diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
index 71bee9181d..40195eb4c9 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public final class TaskActionController {
      * @param viewHolder the task view holder to launch
      */
     public void launchTask(TaskHolder viewHolder) {
-        if (viewHolder.getTask() == null) {
+        if (!viewHolder.getTask().isPresent()) {
             return;
         }
         TaskItemView itemView = (TaskItemView) (viewHolder.itemView);
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ public final class TaskActionController {
         int height = v.getMeasuredHeight();
 
         ActivityOptions opts = ActivityOptions.makeClipRevealAnimation(v, left, top, width, height);
-        ActivityManagerWrapper.getInstance().startActivityFromRecentsAsync(viewHolder.getTask().key,
-                opts, null /* resultCallback */, null /* resultCallbackHandler */);
+        ActivityManagerWrapper.getInstance().startActivityFromRecentsAsync(
+                viewHolder.getTask().get().key, opts, null /* resultCallback */,
+                null /* resultCallbackHandler */);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -63,11 +64,11 @@ public final class TaskActionController {
      * @param viewHolder the task view holder to remove
      */
     public void removeTask(TaskHolder viewHolder) {
-        if (viewHolder.getTask() == null) {
+        if (!viewHolder.getTask().isPresent()) {
             return;
         }
         int position = viewHolder.getAdapterPosition();
-        Task task = viewHolder.getTask();
+        Task task = viewHolder.getTask().get();
         ActivityManagerWrapper.getInstance().removeTask(task.key.id);
         mLoader.removeTask(task);
         mAdapter.notifyItemRemoved(position);
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
index 7e7f278297..18d5877aa2 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import com.android.systemui.shared.recents.model.Task;
 
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 /**
  * Recycler view adapter that dynamically inflates and binds {@link TaskHolder} instances with the
@@ -109,13 +110,13 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
         holder.bindTask(task, willAnimate /* willAnimate */);
         mLoader.loadTaskIconAndLabel(task, () -> {
             // Ensure holder still has the same task.
-            if (Objects.equals(task, holder.getTask())) {
+            if (Objects.equals(Optional.of(task), holder.getTask())) {
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setIcon(task.icon);
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setLabel(task.titleDescription);
             }
         });
         mLoader.loadTaskThumbnail(task, () -> {
-            if (Objects.equals(task, holder.getTask())) {
+            if (Objects.equals(Optional.of(task), holder.getTask())) {
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setThumbnail(task.thumbnail.thumbnail);
             }
         });
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
index a3fa5c1f2b..5755df4f4a 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@ package com.android.quickstep;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
-import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView.ViewHolder;
 
 import com.android.quickstep.views.TaskItemView;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.recents.model.Task;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 /**
  * A recycler view holder that holds the task view and binds {@link Task} content (app title, icon,
  * etc.) to the view.
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ public final class TaskHolder extends ViewHolder {
      *
      * @return the current task
      */
-    public @Nullable Task getTask() {
-        return mTask;
+    public Optional<Task> getTask() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(mTask);
     }
 }
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
index 9688fdfdaa..a0efce456a 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ import com.android.quickstep.TaskListLoader;
 import com.android.quickstep.TaskSwipeCallback;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.recents.model.Task;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 /**
  * Root view for the icon recents view. Acts as the main interface to the rest of the Launcher code
  * base.
@@ -120,8 +122,9 @@ public final class IconRecentsView extends FrameLayout {
         TaskItemView[] itemViews = getTaskViews();
         for (TaskItemView taskView : itemViews) {
             TaskHolder taskHolder = (TaskHolder) mTaskRecyclerView.getChildViewHolder(taskView);
-            Task task = taskHolder.getTask();
-            if (taskHolder.getTask().key.id == taskId) {
+            Optional<Task> optTask = taskHolder.getTask();
+            if (optTask.filter(task -> task.key.id == taskId).isPresent()) {
+                Task task = optTask.get();
                 // Update thumbnail on the task.
                 task.thumbnail = thumbnailData;
                 taskView.setThumbnail(thumbnailData.thumbnail);