diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/DetailsIslandViewModel.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/DetailsIslandViewModel.cs
index 87293a8..0824402 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/DetailsIslandViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/DetailsIslandViewModel.cs
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
     // The task ID we are currently subscribed to for live log messages
     private string? _subscribedTaskId;
 
+    private CancellationTokenSource? _loadCts;
+
     // Set by the view so OpenDiffCommand can show the modal as a dialog
     public Func<DiffModalViewModel, System.Threading.Tasks.Task>? ShowDiffModal { get; set; }
 
@@ -72,8 +74,13 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
         Log.Add(new LogLineViewModel { Kind = kind, Text = line });
     }
 
-    public async void Bind(TaskRowViewModel? row)
+    public void Bind(TaskRowViewModel? row)
     {
+        _loadCts?.Cancel();
+        _loadCts?.Dispose();
+        _loadCts = new CancellationTokenSource();
+        var ct = _loadCts.Token;
+
         Task = row;
         Log.Clear();
         Subtasks.Clear();
@@ -90,26 +97,37 @@ public sealed partial class DetailsIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
             return;
         }
 
-        // Wire live-log subscription to new task
-        _subscribedTaskId = row.Id;
+        _ = BindAsync(row, ct);
+    }
 
-        await using var ctx = _dbFactory.CreateDbContext();
-        var taskRepo = new TaskRepository(ctx);
-        var subtaskRepo = new SubtaskRepository(ctx);
+    private async System.Threading.Tasks.Task BindAsync(TaskRowViewModel row, CancellationToken ct)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            await using var ctx = _dbFactory.CreateDbContext();
+            var taskRepo = new TaskRepository(ctx);
+            var subtaskRepo = new SubtaskRepository(ctx);
 
-        var entity = await taskRepo.GetByIdAsync(row.Id);
-        if (entity == null) return;
+            var entity = await taskRepo.GetByIdAsync(row.Id);
+            ct.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+            if (entity == null) return;
 
-        EditableTitle = entity.Title;
-        Notes = entity.Notes ?? "";
-        Model = entity.Model;
-        WorktreePath = entity.Worktree?.Path;
-        BranchLine = entity.Worktree is { } w ? $"{w.BranchName} \u2190 main" : null;
-        AgentStatusLabel = entity.Status.ToString();
+            EditableTitle = entity.Title;
+            Notes = entity.Notes ?? "";
+            Model = entity.Model;
+            WorktreePath = entity.Worktree?.Path;
+            BranchLine = entity.Worktree is { } w ? $"{w.BranchName} \u2190 main" : null;
+            AgentStatusLabel = entity.Status.ToString();
 
-        var subs = await subtaskRepo.GetByTaskIdAsync(row.Id);
-        foreach (var s in subs)
-            Subtasks.Add(new SubtaskRowViewModel { Id = s.Id, Title = s.Title, Done = s.Completed });
+            // Subscribe only after DB load confirms the task exists
+            _subscribedTaskId = row.Id;
+
+            var subs = await subtaskRepo.GetByTaskIdAsync(row.Id);
+            ct.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+            foreach (var s in subs)
+                Subtasks.Add(new SubtaskRowViewModel { Id = s.Id, Title = s.Title, Done = s.Completed });
+        }
+        catch (OperationCanceledException) { }
     }
 
     [RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanOpenDiff))]
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/TasksIslandViewModel.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/TasksIslandViewModel.cs
index cea064d..b750701 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/TasksIslandViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/Islands/TasksIslandViewModel.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
 {
     private readonly IDbContextFactory<ClaudeDoDbContext> _dbFactory;
     private ListNavItemViewModel? _currentList;
+    private CancellationTokenSource? _loadCts;
 
     public event EventHandler? SelectionChanged;
     public event EventHandler? FocusAddTaskRequested;
@@ -30,8 +31,13 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
         _dbFactory = dbFactory;
     }
 
-    public async void LoadForList(ListNavItemViewModel? list)
+    public void LoadForList(ListNavItemViewModel? list)
     {
+        _loadCts?.Cancel();
+        _loadCts?.Dispose();
+        _loadCts = new CancellationTokenSource();
+        var ct = _loadCts.Token;
+
         _currentList = list;
         Items.Clear();
         if (list is null) return;
@@ -39,27 +45,38 @@ public sealed partial class TasksIslandViewModel : ViewModelBase
         HeaderTitle = list.Name;
         HeaderEyebrow = DateTime.Now.ToString("dddd · MMM dd").ToUpperInvariant();
 
-        await using var db = await _dbFactory.CreateDbContextAsync();
-        var all = await db.Tasks
-            .Include(t => t.List)
-            .Include(t => t.Worktree)
-            .ToListAsync();
+        _ = LoadForListAsync(list, ct);
+    }
 
-        IEnumerable<TaskEntity> filtered = list.Kind switch
+    private async Task LoadForListAsync(ListNavItemViewModel list, CancellationToken ct)
+    {
+        try
         {
-            ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:my-day"     => all.Where(t => t.IsMyDay),
-            ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:important"  => all.Where(t => t.IsStarred),
-            ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:planned"    => all.Where(t => t.ScheduledFor != null),
-            ListKind.Virtual when list.Id == "virtual:running" => all.Where(t => t.Status == TaskStatus.Running),
-            ListKind.Virtual when list.Id == "virtual:review"  => all.Where(t => t.Status == TaskStatus.Done && t.Worktree?.State == WorktreeState.Active),
-            ListKind.User  => all.Where(t => $"user:{t.ListId}" == list.Id),
-            _              => Enumerable.Empty<TaskEntity>(),
-        };
+            await using var db = await _dbFactory.CreateDbContextAsync(ct);
+            var all = await db.Tasks
+                .Include(t => t.List)
+                .Include(t => t.Worktree)
+                .ToListAsync(ct);
 
-        foreach (var t in filtered)
-            Items.Add(TaskRowViewModel.FromEntity(t));
+            ct.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
-        UpdateSubtitle();
+            IEnumerable<TaskEntity> filtered = list.Kind switch
+            {
+                ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:my-day"      => all.Where(t => t.IsMyDay),
+                ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:important"   => all.Where(t => t.IsStarred),
+                ListKind.Smart when list.Id == "smart:planned"     => all.Where(t => t.ScheduledFor != null),
+                ListKind.Virtual when list.Id == "virtual:running" => all.Where(t => t.Status == TaskStatus.Running),
+                ListKind.Virtual when list.Id == "virtual:review"  => all.Where(t => t.Status == TaskStatus.Done && t.Worktree?.State == WorktreeState.Active),
+                ListKind.User  => all.Where(t => $"user:{t.ListId}" == list.Id),
+                _              => Enumerable.Empty<TaskEntity>(),
+            };
+
+            foreach (var t in filtered)
+                Items.Add(TaskRowViewModel.FromEntity(t));
+
+            UpdateSubtitle();
+        }
+        catch (OperationCanceledException) { }
     }
 
     private void UpdateSubtitle()