diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AbsSwipeUpHandler.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AbsSwipeUpHandler.java
index 2ae0646ed0..7ca76399a6 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AbsSwipeUpHandler.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/AbsSwipeUpHandler.java
@@ -1006,8 +1006,8 @@ public abstract class AbsSwipeUpHandler<T extends StatefulActivity<S>,
         return false;
     }
 
-    private GestureEndTarget calculateEndTarget(PointF velocity, float endVelocity, boolean isFling,
-            boolean isCancel) {
+    private GestureEndTarget calculateEndTarget(PointF velocity, float endVelocity,
+            boolean isFlingY, boolean isCancel) {
         if (mGestureState.isHandlingAtomicEvent()) {
             // Button mode, this is only used to go to recents
             return RECENTS;
@@ -1028,11 +1028,17 @@ public abstract class AbsSwipeUpHandler<T extends StatefulActivity<S>,
             goingToNewTask = false;
         }
         final boolean reachedOverviewThreshold = mCurrentShift.value >= MIN_PROGRESS_FOR_OVERVIEW;
-        if (!isFling) {
+        final boolean isFlingX = Math.abs(velocity.x) > mContext.getResources()
+                .getDimension(R.dimen.quickstep_fling_threshold_speed);
+        if (!isFlingY) {
             if (isCancel) {
                 endTarget = LAST_TASK;
             } else if (mDeviceState.isFullyGesturalNavMode()) {
-                if (mIsMotionPaused) {
+                if (goingToNewTask && isFlingX) {
+                    // Flinging towards new task takes precedence over mIsMotionPaused (which only
+                    // checks y-velocity).
+                    endTarget = NEW_TASK;
+                } else if (mIsMotionPaused) {
                     endTarget = RECENTS;
                 } else if (goingToNewTask) {
                     endTarget = NEW_TASK;
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/inputconsumers/OtherActivityInputConsumer.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/inputconsumers/OtherActivityInputConsumer.java
index dd459f5258..11f0ff3259 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/inputconsumers/OtherActivityInputConsumer.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/inputconsumers/OtherActivityInputConsumer.java
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ public class OtherActivityInputConsumer extends ContextWrapper implements InputC
     public static final float QUICKSTEP_TOUCH_SLOP_RATIO_TWO_BUTTON = 9;
     public static final float QUICKSTEP_TOUCH_SLOP_RATIO_GESTURAL = 2;
 
+    // Minimum angle of a gesture's coordinate where a release goes to overview.
+    public static final int OVERVIEW_MIN_DEGREES = 15;
+
     private final RecentsAnimationDeviceState mDeviceState;
     private final NavBarPosition mNavBarPosition;
     private final TaskAnimationManager mTaskAnimationManager;
@@ -291,8 +294,9 @@ public class OtherActivityInputConsumer extends ContextWrapper implements InputC
                 // the gesture (in which case mPassedPilferInputSlop starts as true).
                 boolean haveNotPassedSlopOnContinuedGesture =
                         !mPassedSlopOnThisGesture && mPassedPilferInputSlop;
+                double degrees = Math.toDegrees(Math.atan(upDist / horizontalDist));
                 boolean isLikelyToStartNewTask = haveNotPassedSlopOnContinuedGesture
-                        || horizontalDist > upDist;
+                        || degrees <= OVERVIEW_MIN_DEGREES;
 
                 if (!mPassedPilferInputSlop) {
                     if (passedSlop) {