diff --git a/apps/console/src/__tests__/SpecCompliance.test.tsx b/apps/console/src/__tests__/SpecCompliance.test.tsx
index c335849f..feed99dc 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/__tests__/SpecCompliance.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/__tests__/SpecCompliance.test.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ describe('ObjectStack Spec v0.9.0 Compliance', () => {
             expect(app.name).toBeDefined();
             expect(typeof app.name).toBe('string');
             expect(app.label).toBeDefined();
-            expect(typeof app.label).toBe('string');
+            expect(['string', 'object']).toContain(typeof app.label);
+            if (typeof app.label === 'object') {
+                expect(app.label).toHaveProperty('key');
+            }
             
             // Name convention: lowercase snake_case
             expect(app.name).toMatch(/^[a-z][a-z0-9_]*$/);
@@ -36,7 +39,10 @@ describe('ObjectStack Spec v0.9.0 Compliance', () => {
             
             // Optional fields that should be defined if present
             if (app.description) {
-                expect(typeof app.description).toBe('string');
+                expect(['string', 'object']).toContain(typeof app.description);
+                if (typeof app.description === 'object') {
+                    expect(app.description).toHaveProperty('key');
+                }
             }
             if (app.version) {
                 expect(typeof app.version).toBe('string');
diff --git a/apps/console/src/components/AppSidebar.tsx b/apps/console/src/components/AppSidebar.tsx
index 8a533e71..f25a5183 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/components/AppSidebar.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/components/AppSidebar.tsx
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ activeAppName, onAppChange }: { activeAppName: stri
                     <div className="flex size-6 items-center justify-center rounded-sm border">
                       {app.icon ? React.createElement(getIcon(app.icon), { className: "size-3" }) : <Database className="size-3" />}
                     </div>
-                    {app.label}
+                    {resolveI18nLabel(app.label, t)}
                     {activeApp.name === app.name && <span className="ml-auto text-xs">✓</span>}
                   </DropdownMenuItem>
                 ))}
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ export function AppSidebar({ activeAppName, onAppChange }: { activeAppName: stri
           return (
             <Link key={item.id} to={href} className="flex flex-col items-center gap-0.5 px-2 py-1.5 text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors min-w-[44px] min-h-[44px] justify-center">
               <NavIcon className="h-5 w-5" />
-              <span className="text-[10px] truncate max-w-[60px]">{item.label}</span>
+              <span className="text-[10px] truncate max-w-[60px]">{resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)}</span>
             </Link>
           );
         })}
diff --git a/apps/console/src/components/CommandPalette.tsx b/apps/console/src/components/CommandPalette.tsx
index f2f41f35..a28d5ec1 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/components/CommandPalette.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/components/CommandPalette.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
 import { useTheme } from './theme-provider';
 import { useExpressionContext, evaluateVisibility } from '../context/ExpressionProvider';
 import { useObjectTranslation } from '@object-ui/i18n';
+import { resolveI18nLabel } from '../utils';
 
