cron/cron_update.go b/cli/repo/cron/cron_update.go
index 323893027fa..bd1678f2e6c 100644
--- a/cli/repo/cron/cron_update.go
+++ b/cli/repo/cron/cron_update.go
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ var cronUpdateCmd = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "schedule",
 			Usage: "cron schedule",
 		},
+		&cli.BoolFlag{
+			Name:  "enabled",
+			Usage: "whether cron is enabled",
+			Value: true,
+		},
 		common.FormatFlag(tmplCronList, true),
 	},
 }
@@ -62,6 +67,7 @@ func cronUpdate(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command) error {
 		branch           = c.String("branch")
 		schedule         = c.String("schedule")
 		format           = c.String("format") + "\n"
+		enabled          = c.Bool("enabled")
 	)
 	if repoIDOrFullName == "" {
 		repoIDOrFullName = c.Args().First()
@@ -79,6 +85,7 @@ func cronUpdate(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command) error {
 		Name:     jobName,
 		Branch:   branch,
 		Schedule: schedule,
+		Enabled:  enabled,
 	}
 	cron, err = client.CronUpdate(repoID, cron)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/server/api/cron.go b/server/api/cron.go
index 119b22d368b..f982832a3d4 100644
--- a/server/api/cron.go
+++ b/server/api/cron.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/pipeline"
 	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/router/middleware/session"
 	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/store"
+	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/store/types"
 )
 
 // GetCron
@@ -153,7 +155,11 @@ func PostCron(c *gin.Context) {
 	}
 
 	if err := _store.CronCreate(cron); err != nil {
-		c.String(http.StatusInternalServerError, "Error inserting cron %q. %s", in.Name, err)
+		if errors.Is(err, types.ErrUniqueExists) {
+			c.String(http.StatusConflict, "cron with this exists for this repo already")
+		} else {
+			c.String(http.StatusInternalServerError, "Error inserting cron %q. %s", in.Name, err)
+		}
 		return
 	}
 	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, cron)
diff --git a/server/store/datastore/cron.go b/server/store/datastore/cron.go
index 85530036f1c..a27a295af1a 100644
--- a/server/store/datastore/cron.go
+++ b/server/store/datastore/cron.go
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@
 package datastore
 
 import (
+	"strings"
+
 	"xorm.io/builder"
 
 	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/model"
+	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/store/types"
 )
 
 func (s storage) CronCreate(cron *model.Cron) error {
@@ -25,6 +28,9 @@ func (s storage) CronCreate(cron *model.Cron) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	_, err := s.engine.Insert(cron)
+	if err != nil && (strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "UNIQUE constraint failed") || strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "pq: duplicate key value violates unique constraint") || strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Duplicate entry")) {
+		return types.ErrUniqueExists
+	}
 	return err
 }
 
diff --git a/server/store/datastore/cron_test.go b/server/store/datastore/cron_test.go
index 289c57a27be..bfe66219bb2 100644
--- a/server/store/datastore/cron_test.go
+++ b/server/store/datastore/cron_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/model"
+	"go.woodpecker-ci.org/woodpecker/v3/server/store/types"
 )
 
 func TestCronCreate(t *testing.T) {
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ func TestCronCreate(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotEqualValues(t, 0, cron1.ID)
 
 	// cannot insert cron job with same repoID and title
-	assert.Error(t, store.CronCreate(cron1))
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, types.ErrUniqueExists, store.CronCreate(cron1))
 
 	oldID := cron1.ID
 	assert.NoError(t, store.CronDelete(repo, oldID))
diff --git a/server/store/mocks/mock_Store.go b/server/store/mocks/mock_Store.go
index 7a0a6ba7a54..629bdb2e0dc 100644
--- a/server/store/mocks/mock_Store.go
+++ b/server/store/mocks/mock_Store.go
@@ -940,6 +940,72 @@ func (_c *MockStore_CronDelete_Call) RunAndReturn(run func(repo *model.Repo, n i
 	return _c
 }
 
+// CronExists provides a mock function for the type MockStore
+func (_mock *MockStore) CronExists(repo *model.Repo, s string) (bool, error) {
+	ret := _mock.Called(repo, s)
+
+	if len(ret) == 0 {
+		panic("no return value specified for CronExists")
+	}
+
+	var r0 bool
+	var r1 error
+	if returnFunc, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(*model.Repo, string) (bool, error)); ok {
+		return returnFunc(repo, s)
+	}
+	if returnFunc, ok := ret.Get(0).(func(*model.Repo, string) bool); ok {
+		r0 = returnFunc(repo, s)
+	} else {
+		r0 = ret.Get(0).(bool)
+	}
+	if returnFunc, ok := ret.Get(1).(func(*model.Repo, string) error); ok {
+		r1 = returnFunc(repo, s)
+	} else {
+		r1 = ret.Error(1)
+	}
+	return r0, r1
+}
+
+// MockStore_CronExists_Call is a *mock.Call that shadows Run/Return methods with type explicit version for method 'CronExists'
+type MockStore_CronExists_Call struct {
+	*mock.Call
+}
+
+// CronExists is a helper method to define mock.On call
+//   - repo *model.Repo
+//   - s string
+func (_e *MockStore_Expecter) CronExists(repo interface{}, s interface{}) *MockStore_CronExists_Call {
+	return &MockStore_CronExists_Call{Call: _e.mock.On("CronExists", repo, s)}
+}
+
+func (_c *MockStore_CronExists_Call) Run(run func(repo *model.Repo, s string)) *MockStore_CronExists_Call {
+	_c.Call.Run(func(args mock.Arguments) {
+		var arg0 *model.Repo
+		if args[0] != nil {
+			arg0 = args[0].(*model.Repo)
+		}
+		var arg1 string
+		if args[1] != nil {
+			arg1 = args[1].(string)
+		}
+		run(
+			arg0,
+			arg1,
+		)
+	})
+	return _c
+}
+
+func (_c *MockStore_CronExists_Call) Return(b bool, err error) *MockStore_CronExists_Call {
+	_c.Call.Return(b, err)
+	return _c
+}
+
+func (_c *MockStore_CronExists_Call) RunAndReturn(run func(repo *model.Repo, s string) (bool, error)) *MockStore_CronExists_Call {
+	_c.Call.Return(run)
+	return _c
+}
+
 // CronFind provides a mock function for the type MockStore
 func (_mock *MockStore) CronFind(repo *model.Repo, n int64) (*model.Cron, error) {
 	ret := _mock.Called(repo, n)
diff --git a/server/store/types/errors.go b/server/store/types/errors.go
index c7901a1c6ed..21efb406a75 100644
--- a/server/store/types/errors.go
+++ b/server/store/types/errors.go
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 
 package types
 
-import "database/sql"
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
+)
 
 var RecordNotExist = sql.ErrNoRows
+
+var ErrUniqueExists = errors.New("unique constraint failed")
diff --git a/woodpecker-go/woodpecker/types.go b/woodpecker-go/woodpecker/types.go
index d9a2a8dd4f0..7fa65c1de4a 100644
--- a/woodpecker-go/woodpecker/types.go
+++ b/woodpecker-go/woodpecker/types.go
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ type (
 		Schedule  string `json:"schedule"`
 		Created   int64  `json:"created"`
 		Branch    string `json:"branch"`
+		Enabled   bool   `json:"enabled"`
 	}
 
 	// PipelineOptions is the JSON data for creating a new pipeline.