diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4bf920e..9c61671 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ Schedule section:
 | `d` | Remove the assignment |
 | `←` / `→` | Shift the week window |
 
+One person holds a given day. Assigning over days somebody else already has
+asks first — naming them and how many days are being taken — and moves the whole
+selection at once when you accept, so reassigning a week is one confirmation
+rather than seven deletions. Taking somebody's shift needs terdut-server
+**v0.8.0 or later**; against an older server the assignment is refused with
+`date already assigned`.
+
 Users section:
 
 | Key | Action |
diff --git a/internal/api/client.go b/internal/api/client.go
index 4a3bbad..194d880 100644
--- a/internal/api/client.go
+++ b/internal/api/client.go
@@ -358,11 +358,17 @@ func (c *Client) GetCurrentOnCall() (*ScheduleEntry, error) {
 	return &entry, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Client) AssignSchedule(userID int64, dates []string) ([]ScheduleEntry, error) {
+// AssignSchedule puts one user on call for the given dates.
+//
+// The server holds one person per day and refuses a date somebody already has,
+// so replace is what takes a shift off its current holder. It is all-or-nothing
+// either way: a week of free and taken days moves as a unit, or not at all.
+func (c *Client) AssignSchedule(userID int64, dates []string, replace bool) ([]ScheduleEntry, error) {
 	body := struct {
-		UserID int64    `json:"user_id"`
-		Dates  []string `json:"dates"`
-	}{UserID: userID, Dates: dates}
+		UserID  int64    `json:"user_id"`
+		Dates   []string `json:"dates"`
+		Replace bool     `json:"replace,omitempty"`
+	}{UserID: userID, Dates: dates, Replace: replace}
 	req, err := c.newRequestWithBody(http.MethodPost, "/api/schedule", body)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/internal/api/client_test.go b/internal/api/client_test.go
index 4675f85..b0ba422 100644
--- a/internal/api/client_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/client_test.go
@@ -166,6 +166,28 @@ func TestClient_RequestBodies(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	// replace is what takes a day off its current holder, so it has to reach the
+	// wire when asked for — and stay off it when not.
+	t.Run("assign schedule", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c, got := stub(t, http.StatusCreated, `[]`)
+		if _, err := c.AssignSchedule(3, []string{"2026-07-27"}, false); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("assign: %v", err)
+		}
+		if got.body != `{"user_id":3,"dates":["2026-07-27"]}` {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected body %q", got.body)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("assign schedule with replace", func(t *testing.T) {
+		c, got := stub(t, http.StatusCreated, `[]`)
+		if _, err := c.AssignSchedule(3, []string{"2026-07-27"}, true); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("assign: %v", err)
+		}
+		if got.body != `{"user_id":3,"dates":["2026-07-27"],"replace":true}` {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected body %q", got.body)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("set notify target", func(t *testing.T) {
 		c, got := stub(t, http.StatusOK, `{}`)
 		if _, err := c.SetUserNotifyTarget(3, "terdut-niklas"); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/tui/model.go b/internal/tui/model.go
index 29fed15..59acb67 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model.go
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ const (
 	confirmResolveIncident
 	confirmDeleteScheduleEntry
 	confirmDeleteUser
+	confirmReassignSchedule
 )
 
 // pickerTarget says what the user picker is choosing a person for.
@@ -143,6 +144,18 @@ type scheduleDay struct {
 	entry *api.ScheduleEntry
 }
 
+// pendingAssign is an on-call assignment held back by the reassignment
+// confirmation, because some of its dates belong to somebody else.
+type pendingAssign struct {
+	userID   int64
+	username string
+	dates    []string
+	// taken are the dates currently held by other people, and holders the
+	// distinct names holding them — both only for wording the prompt.
+	taken   []string
+	holders []string
+}
+
 type Model struct {
 	client          *api.Client
 	serverURL       string
@@ -194,6 +207,7 @@ type Model struct {
 	confirmTarget      confirmTarget
 	pendingDeleteID    int64 // note event ID
 	pendingDeleteEntry *api.ScheduleEntry
+	pendingAssign      *pendingAssign
 
 	// Stats
 	topAlerts []api.TopAlert
@@ -866,9 +880,9 @@ func fetchScheduleCmd(client *api.Client, from, to time.Time) tea.Cmd {
 	}
 }
 
