diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6a5c743..475177a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   the Control's own visible `label:` / `hint:` get stable ids and the field wires
   `aria-labelledby` / `aria-describedby` at them (no duplicate markup). Absent a
   name, output is unchanged.
+- **`checkbox_group` `item_label:`** — the per-item text accessor, so a
+  `f.field(:tags, as: :checkbox_group, label: "Tags", item_label: ->(t){…})`
+  renders a visible group heading (`label:`, via the Control) AND custom item
+  labels at once — previously `label:` on the `f.field` path was eaten by the
+  heading and items fell back to `to_s`. `item_label:` wins over `label:` for the
+  item text; on the bare verb `label:` stays the item accessor and `item_label:`
+  is an alias. Absent it, behavior is unchanged.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a7b7b4d..3ffad23 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -368,9 +368,13 @@ f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, Tag.all, value: :id,
   variant: :pill,                             # :stack (default) | :inline | :pill
   size: :sm,                                  # daisyUI checkbox size
   aria: { label: "Tags" })                    # names the group for screen readers
-# ...or through field inference (the field's label/hint name the group):
+# ...or through field inference. Here `label:`/`hint:` are the field's VISIBLE
+# heading + description (rendered by the Control, which also names the group);
+# `item_label:` gives the per-item text, so you get a heading AND custom item
+# labels at once:
 f.field :tag_ids, as: :checkbox_group, collection: Tag.all, value: :id,
-  label: "Tags", hint: "Pick any"
+  label: "Tags", hint: "Pick any",
+  item_label: ->(t) { t.name.presence || t.slug }, variant: :pill
 
 f.collection_select(:country_id, Country.all, :id, :name, prompt: "Select…")
 ```
@@ -381,6 +385,13 @@ set comes from the model's current value matched by each item's resolved
 `value:` — re-rendering an edit form pre-checks the right boxes. The `:pill`
 variant styles the active chip with Tailwind's `has-[:checked]:` (no JS).
 
+**Two labels, no collision.** Through `f.field`, `label:` is the field's visible
+group heading (the Control renders it); the per-item text comes from `item_label:`
+(a Symbol method or Proc). On the bare `f.checkbox_group` verb there is no Control
+heading, so `label:` *is* the per-item accessor (and `item_label:` is accepted as
+an alias). Either way `value:` is the submitted value; `item_label:` wins over
+`label:` for the item text when both are present.
+
 A `role="group"` needs an **accessible name** for assistive tech. The verb has
 no bespoke naming option — HTML/ARIA attributes pass straight through to the
 group, so name it with plain `aria:` (`aria: { label: "Tags" }` for a literal
diff --git a/lib/forms/checkbox_group.rb b/lib/forms/checkbox_group.rb
index fb3f09f..d025fb2 100644
--- a/lib/forms/checkbox_group.rb
+++ b/lib/forms/checkbox_group.rb
@@ -8,10 +8,13 @@ module Forms
   # resolved value: of its item against the model's current set.
   #
   #   f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, Tag.all, value: :id,
-  #     label: ->(t) { t.name.presence || t.slug }, variant: :pill, size: :sm)
+  #     item_label: ->(t) { t.name.presence || t.slug }, variant: :pill, size: :sm)
   #
-  # value:   method or proc -> the submitted value of each item (default :id)
-  # label:   method or proc -> the visible text of each item (default :to_s)
+  # The item value/text accessors (value:/label:/item_label:) live on the BUILDER
+  # (Forms::Field#checkbox_group), which pre-resolves each item to
+  # { value:, label:, checked:, id: } before this leaf renders. This leaf is
+  # presentation-only — it receives the resolved options: array, never the raw
+  # accessors.
   # variant: :stack (default) | :inline | :pill — layout only, zero JS
   # size:    daisyUI checkbox size modifier (:xs :sm :md :lg :xl)
   #
diff --git a/lib/forms/field.rb b/lib/forms/field.rb
index 199a0c3..bb85d7f 100644
--- a/lib/forms/field.rb
+++ b/lib/forms/field.rb
@@ -112,8 +112,20 @@ def tag_field(*modifiers, suggestions: [], **)
     #
     #   field.checkbox_group(Tag.all, value: :id, label: ->(t) { t.name })
     #
-    # value:/label: are a method name (Symbol) or a proc taking the item.
-    def checkbox_group(collection, value: :id, label: :to_s, **)
+    # value: is a method name (Symbol) or a proc taking the item -> its submitted
+    # value. The per-item visible text comes from item_label: (Symbol/Proc/String)
+    # if given, else label:; when NEITHER is given each item is labelled by the
+    # first of name/title/label/to_s it responds to (the same LABEL_METHODS chain
+    # Inference uses for association choices) — so a plain
+    # `f.field(:tags, as: :checkbox_group, label: "Tags")` shows readable item
+    # text without an explicit accessor.
+    #
+    # item_label: exists so the `f.field` path can pass a visible group heading as
+    # `label:` (consumed by the Control) AND still customize the per-item text
+    # here — the two no longer collide. item_label: is consumed here; it never
+    # leaks to the group div.
