diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 6ed8b47..cb6ad2e 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ MC_SEED=
 
 # Server-side mods (Modrinth project slugs, comma-separated).
 # Auto-resolved to the newest compatible release on every container start.
-MODRINTH_PROJECTS=fabric-api,easyauth,spark,lithium,ferrite-core
+# Append ":beta" to allow beta-typed builds for a project (EasyAuth ships
+# its 26.x builds as beta on Modrinth).
+MODRINTH_PROJECTS=fabric-api,easyauth:beta,spark,lithium,ferrite-core
 # To run a full modpack instead, set its Modrinth slug (e.g. adrenaline)
 # and see docs/mods-and-modpacks.md before enabling.
 MODRINTH_MODPACK=
diff --git a/dashboard/src/app/(panel)/mods/page.tsx b/dashboard/src/app/(panel)/mods/page.tsx
index 63eda78..1a3b60d 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/app/(panel)/mods/page.tsx
+++ b/dashboard/src/app/(panel)/mods/page.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ type SearchHit = {
 
 const PROTECTED = new Set(["fabric-api", "easyauth"]);
 
+// Managed entries may carry a version qualifier ("easyauth:beta") — compare
+// by the base slug.
+const baseSlug = (entry: string) => entry.split(":")[0].toLowerCase();
+
 export default function ModsPage() {
   const { data, refresh } = useApi<ModsData>("/api/mods", 0);
   const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
@@ -82,7 +86,7 @@ export default function ModsPage() {
     }
   };
 
-  const managedSet = new Set((data?.managed ?? []).map((s) => s.toLowerCase()));
+  const managedSet = new Set((data?.managed ?? []).map(baseSlug));
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-4">
@@ -121,7 +125,7 @@ export default function ModsPage() {
             )}
             {hits?.length === 0 && <p className="py-6 text-center text-xs text-muted">No compatible mods found.</p>}
             {hits?.map((h) => {
-              const already = managedSet.has(h.slug.toLowerCase());
+              const already = managedSet.has(baseSlug(h.slug));
               return (
                 <div key={h.slug} className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface2 p-2.5">
                   {h.icon_url ? (
@@ -166,13 +170,13 @@ export default function ModsPage() {
             {(data?.managed ?? []).map((slug) => (
               <li key={slug} className="flex items-center gap-2 rounded-lg border border-border bg-surface2 px-3 py-2">
                 <span className="font-mono text-sm">{slug}</span>
-                {PROTECTED.has(slug.toLowerCase()) && (
+                {PROTECTED.has(baseSlug(slug)) && (
                   <Badge color="info">
                     <Lock size={9} /> required
                   </Badge>
                 )}
                 <span className="ml-auto">
-                  {!PROTECTED.has(slug.toLowerCase()) && (
+                  {!PROTECTED.has(baseSlug(slug)) && (
                     <Button
                       size="sm"
                       variant="danger"
diff --git a/dashboard/src/server/modrinth.ts b/dashboard/src/server/modrinth.ts
index 154a545..0a23e47 100644
--- a/dashboard/src/server/modrinth.ts
+++ b/dashboard/src/server/modrinth.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ export async function searchMods(query: string): Promise<ModSearchResult[]> {
   return data.hits;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Entries may carry a version qualifier after a colon (e.g. "easyauth:beta"
+ * allows beta-typed builds); comparisons always use the base slug.
+ */
 export function managedSlugs(): string[] {
   return (readEnvFile()["MODRINTH_PROJECTS"] ?? "")
     .split(",")
@@ -47,22 +51,26 @@ export function managedSlugs(): string[] {
     .filter(Boolean);
 }
 
