diff --git a/docs/API.md b/docs/API.md
index 5dfb1c4..0f6ea6e 100644
--- a/docs/API.md
+++ b/docs/API.md
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/pastes \
 
 - `expires_in` is a Go duration string (`90m`, `6h`, `336h`). Omit for no expiry.
 - `visibility` is `public` or `unlisted`.
+- Alternatively (or additionally), `public` may be sent as a boolean (#83):
+  `false` maps to `unlisted` and `true` maps to `public`. When both fields are
+  present, the boolean `public` takes precedence over the string `visibility`.
+  Omitting both defaults to `public`.
 - `burn_after_reads` sets how many reads the paste survives (default 1 when
   `burn_after_read` is true). A read is counted per unique viewer session;
   the same viewer returning within 15 minutes does not count again.
diff --git a/internal/api/publicbool_test.go b/internal/api/publicbool_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b2320b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/publicbool_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+package api
+
+// #83 regression tests: `public` boolean in the create payload must map to
+// visibility (false -> unlisted, true -> public); string `visibility` still works.
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func createPasteBody(t *testing.T, h *apiServer, body string) map[string]any {
+	req := httptest.NewRequest("POST", "/api/pastes", strings.NewReader(body))
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.routes().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != 201 {
+		t.Fatalf("create: got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	var resp map[string]any
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad json: %v", err)
+	}
+	return resp
+}
+
+func getVis(t *testing.T, h *apiServer, id string) string {
+	req := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/api/pastes/"+id, nil)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.routes().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != 200 {
+		t.Fatalf("get %s: got %d", id, rec.Code)
+	}
+	var resp struct {
+		Visibility string `json:"visibility"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("bad json: %v", err)
+	}
+	return resp.Visibility
+}
+
+// TestPublicBooleanFalseMapsToUnlisted: {"public": false} must create an unlisted paste.
+func TestPublicBooleanFalseMapsToUnlisted(t *testing.T) {
+	s := testServer(t)
+	resp := createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"x","public":false}`)
+	if v := getVis(t, s, resp["id"].(string)); v != "unlisted" {
+		t.Fatalf("public:false -> got visibility %q, want unlisted", v)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPublicBooleanTrueMapsToPublic: {"public": true} must create a public paste.
+func TestPublicBooleanTrueMapsToPublic(t *testing.T) {
+	s := testServer(t)
+	resp := createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"x","public":true}`)
+	if v := getVis(t, s, resp["id"].(string)); v != "public" {
+		t.Fatalf("public:true -> got visibility %q, want public", v)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPublicBooleanOverridesString: boolean wins when both fields are sent.
+func TestPublicBooleanOverridesString(t *testing.T) {
+	s := testServer(t)
+	resp := createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"x","visibility":"public","public":false}`)
+	if v := getVis(t, s, resp["id"].(string)); v != "unlisted" {
+		t.Fatalf("boolean override -> got %q, want unlisted", v)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestVisibilityStringStillWorks: existing string contract unchanged.
+func TestVisibilityStringStillWorks(t *testing.T) {
+	s := testServer(t)
+	resp := createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"x","visibility":"unlisted"}`)
+	if v := getVis(t, s, resp["id"].(string)); v != "unlisted" {
+		t.Fatalf("string field -> got %q, want unlisted", v)
+	}
+	resp = createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"y","visibility":"public"}`)
+	if v := getVis(t, s, resp["id"].(string)); v != "public" {
+		t.Fatalf("string field -> got %q, want public", v)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPublicListExcludesPublicFalse: {"public":false} pastes stay out of /api/public.
+func TestPublicListExcludesPublicFalse(t *testing.T) {
+	s := testServer(t)
+	createPasteBody(t, s, `{"content":"hidden","public":false}`)
+	req := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/api/public", nil)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	s.routes().ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	var resp struct {
+		Total int `json:"total"`
+	}
+	json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &resp)
+	if resp.Total != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("public:false paste leaked into /api/public: total=%d", resp.Total)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/store/store.go b/internal/store/store.go
index e66ed3f..6c6008c 100644
--- a/internal/store/store.go
+++ b/internal/store/store.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ type Paste struct {
 	BurnAfterRead bool  `json:"burn_after_read,omitempty"`
 	BurnAfterReads *int `json:"burn_after_reads,omitempty"` // #49: readable N times (default 1)
 	Visibility  string  `json:"visibility"`
+	// #83: accept "public": true/false as an alias for visibility.
+	Public *bool `json:"public,omitempty"`
 	CanID       *string `json:"can_id,omitempty"`
 	CreatedAt   int64   `json:"created_at"`
 	DeletedAt   *int64  `json:"deleted_at,omitempty"`
@@ -215,6 +217,14 @@ func (s *Store) CreatePaste(p *Paste) (*Paste, error) {
 	}
 
 	visibility := p.Visibility
+	// #83: "public": false -> unlisted, true -> public; overrides string field
+	if p.Public != nil {
+		if *p.Public {
+			visibility = "public"
+		} else {
+			visibility = "unlisted"
+		}
+	}
 	if visibility == "" {
 		visibility = "public"
 	}