diff --git a/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs b/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
index 2ee7033..18c170f 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/commands/tasks.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ pub struct CreateTaskRequest {
 pub async fn create_task_cmd(
     state: tauri::State<'_, AppState>,
     request: CreateTaskRequest,
-) -> Result<(), String> {
+) -> Result<TaskDto, String> {
     db_insert_task(
         &state.db,
         &request.id,
@@ -76,7 +76,15 @@ pub async fn create_task_cmd(
         request.source_transcript_id.as_deref(),
     )
     .await
-    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+
+    // Fetch the freshly-inserted row so the frontend can stop doing
+    // client-side object construction. Mirrors list_tasks_cmd's shape.
+    db_get_task(&state.db, &request.id)
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
+        .map(TaskDto::from)
+        .ok_or_else(|| format!("Task {} not found after insert", request.id))
 }
 
 #[tauri::command]
diff --git a/src/lib/stores/page.svelte.js b/src/lib/stores/page.svelte.js
index 0ef0db5..bf0a8fe 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores/page.svelte.js
+++ b/src/lib/stores/page.svelte.js
@@ -221,65 +221,85 @@ export function deleteFromHistory(index) {
     .catch(err => console.warn("deleteFromHistory: SQLite delete failed", err));
 }
 
-// ---- Tasks (persisted to localStorage) ----
+// ---- Tasks (SQLite via Tauri = canonical; no localStorage cache) ----
+//
+// The canonical store is the SQLite tasks table reachable via the
+// `create_task_cmd`, `list_tasks_cmd`, `delete_task_cmd`,
+// `complete_task_cmd`, `uncomplete_task_cmd` Tauri commands. The tasks
+// array is seeded empty on module init and hydrated from SQLite on boot
+// in the desktop runtime. Browser preview (no Tauri) shows an empty list.
+//
+// The previous localStorage tasks cache was removed to kill the cold-
+// start flicker and the dual-write drift between localStorage and SQLite.
 
-const TASKS_KEY = "kon_tasks";
+export const tasks = $state([]);
 
-function loadTasks() {
-  try {
-    const raw = localStorage.getItem(TASKS_KEY);
-    if (raw) return JSON.parse(raw);
-  } catch {}
-  return [];
-}
-
-export const tasks = $state(loadTasks());
-
-// On boot in the desktop runtime, load canonical tasks from SQLite.
-// localStorage remains the warm cache and fallback.
-if (typeof window !== "undefined" && hasTauriRuntime()) {
-  invoke("list_tasks_cmd")
-    .then((sqliteTasks) => {
-      tasks.length = 0;
-      tasks.push(...sqliteTasks);
-      saveTasks();
-    })
-    .catch(() => {});
-}
-
-export function saveTasks() {
-  try {
-    localStorage.setItem(TASKS_KEY, JSON.stringify(tasks));
-  } catch {}
-}
-
-export function addTask(task) {
-  const newTask = {
-    id: crypto.randomUUID(),
-    text: task.text,
-    bucket: task.bucket || "inbox",
-    listId: task.listId || null,
-    context: task.context || "",
-    effort: task.effort || "",
-    done: false,
-    doneAt: null,
-    createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-    sourceTranscriptId: task.sourceTranscriptId || null,
-    parentTaskId: task.parentTaskId || null,
-    notes: "",
+/** Shape a TaskDto row from the tasks commands into the UI entry shape
+ *  that TasksPage / WipTaskList / TaskSidebar expect. Mirrors
+ *  mapTranscriptRow's placement and field-defaulting pattern. */
+function mapTaskRow(row) {
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    text: row.text ?? "",
+    bucket: row.bucket ?? "inbox",
+    listId: row.listId ?? null,
+    effort: row.effort ?? "",
+    done: !!row.done,
+    doneAt: row.doneAt ?? null,
+    createdAt: row.createdAt ?? new Date().toISOString(),
+    sourceTranscriptId: row.sourceTranscriptId ?? null,
+    parentTaskId: row.parentTaskId ?? null,
   };
-  tasks.unshift(newTask);
-  saveTasks();
-  broadcastTasks();
-  if (hasTauriRuntime()) {
-    invoke("create_task_cmd", {
+}
+
+async function loadTasks() {
+  if (!hasTauriRuntime()) {
+    tasks.length = 0;
+    return;
+  }
+  try {
+    const rows = await invoke("list_tasks_cmd");
+    const mapped = Array.isArray(rows) ? rows.map(mapTaskRow) : [];
+    tasks.splice(0, tasks.length, ...mapped);
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("loadTasks failed", err);
+    tasks.length = 0;
+    toasts.error("Failed to load tasks", err?.message ?? String(err));
+  }
+}
+
+// Hydrate tasks from SQLite on boot. Mirrors the history hydration pattern
+// earlier in this file.
+if (typeof window !== "undefined" && hasTauriRuntime()) {
+  loadTasks().catch(() => {});
+}
+
+// `saveTasks` is retained as a no-op for callers in the Task Lists section
+// further down (removeProfileTaskList, deleteTaskList) that mutate
+// `t.listId` to null when a list is deleted and previously flushed via
+// localStorage. SQLite writes happen via the specific `create_task_cmd`
+// / `delete_task_cmd` / `complete_task_cmd` / `uncomplete_task_cmd`
+// commands in the functions below; the listId-clearing mutation is
+// currently session-scoped because listId is not round-tripped through
+// those commands. See report note.
+export function saveTasks() {}
+
+export async function addTask(task) {
+  if (!hasTauriRuntime()) return;
+  const id = crypto.randomUUID();
+  try {
+    const row = await invoke("create_task_cmd", {
       request: {
-        id: newTask.id,
-        text: newTask.text,
-        bucket: newTask.bucket,
-        sourceTranscriptId: newTask.sourceTranscriptId,
+        id,
+        text: task.text,
+        bucket: task.bucket || "inbox",
+        sourceTranscriptId: task.sourceTranscriptId || null,
       },
-    }).catch(() => {});
+    });
+    tasks.unshift(mapTaskRow(row));
+    broadcastTasks();
+  } catch (err) {
+    toasts.error("Couldn't add task", err?.message ?? String(err));
   }
 }
 
