diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AppToOverviewAnimationProvider.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AppToOverviewAnimationProvider.java
index d1d697c0cd..c228bb94fe 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AppToOverviewAnimationProvider.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AppToOverviewAnimationProvider.java
@@ -131,10 +131,11 @@ final class AppToOverviewAnimationProvider<T extends BaseDraggingActivity> imple
             return anim;
         }
 
-        View thumbnailView = mRecentsView.getThumbnailViewForTask(mTargetTaskId);
+        View thumbnailView = mRecentsView.getBottomThumbnailView();
         if (thumbnailView == null) {
-            // TODO: We should either 1) guarantee the view is loaded before attempting this
-            // or 2) have a backup animation.
+            // This can be null if there were previously 0 tasks and the recycler view has not had
+            // enough time to take in the data change, bind a new view, and lay out the new view.
+            // TODO: Have a fallback to animate to
             if (Log.isLoggable(TAG, Log.WARN)) {
                 Log.w(TAG, "No thumbnail view for running task. Using stub animation.");
             }
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
index 66c074bddf..02cbf4e010 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
@@ -15,12 +15,10 @@
  */
 package com.android.quickstep;
 
-import android.util.ArrayMap;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
-import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView.Adapter;
 
 import com.android.launcher3.R;
@@ -39,7 +37,6 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
     private static final int MAX_TASKS_TO_DISPLAY = 6;
     private static final String TAG = "TaskAdapter";
     private final TaskListLoader mLoader;
-    private final ArrayMap<Integer, TaskItemView> mTaskIdToViewMap = new ArrayMap<>();
     private TaskActionController mTaskActionController;
     private boolean mIsShowingLoadingUi;
 
@@ -63,16 +60,6 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
         mIsShowingLoadingUi = isShowingLoadingUi;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get task item view for a given task id if it's attached to the view.
-     *
-     * @param taskId task id to search for
-     * @return corresponding task item view if it's attached, null otherwise
-     */
-    public @Nullable TaskItemView getTaskItemView(int taskId) {
-        return mTaskIdToViewMap.get(taskId);
-    }
-
     @Override
     public TaskHolder onCreateViewHolder(ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
         TaskItemView itemView = (TaskItemView) LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext())
@@ -116,22 +103,6 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
         super.onBindViewHolder(holder, position, payloads);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void onViewAttachedToWindow(@NonNull TaskHolder holder) {
-        if (holder.getTask() == null) {
-            return;
-        }
-        mTaskIdToViewMap.put(holder.getTask().key.id, (TaskItemView) holder.itemView);
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public void onViewDetachedFromWindow(@NonNull TaskHolder holder) {
-        if (holder.getTask() == null) {
-            return;
-        }
-        mTaskIdToViewMap.remove(holder.getTask().key.id);
-    }
-
     @Override
     public int getItemCount() {
         if (mIsShowingLoadingUi) {
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
index 7f77b6cc4d..59755bcb39 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
@@ -225,16 +225,15 @@ public final class IconRecentsView extends FrameLayout {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Get the thumbnail view associated with a task for the purposes of animation.
+     * Get the bottom most thumbnail view to animate to.
      *
-     * @param taskId task id of thumbnail view to get
-     * @return the thumbnail view for the task if attached, null otherwise
+     * @return the thumbnail view if laid out
      */
-    public @Nullable View getThumbnailViewForTask(int taskId) {
-        TaskItemView view = mTaskAdapter.getTaskItemView(taskId);
-        if (view == null) {
+    public @Nullable View getBottomThumbnailView() {
+        if (mTaskRecyclerView.getChildCount() == 0) {
             return null;
         }
+        TaskItemView view = (TaskItemView) mTaskRecyclerView.getChildAt(0);
         return view.getThumbnailView();
     }