diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
index d9512c06c32..13aac30a27a 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: Bug report 
 about: Report a bug in the core of Spack (command not working as expected, etc.) 
-
+labels: bug
 ---
 
 
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/build_error.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/build_error.md
index ae47b2338d6..3f36cf93cb1 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/build_error.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/build_error.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: Build error 
 about: Some package in Spack didn't build correctly  
-
+labels: "build-error"
 ---
 
 *Thanks for taking the time to report this build failure. To proceed with the
diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
index d1c44df48c3..35481fecb72 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/feature_request.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ---
 name: Feature request 
 about: Suggest adding a feature that is not yet in Spack  
+labels: feature
 
 ---