+    def checkbox_group(collection, value: :id, label: nil, item_label: nil, **)
+      text = item_label || label
       # The model's current value is already the raw values (e.g. record.tag_ids
       # => [1, 3]), so compare against them directly — don't re-resolve value:.
       selected = Array(field_value)
@@ -121,7 +133,7 @@ def checkbox_group(collection, value: :id, label: :to_s, **)
         item_value = resolve_item(item, value)
         {
           value: item_value,
-          label: resolve_item(item, label),
+          label: text ? resolve_item(item, text) : infer_item_label(item),
           checked: selected.include?(item_value),
           id: "#{field_id}_#{item_value}"
         }
@@ -256,9 +268,25 @@ def conditional?(validator)
       validator.options.key?(:if) || validator.options.key?(:unless) || validator.options.key?(:on)
     end
 
-    # value:/label: for checkbox_group: a Proc taking the item, or a method name.
+    # value:/label:/item_label: for checkbox_group. A Proc is called with the
+    # item; a String is literal text (the same for every item — no method
+    # dispatch, so a stray string can't NoMethodError); anything else (a Symbol)
+    # is sent to the item as a method name.
     def resolve_item(item, accessor)
-      accessor.respond_to?(:call) ? accessor.call(item) : item.public_send(accessor)
+      case accessor
+      when Proc   then accessor.call(item)
+      when String then accessor
+      else item.public_send(accessor)
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Default per-item label when no label:/item_label: was given: the first of
+    # name/title/label/to_s the item responds to (mirrors PhlexForms::Inference's
+    # LABEL_METHODS for association choices, so option text is picked the same way
+    # across the gem).
+    def infer_item_label(item)
+      method = PhlexForms::Inference::LABEL_METHODS.find { |m| item.respond_to?(m) }
+      item.public_send(method || :to_s)
     end
 
     def field_attributes
diff --git a/spec/forms/checkbox_group_spec.rb b/spec/forms/checkbox_group_spec.rb
index a694c73..a2acea4 100644
--- a/spec/forms/checkbox_group_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/forms/checkbox_group_spec.rb
@@ -225,4 +225,89 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  # Feedback follow-up: the f.field path took `label:` as the visible Control
+  # heading, so the per-item label proc had nowhere to go (items fell back to
+  # to_s). `item_label:` supplies the per-item text alongside a visible heading —
+  # the marketplace tag-picker shape (heading + custom item labels) in one call.
+  describe "item_label: (visible heading + custom item labels at once)" do
+    it "renders the Control heading AND custom item labels via f.field" do
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.field(:tag_ids, as: :checkbox_group, collection:, value: :id,
+          label: "Tags", hint: "Pick any",
+          item_label: ->(t) { t.name || t.slug })
+      end
+
+      # The visible Control heading (label:) is present and names the group.
+      expect(output).to include(">Tags</span>")
+      expect(output).to match(/role="group"[^>]*aria-labelledby="user_tag_ids_label"/)
+      # Item labels come from the proc — the third item's name is nil -> its slug.
+      expect(output).to include(">Ruby<")
+      expect(output).to include(">hotwire<") # name nil -> slug fallback
+      # NOT the struct's to_s (the pre-fix behavior).
+      expect(output).not_to include("#<struct")
+    end
+
+    it "accepts item_label: as a Symbol method too" do
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.field(:tag_ids, as: :checkbox_group, collection:, value: :id,
+          label: "Tags", item_label: :slug)
+      end
+
+      expect(output).to include(">ruby<")
+      expect(output).to include(">rails<")
+    end
+
+    it "on the bare verb, item_label: is an alias for the item accessor" do
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, collection, value: :id,
+          item_label: :slug, aria: { label: "Tags" })
+      end
+
+      expect(output).to include(">ruby<")
+      expect(output).to include(">hotwire<")
+    end
+
+    it "item_label: wins over label: when both reach the group" do
+      # label: :name would give nil for the third item; item_label: forces slug.
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, collection, value: :id, label: :name, item_label: :slug)
+      end
+
+      expect(output).to include(">hotwire<") # slug, not the nil name
+    end
+
+    it "keeps an explicit label: accessor when item_label: is absent" do
+      # Backward compatible with the bare-verb usage.
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, collection, value: :id, label: :name)
+      end
+
+      expect(output).to include(">Ruby<")
+      expect(output).to include(">Rails<")
+    end
+
+    it "infers item text (name/title/label/to_s) when neither label: nor item_label: given" do
+      # The heading-only f.field case: label: is the Control heading, so nothing
+      # reaches the group as an item accessor — it should still read the item's
+      # name, not dump #<struct ...>.
+      output = render_form(user) do |f|
+        f.field(:tag_ids, as: :checkbox_group, collection:, value: :id, label: "Tags")
+      end
+
+      expect(output).to include(">Ruby<") # item.name, inferred
+      expect(output).to include(">Rails<")
+      expect(output).not_to include("#<struct")
+    end
+
+    it "treats a String item_label: as literal text (no method dispatch)" do
+      # A plain object with no matching reader must not NoMethodError.
+      plain = [Object.new, Object.new]
+      output = render_form(build_model(:user, tag_ids: [])) do |f|
+        f.checkbox_group(:tag_ids, plain, value: :object_id, item_label: "Pick me")
+      end
+
+      expect(output.scan(">Pick me<").size).to eq(2)
+    end
+  end
 end