-func assignScheduleCmd(client *api.Client, userID int64, dates []string, from, to time.Time) tea.Cmd {
+func assignScheduleCmd(client *api.Client, userID int64, dates []string, replace bool, from, to time.Time) tea.Cmd {
 	return func() tea.Msg {
-		if _, err := client.AssignSchedule(userID, dates); err != nil {
+		if _, err := client.AssignSchedule(userID, dates, replace); err != nil {
 			return scheduleActionErrMsg{err}
 		}
 		entries, err := client.GetSchedule(from.Format("2006-01-02"), to.Format("2006-01-02"))
diff --git a/internal/tui/model_test.go b/internal/tui/model_test.go
index 0b8bad5..299ebe8 100644
--- a/internal/tui/model_test.go
+++ b/internal/tui/model_test.go
@@ -277,3 +277,95 @@ func TestBuildScheduleDays(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("expected unassigned days to have no entry")
 	}
 }
+
+// ── Schedule reassignment ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// scheduledWeek builds a model showing the week of 2026-07-27 with the given
+// entries already on the rota.
+func scheduledWeek(entries []api.ScheduleEntry) Model {
+	m := NewModel(nil, "http://test", time.Minute)
+	m.width, m.height = 120, 40
+	m.connected = true
+	m.activeSection = sectionSchedule
+	m.scheduleWindow = time.Date(2026, 7, 27, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	m.scheduleEntries = entries
+	m.scheduleDays = buildScheduleDays(m.scheduleWindow, entries)
+	m.rebuildScheduleTable()
+	return m
+}
+
+func TestScheduleConflicts(t *testing.T) {
+	m := scheduledWeek([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-27", UserID: 1, Username: "niklas"},
+		{ID: 2, Date: "2026-07-28", UserID: 3, Username: "sam"},
+		{ID: 3, Date: "2026-07-29", UserID: 2, Username: "alex"},
+	})
+	week := []string{"2026-07-27", "2026-07-28", "2026-07-29", "2026-07-30"}
+
+	// Assigning alex: the days niklas and sam hold are conflicts, the day alex
+	// already holds is not, and the free day is not.
+	taken, holders := m.scheduleConflicts(week, 2)
+	if len(taken) != 2 || taken[0] != "2026-07-27" || taken[1] != "2026-07-28" {
+		t.Errorf("expected the two other people's days, got %v", taken)
+	}
+	if len(holders) != 2 || holders[0] != "niklas" || holders[1] != "sam" {
+		t.Errorf("expected both holders named once, got %v", holders)
+	}
+}
+
+// Reassigning somebody to a day they already hold takes nothing from anyone, so
+// it must not raise a prompt — but it still needs replace, because the server
+// rejects any date that already exists.
+func TestScheduleConflicts_OwnDayIsNotAConflict(t *testing.T) {
+	m := scheduledWeek([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-27", UserID: 2, Username: "alex"},
+	})
+	dates := []string{"2026-07-27"}
+
+	if taken, _ := m.scheduleConflicts(dates, 2); len(taken) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected no conflict on the user's own day, got %v", taken)
+	}
+	if !m.scheduleOccupied(dates) {
+		t.Error("expected the day to still count as occupied, so replace is sent")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScheduleOccupied_FreeDays(t *testing.T) {
+	m := scheduledWeek(nil)
+	if m.scheduleOccupied([]string{"2026-07-27", "2026-07-28"}) {
+		t.Error("expected an empty rota to need no replace")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDayCount(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		taken, total int
+		want         string
+	}{
+		{1, 1, "This day is"},
+		{7, 7, "All 7 days are"},
+		{3, 7, "3 of 7 days are"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		if got := dayCount(tt.taken, tt.total); got != tt.want {
+			t.Errorf("dayCount(%d, %d) = %q, want %q", tt.taken, tt.total, got, tt.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestJoinNames(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		names []string
+		want  string
+	}{
+		{nil, "somebody else"},
+		{[]string{"niklas"}, "niklas"},
+		{[]string{"niklas", "alex"}, "niklas and alex"},
+		{[]string{"niklas", "alex", "sam"}, "niklas, alex and sam"},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		if got := joinNames(tt.names); got != tt.want {
+			t.Errorf("joinNames(%v) = %q, want %q", tt.names, got, tt.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/tui/update.go b/internal/tui/update.go
index 8f75d69..5c7bd99 100644
--- a/internal/tui/update.go
+++ b/internal/tui/update.go
@@ -822,6 +822,7 @@ func (m Model) handleConfirmKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		}
 		m.pendingDeleteID = 0
 		m.pendingDeleteEntry = nil
+		m.pendingAssign = nil
 		return m, nil
 	}
 