 /** Resolve a Lucide icon by name (kebab-case or PascalCase) */
 function getIcon(name?: string): React.ElementType {
@@ -101,11 +102,11 @@ export function CommandPalette({ apps, activeApp, objects: _objects, onAppChange
                 return (
                   <CommandItem
                     key={item.id}
-                    value={`object ${item.label} ${item.objectName}`}
+                    value={`object ${resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)} ${item.objectName}`}
                     onSelect={() => runCommand(() => navigate(`${baseUrl}/${item.objectName}`))}
                   >
                     <Icon className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                    <span>{item.label}</span>
+                    <span>{resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)}</span>
                   </CommandItem>
                 );
               })}
@@ -120,11 +121,11 @@ export function CommandPalette({ apps, activeApp, objects: _objects, onAppChange
               .map(item => (
                 <CommandItem
                   key={item.id}
-                  value={`dashboard ${item.label} ${item.dashboardName}`}
+                  value={`dashboard ${resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)} ${item.dashboardName}`}
                   onSelect={() => runCommand(() => navigate(`${baseUrl}/dashboard/${item.dashboardName}`))}
                 >
                   <LayoutDashboard className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                  <span>{item.label}</span>
+                  <span>{resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)}</span>
                 </CommandItem>
               ))}
           </CommandGroup>
@@ -138,11 +139,11 @@ export function CommandPalette({ apps, activeApp, objects: _objects, onAppChange
               .map(item => (
                 <CommandItem
                   key={item.id}
-                  value={`page ${item.label} ${item.pageName}`}
+                  value={`page ${resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)} ${item.pageName}`}
                   onSelect={() => runCommand(() => navigate(`${baseUrl}/page/${item.pageName}`))}
                 >
                   <FileText className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                  <span>{item.label}</span>
+                  <span>{resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)}</span>
                 </CommandItem>
               ))}
           </CommandGroup>
@@ -156,11 +157,11 @@ export function CommandPalette({ apps, activeApp, objects: _objects, onAppChange
               .map(item => (
                 <CommandItem
                   key={item.id}
-                  value={`report ${item.label} ${item.reportName}`}
+                  value={`report ${resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)} ${item.reportName}`}
                   onSelect={() => runCommand(() => navigate(`${baseUrl}/report/${item.reportName}`))}
                 >
                   <BarChart3 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                  <span>{item.label}</span>
+                  <span>{resolveI18nLabel(item.label, t)}</span>
                 </CommandItem>
               ))}
           </CommandGroup>
@@ -178,11 +179,11 @@ export function CommandPalette({ apps, activeApp, objects: _objects, onAppChange
                   return (
                     <CommandItem
                       key={app.name}
-                      value={`app ${app.label} ${app.name}`}
+                      value={`app ${resolveI18nLabel(app.label, t)} ${app.name}`}
                       onSelect={() => runCommand(() => onAppChange(app.name))}
                     >
                       <Icon className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
-                      <span>{app.label}</span>
+                      <span>{resolveI18nLabel(app.label, t)}</span>
                       {app.name === activeApp?.name && (
                         <span className="ml-auto text-xs text-muted-foreground">{t('console.commandPalette.current')}</span>
                       )}
diff --git a/apps/console/src/components/ConsoleLayout.tsx b/apps/console/src/components/ConsoleLayout.tsx
index 75a9c4d4..4f739cc7 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/components/ConsoleLayout.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/components/ConsoleLayout.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { AppShell } from '@object-ui/layout';
 import { AppSidebar } from './AppSidebar';
 import { AppHeader } from './AppHeader';
 import { useResponsiveSidebar } from '../hooks/useResponsiveSidebar';
+import { resolveI18nLabel } from '../utils';
 import type { ConnectionState } from '../dataSource';
 
 interface ConsoleLayoutProps {
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ export function ConsoleLayout({
       }
       navbar={
           <AppHeader 
-            appName={activeApp?.label || activeAppName} 
+            appName={resolveI18nLabel(activeApp?.label) || activeAppName} 
             objects={objects}
             connectionState={connectionState}
           />
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ export function ConsoleLayout({
               favicon: activeApp.branding.favicon,
               logo: activeApp.branding.logo,
               title: activeApp.label
-                ? `${activeApp.label} — ObjectStack Console`
+                ? `${resolveI18nLabel(activeApp.label)} — ObjectStack Console`
                 : undefined,
             }
           : undefined
diff --git a/apps/console/src/pages/system/AppManagementPage.tsx b/apps/console/src/pages/system/AppManagementPage.tsx
index 4efa787a..466bf4b1 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/pages/system/AppManagementPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/pages/system/AppManagementPage.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import { useMetadata } from '../../context/MetadataProvider';
+import { resolveI18nLabel } from '../../utils';
 
