diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/codes.js b/frontend/src/utils/codes.js
index cdeba7c7..ff3200b4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/codes.js
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/codes.js
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export const LABEL_PRESETS = [
 
 // CODE128 is what the scanners on the floor are configured for, and a label
 // carries its text separately, so the barcode never renders its own.
+// Code 39 available as an alternative for compatibility with legacy systems.
 export const BARCODE_DEFAULTS = {
   format: 'CODE128',
   displayValue: false,
@@ -130,7 +131,12 @@ export function barcodeInto(element, text, options = {}) {
   return element
 }
 
-/** A barcode as an SVG data URI, for pages that print an <img>. */
+/**
+ * A barcode as an SVG data URI, for pages that print an <img>.
+ *
+ * @param {string} text - Content to encode
+ * @param {object} options - JsBarcode options (format, width, height, etc.)
+ */
 export function barcodeSvgDataUri(text, options = {}) {
   const element = document.createElementNS('http://www.w3.org/2000/svg', 'svg')
   barcodeInto(element, text, options)
diff --git a/plugins/tools/frontend/views/CodeGenerator.vue b/plugins/tools/frontend/views/CodeGenerator.vue
index eb3266e9..2948fcee 100644
--- a/plugins/tools/frontend/views/CodeGenerator.vue
+++ b/plugins/tools/frontend/views/CodeGenerator.vue
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
             <select v-model="codetype">
               <option value="qr">QR</option>
               <option value="barcode">CODE128</option>
+              <option value="code39">CODE39</option>
             </select>
           </label>
           <label v-if="codetype === 'qr'">
@@ -242,6 +243,7 @@
                 <option value="same">Same as the front</option>
                 <option value="qr">QR</option>
                 <option value="barcode">CODE128</option>
+                <option value="code39">CODE39</option>
               </select>
             </label>
             <label>
@@ -301,7 +303,7 @@
           - split the CSV and print it in batches.
         </p>
         <p v-if="overlong.length" class="control-note">
-          {{ overlong.length }} row(s) could not be encoded as CODE128 or were empty:
+          {{ overlong.length }} row(s) could not be encoded or were empty:
           {{ overlong.slice(0, 3).join(', ') }}{{ overlong.length > 3 ? ' ...' : '' }}
         </p>
         </div>
@@ -475,9 +477,12 @@ function showPicture(page) {
 }
 
 function labelClasses(page) {
+  const type = codeTypeFor(page)
+  // code39 and barcode (CODE128) share the same CSS class for linear barcode layout
+  const typeClass = type === 'code39' ? 'barcode' : type
   return [
     'layout-' + layoutFor(page),
-    'type-' + codeTypeFor(page),
+    'type-' + typeClass,
     'side-' + page.side,
     showPicture(page) && pictureposition.value !== 'behind' ? 'pic-' + pictureposition.value : '',
   ]
@@ -588,9 +593,13 @@ const fitAdvice = computed(() => {
 async function renderOne(page) {
   const text = page.content
   if (!text) return ''
-  if (codeTypeFor(page) === 'qr') {
+  const type = codeTypeFor(page)
+  if (type === 'qr') {
     return qrSvgDataUri(text, { errorCorrection: errorcorrection.value })
   }
+  if (type === 'code39') {
+    return barcodeSvgDataUri(text, { format: 'CODE39' })
+  }
   return barcodeSvgDataUri(text)
 }