@@ -851,6 +852,17 @@ func (m Model) handleConfirmKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.mode = modeDashboard
 		m.usersLoading = true
 		return m, deleteUserCmd(m.client, userID)
+
+	case confirmReassignSchedule:
+		p := m.pendingAssign
+		m.mode = modeDashboard
+		m.pendingAssign = nil
+		if p == nil {
+			return m, nil
+		}
+		m.scheduleLoading = true
+		return m, assignScheduleCmd(m.client, p.userID, p.dates, true,
+			m.scheduleWindow, m.scheduleWindow.AddDate(0, 0, 6))
 	}
 
 	return m, nil
@@ -899,15 +911,84 @@ func (m Model) handleUserPickerKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		} else {
 			dates = []string{d.Format("2006-01-02")}
 		}
+
+		// The server refuses a date somebody else holds, so ask before taking
+		// it rather than letting the request come back 409. The answer is
+		// already on screen — no round trip is needed to work out who loses
+		// their shift.
+		taken, holders := m.scheduleConflicts(dates, user.ID)
+		if len(taken) > 0 {
+			m.pendingAssign = &pendingAssign{
+				userID:   user.ID,
+				username: user.Username,
+				dates:    dates,
+				taken:    taken,
+				holders:  holders,
+			}
+			m.confirmTarget = confirmReassignSchedule
+			m.mode = modeConfirm
+			return m, nil
+		}
+
 		m.mode = modeDashboard
 		m.scheduleLoading = true
-		return m, assignScheduleCmd(m.client, user.ID, dates,
+		// Nobody else loses anything, but the server rejects any date that
+		// already exists — including days this same person already holds, which
+		// is a no-op worth letting through silently.
+		return m, assignScheduleCmd(m.client, user.ID, dates, m.scheduleOccupied(dates),
 			m.scheduleWindow, m.scheduleWindow.AddDate(0, 0, 6))
 	}
 
