diff --git a/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml b/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
index 0c8543f..2a9674f 100644
--- a/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
+++ b/quickstep/res/layout/task_desktop.xml
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
     <com.android.quickstep.views.TaskThumbnailView
         android:id="@+id/snapshot"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:visibility="gone" />
 
     <com.android.quickstep.views.IconView
         android:id="@+id/icon"
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
index 44aa41a..709ce71 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@
 
     private static final boolean DEBUG = true;
 
-    private List<Task> mTasks;
+    @NonNull
+    private List<Task> mTasks = new ArrayList<>();
 
     private final ArrayList<TaskThumbnailView> mSnapshotViews = new ArrayList<>();
 
@@ -108,8 +109,6 @@
                 getContext().getTheme()));
         // TODO(b/244348395): this should be wallpaper
         setBackground(mBackground);
-
-        mSnapshotViews.add(mSnapshotView);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -129,12 +128,9 @@
             }
             Log.d(TAG, sb.toString());
         }
-        if (tasks.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
-        }
         cancelPendingLoadTasks();
 
-        mTasks = tasks;
+        mTasks = new ArrayList<>(tasks);
         mSnapshotViewMap.clear();
 
         // Ensure there are equal number of snapshot views and tasks.
@@ -207,7 +203,8 @@
         if (task != null) {
             return mSnapshotViewMap.get(task.key.id);
         }
-        return null;
+        // Return the place holder snapshot views. Callers expect this to be non-null
+        return mSnapshotView;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -314,6 +311,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public boolean isDesktopTask() {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
     void refreshThumbnails(@Nullable HashMap<Integer, ThumbnailData> thumbnailDatas) {
         // Sets new thumbnails based on the incoming data and refreshes the rest.
         // Create a copy of the thumbnail map, so we can track thumbnails that need refreshing.
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
index 8facb0a..d8ecd87 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
@@ -1548,8 +1548,14 @@
         removeView(focusedTaskView);
         mMovingTaskView = null;
         focusedTaskView.resetPersistentViewTransforms();
-        addView(focusedTaskView, 0);
-        setCurrentPage(0);
+        int frontTaskIndex = 0;
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED && !focusedTaskView.isDesktopTask()) {
+            // If desktop mode is enabled, desktop task view is pinned at first position.
+            // Move focused task to position 1
+            frontTaskIndex = 1;
+        }
+        addView(focusedTaskView, frontTaskIndex);
+        setCurrentPage(frontTaskIndex);
 
         updateGridProperties();
     }
@@ -1586,7 +1592,7 @@
 
         int currentTaskId = -1;
         TaskView currentTaskView = getTaskViewAt(mCurrentPage);
-        if (currentTaskView != null) {
+        if (currentTaskView != null && currentTaskView.getTask() != null) {
             currentTaskId = currentTaskView.getTask().key.id;
         }
 
@@ -1615,6 +1621,8 @@
         // update the map of instance counts
         mFilterState.updateInstanceCountMap(taskGroups);
 
+        DesktopTask desktopTask = null;
+
         // Add views as children based on whether it's grouped or single task. Looping through
         // taskGroups backwards populates the thumbnail grid from least recent to most recent.
         for (int i = taskGroups.size() - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
@@ -1622,6 +1630,12 @@
             boolean isRemovalNeeded = stagedTaskIdToBeRemovedFromGrid != INVALID_TASK_ID
                     && groupTask.containsTask(stagedTaskIdToBeRemovedFromGrid);
 
+            if (groupTask instanceof DesktopTask) {
+                desktopTask = (DesktopTask) groupTask;
+                // Desktop task will be added separately in the end
+                continue;
+            }
+
             TaskView taskView;
             if (isRemovalNeeded && groupTask.hasMultipleTasks()) {
                 // If we need to remove half of a pair of tasks, force a TaskView with Type.SINGLE
@@ -1652,9 +1666,6 @@
 
                 ((GroupedTaskView) taskView).bind(leftTopTask, rightBottomTask, mOrientationState,
                         groupTask.mSplitBounds);
-            } else if (taskView instanceof DesktopTaskView) {
-                ((DesktopTaskView) taskView).bind(((DesktopTask) groupTask).tasks,
-                        mOrientationState);
             } else {
                 taskView.bind(groupTask.task1, mOrientationState);
             }
@@ -1667,6 +1678,14 @@
 
         if (!taskGroups.isEmpty()) {
             addView(mClearAllButton);
+
+            if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+                TaskView taskView = getTaskViewFromPool(TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
+                // Always add a desktop task to the first position. Even if it is empty
+                addView(taskView, 0);
+                ArrayList<Task> tasks = desktopTask != null ? desktopTask.tasks : new ArrayList<>();
+                ((DesktopTaskView) taskView).bind(tasks, mOrientationState);
+            }
         }
 