@@ -287,41 +307,48 @@ export function updateTask(id, updates) {
   const idx = tasks.findIndex((t) => t.id === id);
   if (idx >= 0) {
     Object.assign(tasks[idx], updates);
-    saveTasks();
     broadcastTasks();
   }
 }
 
-export function deleteTask(id) {
-  const idx = tasks.findIndex((t) => t.id === id);
-  if (idx >= 0) {
-    tasks.splice(idx, 1);
-    saveTasks();
-    broadcastTasks();
-    if (hasTauriRuntime()) {
-      invoke("delete_task_cmd", { id }).catch(() => {});
+export async function deleteTask(id) {
+  if (!hasTauriRuntime()) return;
+  try {
+    await invoke("delete_task_cmd", { id });
+    const idx = tasks.findIndex((t) => t.id === id);
+    if (idx >= 0) {
+      tasks.splice(idx, 1);
+      broadcastTasks();
     }
+  } catch (err) {
+    toasts.error("Couldn't delete task", err?.message ?? String(err));
   }
 }
 
-export function completeTask(id) {
-  updateTask(id, { done: true, doneAt: new Date().toISOString() });
-  if (hasTauriRuntime()) {
-    invoke("complete_task_cmd", { id }).catch(() => {});
+export async function completeTask(id) {
+  if (!hasTauriRuntime()) return;
+  try {
+    await invoke("complete_task_cmd", { id });
+    updateTask(id, { done: true, doneAt: new Date().toISOString() });
+  } catch (err) {
+    toasts.error("Couldn't complete task", err?.message ?? String(err));
   }
 }
 
-export function uncompleteTask(id) {
-  updateTask(id, { done: false, doneAt: null });
-  if (hasTauriRuntime()) {
-    invoke("uncomplete_task_cmd", { id }).catch(() => {});
+export async function uncompleteTask(id) {
+  if (!hasTauriRuntime()) return;
+  try {
+    await invoke("uncomplete_task_cmd", { id });
+    updateTask(id, { done: false, doneAt: null });
+  } catch (err) {
+    toasts.error("Couldn't uncomplete task", err?.message ?? String(err));
   }
 }
 
 // ---- BroadcastChannel for multi-window task sync ----
 
 const taskChannel = typeof BroadcastChannel !== "undefined"
-  ? new BroadcastChannel("kon_tasks")
+  ? new BroadcastChannel("kon_task_sync")
   : null;
 
 if (taskChannel) {