diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
index 77b287ba5d..71bee9181d 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskActionController.java
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ public final class TaskActionController {
      * @param viewHolder the task view holder to launch
      */
     public void launchTask(TaskHolder viewHolder) {
+        if (viewHolder.getTask() == null) {
+            return;
+        }
         TaskItemView itemView = (TaskItemView) (viewHolder.itemView);
         View v = itemView.getThumbnailView();
         int left = 0;
@@ -60,6 +63,9 @@ public final class TaskActionController {
      * @param viewHolder the task view holder to remove
      */
     public void removeTask(TaskHolder viewHolder) {
+        if (viewHolder.getTask() == null) {
+            return;
+        }
         int position = viewHolder.getAdapterPosition();
         Task task = viewHolder.getTask();
         ActivityManagerWrapper.getInstance().removeTask(task.key.id);
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskAdapter.java
index c98eca6221..674fcae914 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.quickstep.views.TaskItemView;
 import com.android.systemui.shared.recents.model.Task;
 
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 
 /**
  * Recycler view adapter that dynamically inflates and binds {@link TaskHolder} instances with the
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
     private final TaskListLoader mLoader;
     private final ArrayMap<Integer, TaskItemView> mTaskIdToViewMap = new ArrayMap<>();
     private TaskActionController mTaskActionController;
+    private boolean mIsShowingLoadingUi;
 
     public TaskAdapter(@NonNull TaskListLoader loader) {
         mLoader = loader;
@@ -49,6 +51,18 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
         mTaskActionController = taskActionController;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets all positions in the task adapter to loading views, binding new views if necessary.
+     * This changes the task adapter's view of the data, so the appropriate notify events should be
+     * called in addition to this method to reflect the changes.
+     *
+     * @param isShowingLoadingUi true to bind loading task views to all positions, false to return
+     *                           to the real data
+     */
+    public void setIsShowingLoadingUi(boolean isShowingLoadingUi) {
+        mIsShowingLoadingUi = isShowingLoadingUi;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get task item view for a given task id if it's attached to the view.
      *
@@ -70,6 +84,10 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
 
     @Override
     public void onBindViewHolder(TaskHolder holder, int position) {
+        if (mIsShowingLoadingUi) {
+            holder.bindEmptyUi();
+            return;
+        }
         List<Task> tasks = mLoader.getCurrentTaskList();
         if (position >= tasks.size()) {
             // Task list has updated.
@@ -79,13 +97,13 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
         holder.bindTask(task);
         mLoader.loadTaskIconAndLabel(task, () -> {
             // Ensure holder still has the same task.
-            if (task.equals(holder.getTask())) {
+            if (Objects.equals(task, holder.getTask())) {
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setIcon(task.icon);
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setLabel(task.titleDescription);
             }
         });
         mLoader.loadTaskThumbnail(task, () -> {
-            if (task.equals(holder.getTask())) {
+            if (Objects.equals(task, holder.getTask())) {
                 holder.getTaskItemView().setThumbnail(task.thumbnail.thumbnail);
             }
         });
@@ -93,16 +111,27 @@ public final class TaskAdapter extends Adapter<TaskHolder> {
 
     @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() {
-        return Math.min(mLoader.getCurrentTaskList().size(), MAX_TASKS_TO_DISPLAY);
+        if (mIsShowingLoadingUi) {
+            // Show loading version of all items.
+            return MAX_TASKS_TO_DISPLAY;
+        } else {
+            return Math.min(mLoader.getCurrentTaskList().size(), MAX_TASKS_TO_DISPLAY);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
index 744afd766e..98dc989317 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskHolder.java
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  */
 package com.android.quickstep;
 
-import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
+import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.RecyclerView.ViewHolder;
 
 import com.android.quickstep.views.TaskItemView;
@@ -50,11 +50,23 @@ public final class TaskHolder extends ViewHolder {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Gets the task currently bound to this view
+     * Bind a generic empty UI to the holder to make it clear that the item is loading/unbound and
+     * should not be expected to react to user input.
+     */
+    public void bindEmptyUi() {
+        mTask = null;
+        // TODO: Set the task view to a loading, empty UI.
+        // Temporarily using the one below for visual confirmation but should be swapped out to new
+        // UI later.
+        mTaskItemView.resetTaskItemView();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the task currently bound to this view. May be null if task holder is in a loading state.
      *
      * @return the current task
      */
-    public @NonNull Task getTask() {
+    public @Nullable Task getTask() {
         return mTask;
     }
 }
diff --git a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
index 5bb4c5aaaa..f525c9d9d5 100644
--- a/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
+++ b/go/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/IconRecentsView.java
@@ -157,10 +157,12 @@ public final class IconRecentsView extends FrameLayout {
      * becomes visible.
      */
     public void onBeginTransitionToOverview() {
+        mTaskAdapter.setIsShowingLoadingUi(true);
+        mTaskAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
         // Load any task changes
         mTaskLoader.loadTaskList(tasks -> {
-            // TODO: Put up some loading UI while task content is loading. May have to do something
-            // smarter when animating from app to overview.
+            mTaskAdapter.setIsShowingLoadingUi(false);
+            // TODO: Animate the loading UI out and the loaded data in.
             mTaskAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
         });
     }