         // Keep same previous focused task
@@ -1674,6 +1693,12 @@
         // If the list changed, maybe the focused task doesn't exist anymore
         if (newFocusedTaskView == null && getTaskViewCount() > 0) {
             newFocusedTaskView = getTaskViewAt(0);
+            // Check if the first task is the desktop.
+            // If first task is desktop, try to find another task to set as the focused task
+            if (newFocusedTaskView != null && newFocusedTaskView.isDesktopTask()
+                    && getTaskViewCount() > 1) {
+                newFocusedTaskView = getTaskViewAt(1);
+            }
         }
         mFocusedTaskViewId = newFocusedTaskView != null ?
                 newFocusedTaskView.getTaskViewId() : -1;
@@ -1707,7 +1732,12 @@
             if (runningTaskId != -1) {
                 targetPage = indexOfChild(newRunningTaskView);
             } else if (getTaskViewCount() > 0) {
-                targetPage = indexOfChild(requireTaskViewAt(0));
+                TaskView taskView = requireTaskViewAt(0);
+                // If first task id desktop, try to find another task to set the target page
+                if (taskView.isDesktopTask() && getTaskViewCount() > 1) {
+                    taskView = requireTaskViewAt(1);
+                }
+                targetPage = indexOfChild(taskView);
             }
         }
         if (targetPage != -1 && mCurrentPage != targetPage) {
@@ -2136,6 +2166,9 @@
         for (int i = 0; i < getTaskViewCount(); i++) {
             TaskView taskView = requireTaskViewAt(i);
             Task task = taskView.getTask();
+            if (task == null) {
+                continue;
+            }
             int index = indexOfChild(taskView);
             boolean visible;
             if (showAsGrid()) {
@@ -2710,6 +2743,8 @@
         TaskView homeTaskView = getHomeTaskView();
         TaskView nextFocusedTaskView = null;
 
+        int desktopTaskIndex = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
+
         if (!isTaskDismissal) {
             mTopRowIdSet.clear();
         }
@@ -2736,6 +2771,14 @@
                     // If focused task is snapped, the row width is just task width and spacing.
                     snappedTaskRowWidth = taskWidthAndSpacing;
                 }
+            } else if (taskView.isDesktopTask()) {
+                // Desktop task was not focused. Pin it to the right of focused
+                desktopTaskIndex = i;
+                gridTranslations[i] += mIsRtl ? taskWidthAndSpacing : -taskWidthAndSpacing;
+
+                // Center view vertically in case it's from different orientation.
+                taskView.setGridTranslationY((mLastComputedTaskSize.height() + taskTopMargin
+                        - taskView.getLayoutParams().height) / 2f);
             } else {
                 if (i > focusedTaskIndex) {
                     // For tasks after the focused task, shift by focused task's width and spacing.
@@ -2776,7 +2819,7 @@
                     // Move horizontally into empty space.
                     float widthOffset = 0;
                     for (int j = i - 1; !topSet.contains(j) && j >= 0; j--) {
-                        if (j == focusedTaskIndex) {
+                        if (j == focusedTaskIndex || j == desktopTaskIndex) {
                             continue;
                         }
                         widthOffset += requireTaskViewAt(j).getLayoutParams().width + mPageSpacing;
@@ -2795,7 +2838,7 @@
                     // Move horizontally into empty space.
                     float widthOffset = 0;
                     for (int j = i - 1; !bottomSet.contains(j) && j >= 0; j--) {
-                        if (j == focusedTaskIndex) {
+                        if (j == focusedTaskIndex || j == desktopTaskIndex) {
                             continue;
                         }
                         widthOffset += requireTaskViewAt(j).getLayoutParams().width + mPageSpacing;
@@ -5096,6 +5139,10 @@
     }
 
     private int getFirstViewIndex() {
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+            // Desktop task is at position 0, that is the first view
+            return 0;
+        }
         TaskView focusedTaskView = mShowAsGridLastOnLayout ? getFocusedTaskView() : null;
         return focusedTaskView != null ? indexOfChild(focusedTaskView) : 0;
     }
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
index aa37fdd..473691d 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
@@ -1007,6 +1007,11 @@
         return deviceProfile.isTablet && !isFocusedTask();
     }
 
+    /** Whether this task view represents the desktop */
+    public boolean isDesktopTask() {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Called to animate a smooth transition when going directly from an app into Overview (and
      * vice versa). Icons fade in, and DWB banners slide in with a "shift up" animation.
@@ -1517,7 +1522,7 @@
             int boxWidth;
             int boxHeight;
             boolean isFocusedTask = isFocusedTask();
-            if (isFocusedTask) {
+            if (isFocusedTask || isDesktopTask()) {
                 // Task will be focused and should use focused task size. Use focusTaskRatio
                 // that is associated with the original orientation of the focused task.
                 boxWidth = taskWidth;