diff --git a/app/zabbix.py b/app/zabbix.py
index 30a837e..67caf99 100644
--- a/app/zabbix.py
+++ b/app/zabbix.py
@@ -120,7 +120,16 @@ class ZabbixClient:
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------ templates
 
     def get_template_id(self, name):
-        result = self._call('template.get', {'filter': {'host': name}, 'output': ['templateid']})
+        # Search by technical name (host field) — case-insensitive search with exactMatch fallback
+        result = self._call('template.get', {
+            'output': ['templateid', 'host'],
+            'search': {'host': name},
+            'searchByAny': True,
+        })
+        # Exact match from search results
+        for t in result:
+            if t['host'] == name:
+                return t['templateid']
         return result[0]['templateid'] if result else None
 
     def link_template(self, hostid, templateid):
@@ -197,7 +206,9 @@ def sync_to_zabbix(players, add_log_fn):
         groupid     = zbx.ensure_hostgroup(ZABBIX_HOST_GROUP)
         template_id = zbx.get_template_id(ZABBIX_TEMPLATE) if ZABBIX_TEMPLATE else None
         if ZABBIX_TEMPLATE and not template_id:
-            log.warning("Template '%s' not found in Zabbix — import zabbix_template.yaml first", ZABBIX_TEMPLATE)
+            msg = f"Template '{ZABBIX_TEMPLATE}' not found in Zabbix — import zabbix_template.yaml first"
+            log.warning(msg)
+            add_log_fn('error', msg)
         existing = {h['host']: h for h in zbx.get_hosts_in_group(groupid)}
 
         created = updated = skipped = 0