+export function baseSlug(entry: string): string {
+  return entry.split(":")[0].toLowerCase();
+}
+
 const PROTECTED_SLUGS = new Set(["fabric-api", "easyauth"]);
 
 export function addManagedMod(slug: string): string[] {
   if (!/^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9\-_]{0,63}$/i.test(slug)) throw new Error("Invalid Modrinth slug");
   const slugs = managedSlugs();
-  if (slugs.some((s) => s.toLowerCase() === slug.toLowerCase())) return slugs;
+  if (slugs.some((s) => baseSlug(s) === slug.toLowerCase())) return slugs;
   const next = [...slugs, slug.toLowerCase()];
   writeEnvFile({ MODRINTH_PROJECTS: next.join(",") });
   return next;
 }
 
 export function removeManagedMod(slug: string): string[] {
-  if (PROTECTED_SLUGS.has(slug.toLowerCase())) {
+  if (PROTECTED_SLUGS.has(baseSlug(slug))) {
     throw new Error(`${slug} is required by the panel (auth/loader) and can't be removed here`);
   }
-  const next = managedSlugs().filter((s) => s.toLowerCase() !== slug.toLowerCase());
+  const next = managedSlugs().filter((s) => baseSlug(s) !== baseSlug(slug));
   writeEnvFile({ MODRINTH_PROJECTS: next.join(",") });
   return next;
 }
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 389924d..7264e78 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@ services:
       ENABLE_RCON: "true"
       RCON_PASSWORD: ${RCON_PASSWORD:?generate with scripts/setup.sh}
 
-      # Server-side mods, auto-resolved for the current MC version on every start
-      MODRINTH_PROJECTS: ${MODRINTH_PROJECTS:-fabric-api,easyauth,spark,lithium,ferrite-core}
+      # Server-side mods, auto-resolved for the current MC version on every start.
+      # ":beta" allows beta-typed builds for that project (EasyAuth publishes
+      # its 26.x builds as beta).
+      MODRINTH_PROJECTS: ${MODRINTH_PROJECTS:-fabric-api,easyauth:beta,spark,lithium,ferrite-core}
       MODRINTH_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES: required
 
       # Modpack support (leave empty for lean Fabric; see docs/mods-and-modpacks.md)
diff --git a/docs/mods-and-modpacks.md b/docs/mods-and-modpacks.md
index fc44145..52d870c 100644
--- a/docs/mods-and-modpacks.md
+++ b/docs/mods-and-modpacks.md
@@ -36,9 +36,13 @@ restart the server.
 Managed mods are pinned by *project slug*, not version, in `.env`:
 
 ```
-MODRINTH_PROJECTS=fabric-api,easyauth,spark,lithium,ferrite-core
+MODRINTH_PROJECTS=fabric-api,easyauth:beta,spark,lithium,ferrite-core
 ```
 
+A `:beta` (or `:alpha`) suffix widens which release types are accepted for that
+project — EasyAuth publishes its 26.x builds as beta on Modrinth, so it needs the
+suffix. Without one, only release-typed builds are considered.
+
 Every time the server container (re)starts, the itzg image resolves each slug to the
 **newest release compatible with your Minecraft version** and downloads it. So:
 
diff --git a/docs/troubleshooting.md b/docs/troubleshooting.md
index b5fc0ec..8b79daa 100644
--- a/docs/troubleshooting.md
+++ b/docs/troubleshooting.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 |---|---|
 | `EULA` complaints | `EULA=TRUE` is set by compose — make sure you didn't override it |
 | A mod failed to resolve for your version | Remove that slug on the Mods page, Apply. (New MC version + mod hasn't updated yet.) |
+| `No candidate versions of '<mod>' … matched versionType=release` | The mod only ships beta builds for this MC version — append `:beta` to its entry in `MODRINTH_PROJECTS` (e.g. `easyauth:beta`) and `docker compose up -d mc` |
 | `OutOfMemoryError` | Lower `MC_VIEW_DISTANCE`, or raise `MC_MEMORY`/`MC_CONTAINER_MEM_LIMIT` if the host has headroom |
 | Port already in use | Something else on 25565 — change `MC_PORT` in `.env` |
 | Crash right after "Done" | A mod conflict — disable recently added jars (Mods page → power icon) |