 	return m, nil
 }
 
+// scheduleConflicts reports which of dates are already held by somebody other
+// than newUserID, and the distinct names holding them.
+//
+// Days the target already owns are not conflicts — reassigning somebody to
+// their own shift takes nothing from anyone, and prompting for it would be
+// noise. The server still needs replace for those, since it rejects any date
+// that exists.
+func (m Model) scheduleConflicts(dates []string, newUserID int64) (taken, holders []string) {
+	held := make(map[string]api.ScheduleEntry, len(m.scheduleDays))
+	for _, d := range m.scheduleDays {
+		if d.entry != nil {
+			held[d.entry.Date] = *d.entry
+		}
+	}
+	seen := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, date := range dates {
+		e, ok := held[date]
+		if !ok || e.UserID == newUserID {
+			continue
+		}
+		taken = append(taken, date)
+		if !seen[e.Username] {
+			seen[e.Username] = true
+			holders = append(holders, e.Username)
+		}
+	}
+	return taken, holders
+}
+
+// scheduleOccupied reports whether any of dates already has an entry at all,
+// including one belonging to the incoming user. That is what decides whether
+// the request needs replace, as opposed to whether it needs confirming.
+func (m Model) scheduleOccupied(dates []string) bool {
+	held := make(map[string]bool, len(m.scheduleDays))
+	for _, d := range m.scheduleDays {
+		if d.entry != nil {
+			held[d.entry.Date] = true
+		}
+	}
+	for _, date := range dates {
+		if held[date] {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // ── User management ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func (m Model) handleUserCreateKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (Model, tea.Cmd) {
diff --git a/internal/tui/update_test.go b/internal/tui/update_test.go
index 3436fa8..453ed8a 100644
--- a/internal/tui/update_test.go
+++ b/internal/tui/update_test.go
@@ -309,6 +309,109 @@ func TestDeleteNote_ConfirmsThenActs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// ── Schedule reassignment ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// pickingOnCall opens the user picker for the schedule day at dayIndex, which
+// is where a reassignment actually starts.
+func pickingOnCall(entries []api.ScheduleEntry, dayIndex int, week bool) Model {
+	m := scheduledWeek(entries)
+	m.users = []api.User{
+		{ID: 1, Username: "niklas", Email: "n@example.com"},
+		{ID: 2, Username: "alex", Email: "a@example.com"},
+	}
+	m.rebuildUserPickerTable()
+	m.scheduleTable.SetCursor(dayIndex)
+	m.pickerAssignWeek = week
+	m.pickerTarget = pickerSchedule
+	m.mode = modeUserPicker
+	m.userPickerTable.SetCursor(1) // alex
+	return m
+}
+
+// The bug: a day somebody already holds could not be handed to anybody else.
+// The server refuses it, so the TUI has to ask first and then say so.
+func TestSchedule_ReassigningATakenDayAsksFirst(t *testing.T) {
+	m := pickingOnCall([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-27", UserID: 1, Username: "niklas"},
+	}, 0, false)
+
+	m, cmd := press(t, m, "enter")
+
+	if m.mode != modeConfirm || m.confirmTarget != confirmReassignSchedule {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a reassignment confirmation, got mode %v target %v",
+			m.mode, m.confirmTarget)
+	}
+	if cmd != nil {
+		t.Error("expected nothing sent to the server before confirming")
+	}
+	mustContain(t, m.confirmPrompt(), "This day is assigned to niklas", "Reassign to alex?")
+}
+
+func TestSchedule_ReassignConfirmedSends(t *testing.T) {
+	m := pickingOnCall([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-27", UserID: 1, Username: "niklas"},
+	}, 0, false)
+	m, _ = press(t, m, "enter")
+
+	m, cmd := press(t, m, "y")
+	if cmd == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected the confirmed reassignment to be sent")
+	}
+	if m.mode != modeDashboard {
+		t.Errorf("expected a return to the dashboard, got mode %v", m.mode)
+	}
+	if m.pendingAssign != nil {
+		t.Error("expected the pending assignment cleared")
+	}
+}
+
+// Declining must leave the rota alone — that is the whole point of the guard.
+func TestSchedule_ReassignDeclinedSendsNothing(t *testing.T) {
+	m := pickingOnCall([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-27", UserID: 1, Username: "niklas"},
+	}, 0, false)
+	m, _ = press(t, m, "enter")
+
+	m, cmd := press(t, m, "n")
+	if cmd != nil {
+		t.Error("expected nothing sent when the reassignment is declined")
+	}
+	if m.pendingAssign != nil {
+		t.Error("expected the pending assignment discarded")
+	}
+}
+
+// A free day is the path that always worked, and must not grow a prompt.
+func TestSchedule_AssigningAFreeDayDoesNotAsk(t *testing.T) {
+	m := pickingOnCall(nil, 0, false)
+
+	m, cmd := press(t, m, "enter")
+	if m.mode != modeDashboard {
+		t.Errorf("expected no prompt for a free day, got mode %v", m.mode)
+	}
+	if cmd == nil {
+		t.Error("expected the assignment to be sent straight away")
+	}
+}
+
+// The week case is the one that was worst: a single taken day rejected all
+// seven. One prompt now covers the lot, and it says how much is being taken.
+func TestSchedule_ReassigningAPartlyTakenWeekAsksOnce(t *testing.T) {
+	m := pickingOnCall([]api.ScheduleEntry{
+		{ID: 1, Date: "2026-07-28", UserID: 1, Username: "niklas"},
+		{ID: 2, Date: "2026-07-30", UserID: 3, Username: "sam"},
+	}, 0, true)
+
+	m, _ = press(t, m, "enter")
+	if m.confirmTarget != confirmReassignSchedule {
+		t.Fatalf("expected one confirmation for the week, got target %v", m.confirmTarget)
+	}
+	if got := len(m.pendingAssign.dates); got != 7 {
+		t.Errorf("expected all 7 days in the assignment, got %d", got)
+	}
+	mustContain(t, m.confirmPrompt(), "2 of 7 days are assigned to niklas and sam")
+}
+
 // ── Ntfy topic ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 // onUsers puts the model in the Users section with a loaded table.
diff --git a/internal/tui/view.go b/internal/tui/view.go
index 1f244a6..7043a66 100644
--- a/internal/tui/view.go
+++ b/internal/tui/view.go
@@ -178,10 +178,44 @@ func (m Model) confirmPrompt() string {
 		return "Delete schedule entry? [y/N]"
 	case confirmDeleteUser:
 		return fmt.Sprintf("Delete user %s (cascades all API keys)? [y/N]", m.selectedUser.Username)
+	case confirmReassignSchedule:
+		if p := m.pendingAssign; p != nil {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s assigned to %s. Reassign to %s? [y/N]",
+				dayCount(len(p.taken), len(p.dates)), joinNames(p.holders), p.username)
+		}
+		return "Reassign these days? [y/N]"
 	}
 	return "Are you sure? [y/N]"
 }
 
+// dayCount phrases how much of an assignment is being taken from somebody. A
+// single day says so plainly; a partial week says which part, because "3 of 7"
+// is the difference between taking a shift and taking somebody's whole week.
+func dayCount(taken, total int) string {
+	switch {
+	case total == 1:
+		return "This day is"
+	case taken == total:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("All %d days are", total)
+	default:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d of %d days are", taken, total)
+	}
+}
+
+// joinNames renders a list of people as prose.
+func joinNames(names []string) string {
+	switch len(names) {
+	case 0:
+		return "somebody else"
+	case 1:
+		return names[0]
+	case 2:
+		return names[0] + " and " + names[1]
+	default:
+		return strings.Join(names[:len(names)-1], ", ") + " and " + names[len(names)-1]
+	}
+}
+
 // ── Dashboard ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func (m Model) renderDashboard() string {