 export function AppManagementPage() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
@@ -208,14 +209,14 @@ export function AppManagementPage() {
                   </div>
                   <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
                     <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                      <span className="font-medium truncate">{app.label || app.name}</span>
+                      <span className="font-medium truncate">{resolveI18nLabel(app.label) || app.name}</span>
                       {isDefault && <Badge variant="default" className="text-xs">Default</Badge>}
                       <Badge variant={isActive ? 'secondary' : 'outline'} className="text-xs">
                         {isActive ? 'Active' : 'Inactive'}
                       </Badge>
                     </div>
                     {app.description && (
-                      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground truncate">{app.description}</p>
+                      <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground truncate">{resolveI18nLabel(app.description)}</p>
                     )}
                   </div>
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-1 shrink-0">
diff --git a/packages/plugin-dashboard/src/DashboardRenderer.tsx b/packages/plugin-dashboard/src/DashboardRenderer.tsx
index 94f9b5f3..23c2cafd 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-dashboard/src/DashboardRenderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/plugin-dashboard/src/DashboardRenderer.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@ import { forwardRef, useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
 import { RefreshCw } from 'lucide-react';
 import { isObjectProvider } from './utils';
 
+/** Resolve an I18nLabel (string or {key, defaultValue}) to a plain string. */
+function resolveLabel(label: string | { key?: string; defaultValue?: string } | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (label === undefined || label === null) return undefined;
+  if (typeof label === 'string') return label;
+  return label.defaultValue || label.key;
+}
+
 // Color palette for charts
 const CHART_COLORS = [
   'hsl(var(--chart-1))',
@@ -248,7 +255,8 @@ export const DashboardRenderer = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DashboardRendererPro
         
         const componentSchema = getComponentSchema();
         const isSelfContained = widget.type === 'metric';
-        const widgetKey = widget.id || widget.title || `widget-${index}`;
+        const resolvedTitle = resolveLabel(widget.title);
+        const widgetKey = widget.id || resolvedTitle || `widget-${index}`;
         const isSelected = designMode && selectedWidgetId === widget.id;
 
         const designModeProps = designMode ? {
@@ -257,7 +265,7 @@ export const DashboardRenderer = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DashboardRendererPro
             role: 'button' as const,
             tabIndex: 0,
             'aria-selected': isSelected,
-            'aria-label': `Widget: ${widget.title || `Widget ${index + 1}`}`,
+            'aria-label': `Widget: ${resolvedTitle || `Widget ${index + 1}`}`,
             onClick: (e: React.MouseEvent) => handleWidgetClick(e, widget.id),
             onKeyDown: (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => handleWidgetKeyDown(e, widget.id, index),
         } : {};
@@ -305,10 +313,10 @@ export const DashboardRenderer = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DashboardRendererPro
                 }: undefined}
                 {...designModeProps}
             >
-                {widget.title && (
+                {resolvedTitle && (
                     <CardHeader className="pb-2 border-b border-border/40 bg-muted/20 px-3 sm:px-6">
-                        <CardTitle className="text-sm sm:text-base font-medium tracking-tight truncate" title={widget.title}>
-                            {widget.title}
+                        <CardTitle className="text-sm sm:text-base font-medium tracking-tight truncate" title={resolvedTitle}>
+                            {resolvedTitle}
                         </CardTitle>
                     </CardHeader>
                 )}
@@ -325,10 +333,10 @@ export const DashboardRenderer = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DashboardRendererPro
     const headerSection = schema.header && (
       <div className="col-span-full mb-4">
         {schema.header.showTitle !== false && schema.title && (
-          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold tracking-tight">{schema.title}</h2>
+          <h2 className="text-lg font-semibold tracking-tight">{resolveLabel(schema.title)}</h2>
         )}
         {schema.header.showDescription !== false && schema.description && (
-          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground mt-1">{schema.description}</p>
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground mt-1">{resolveLabel(schema.description)}</p>
         )}
         {schema.header.actions && schema.header.actions.length > 0 && (
           <div className="flex gap-2 mt-3">