diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/scheduler.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/scheduler.rs
index 7364a2b..f27cf9d 100644
--- a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/scheduler.rs
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/scheduler.rs
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ pub struct ScheduledJob {
 /// A task submitted from an external intake (Telegram, socket, cron).
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct TaskRequest {
+    /// Pre-created task ID from the caller (task is already in the store).
+    pub task_id: String,
     pub title: String,
     pub description: Option<String>,
     pub required_capabilities: Vec<String>,
@@ -204,32 +206,29 @@ impl Scheduler {
         }
 
         // ── Process intake queue ──────────────────────────────────
+        // Tasks are already in the store (created by
+        // cmd_intake_task); tick only routes them to capable agents.
         let intake: Vec<TaskRequest> = self.intake_queue.drain(..).collect();
         for req in intake {
-            let create_result = {
+            let agents = {
                 let store = state.store.lock().unwrap();
-                store.create_task(&req.title, req.description.as_deref())
+                store.list_agents().unwrap_or_default()
             };
-            match create_result {
-                Ok(task) => {
-                    let agents = {
-                        let store = state.store.lock().unwrap();
-                        store.list_agents().unwrap_or_default()
-                    };
-                    if let Some(agent) = pick_agent(&req.required_capabilities, &agents) {
-                        let _ = {
-                            let store = state.store.lock().unwrap();
-                            store.claim_task(&task.id, &agent.id)
-                        };
-                        info!(
-                            task_id = %task.id,
-                            agent_id = %agent.id,
-                            "scheduler: assigned intake task to agent"
-                        );
-                    }
-                }
-                Err(e) => {
-                    warn!(error = %e, "scheduler: failed to create task from intake");
+            if let Some(agent) = pick_agent(&req.required_capabilities, &agents) {
+                match {
+                    let store = state.store.lock().unwrap();
+                    store.claim_task(&req.task_id, &agent.id)
+                } {
+                    Ok(_) => info!(
+                        task_id = %req.task_id,
+                        agent_id = %agent.id,
+                        "scheduler: assigned intake task to agent"
+                    ),
+                    Err(e) => warn!(
+                        task_id = %req.task_id,
+                        error = %e,
+                        "scheduler: failed to claim intake task"
+                    ),
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -630,7 +629,16 @@ mod tests {
         let data_dir = config.data_dir.clone();
         let state: SharedState = Arc::new(crate::daemon::DaemonState::new(config));
         let mut scheduler = Scheduler::new();
+        // Pre-create the task so the tick can claim it (the tick no longer
+        // creates tasks — that happens in cmd_intake_task now).
+        let task = state
+            .store
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap()
+            .create_task("intake check", Some("must become a task"))
+            .unwrap();
         scheduler.submit(TaskRequest {
+            task_id: task.id,
             title: "intake check".to_string(),
             description: Some("must become a task".to_string()),
             required_capabilities: Vec::new(),
diff --git a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
index 312c2a6..d508c56 100644
--- a/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
+++ b/crates/colibri-daemon/src/socket.rs
@@ -1090,6 +1090,7 @@ async fn cmd_intake_task(
     // Also queue for the scheduler tick to route to a capable agent.
     let mut scheduler = state.scheduler.lock().await;
     scheduler.submit(crate::scheduler::TaskRequest {
+        task_id: task.id.clone(),
         title,
         description,
         required_capabilities: caps,