diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 68a60ab..6f7a035 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ API Docs: [wd-textify.wmcloud.org/docs](https://wd-textify.wmcloud.org/docs)
 | `id` | string | Yes | Comma-separated entity IDs (for example: `Q42` or `Q42,Q2`). |
 | `pid` | string | No | Comma-separated property IDs to filter claims (for example: `P31,P279`). |
 | `lang` | string | No | Preferred language code (default: `en`). |
-| `fallback_lang` | string | No | Fallback language code (default: `en`). |
+| `fallback_lang` | string | No | Fallback language code (default: `en`). Use `any` to select the first available language when the requested language is unavailable. |
 | `format` | string | No | Output format: `json`, `text`, or `triplet` (default: `json`). |
 | `external_ids` | bool | No | Include `external-id` datatype claims (default: `true`). |
 | `all_ranks` | bool | No | Include all statement ranks instead of preferred/normal filtering (default: `false`). |
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 1845081..c957307 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ async def get_textified_wd(
     - **all_ranks** (bool): If `true`, include preferred, normal, and deprecated statement ranks.
     - **qualifiers** (bool): If `true`, include qualifiers for claim values.
     - **fallback_lang** (str): Fallback language used when `lang` is unavailable.
+      Use `any` to select a deterministic available language from the entity.
     - **action_api_url** (str): Action API URL
       (default: `https://www.wikidata.org/w/api.php`).
 
diff --git a/src/WikibaseLabel.py b/src/WikibaseLabel.py
index b138807..d4e91a7 100644
--- a/src/WikibaseLabel.py
+++ b/src/WikibaseLabel.py
@@ -368,18 +368,29 @@ def get_lang_val(data, lang="en", fallback_lang=None):
         Args:
             data (dict): Label dictionary keyed by language.
             lang (str): Preferred language code.
-            fallback_lang (str | None): Optional fallback language code.
+            fallback_lang (str | None): Optional fallback language code. Use
+                ``"any"`` to select the first available language when the
+                requested language is unavailable.
 
         Returns:
             str: Selected label text, or an empty string when missing.
         """
-        label = data.get(lang, data.get("mul", {}))
-        if fallback_lang and not label:
-            label = data.get(fallback_lang, {})
+        if not isinstance(data, dict):
+            return ""
+
+        lang = lang.lower()
+        fallback_lang = fallback_lang.lower() if fallback_lang else None
+
+        label = data.get(lang) or data.get("mul")
+        if not label and fallback_lang:
+            if fallback_lang == "any":
+                label = next((data[key] for key in sorted(data) if data[key]), None)
+            else:
+                label = data.get(fallback_lang)
 
         if isinstance(label, str):
             return label
-        return label.get("value", "")
+        return label.get("value", "") if isinstance(label, dict) else ""
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_all_missing_labels_ids(data):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_wikibaselabel.py b/tests/unit/test_wikibaselabel.py
index cffcdf4..14061e6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_wikibaselabel.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_wikibaselabel.py
@@ -30,6 +30,16 @@ def test_get_lang_val_falls_back_to_mul_and_fallback_language():
     assert WikibaseLabel.get_lang_val(labels_without_mul, lang="en", fallback_lang="fr") == "Etiquette"
 
 
+def test_get_lang_val_falls_back_to_any_available_language():
+    """It should select a stable available language with the wildcard fallback."""
+    labels = {
+        "de": {"value": "Etikett"},
+        "fr": {"value": "Etiquette"},
+    }
+
+    assert WikibaseLabel.get_lang_val(labels, lang="en", fallback_lang="any") == "Etikett"
+
+
 def test_get_all_missing_labels_ids_collects_nested_ids():
     """It should collect IDs from nested property, unit, claim, and datavalue branches."""
     payload = {