diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
index 89177b6c3f..14898b1007 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/DesktopTaskView.java
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ public class DesktopTaskView extends TaskView {
         }
         setOverlayEnabled(false);
         onTaskListVisibilityChanged(false);
+        setVisibility(VISIBLE);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
index 0284d2937d..19dc0103ee 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/views/RecentsView.java
@@ -706,6 +706,12 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
     private ObjectAnimator mActionsViewAlphaAnimator;
     private float mActionsViewAlphaAnimatorFinalValue;
 
+    /**
+     * Keeps track of the desktop task. Optional and only present when the feature flag is enabled.
+     */
+    @Nullable
+    private DesktopTaskView mDesktopTaskView;
+
     private MultiWindowModeChangedListener mMultiWindowModeChangedListener =
             new MultiWindowModeChangedListener() {
                 @Override
@@ -1586,6 +1592,8 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         // update the map of instance counts
         mFilterState.updateInstanceCountMap(taskGroups);
 
+        // Clear out desktop view if it is set
+        mDesktopTaskView = null;
         DesktopTask desktopTask = null;
 
         // Add views as children based on whether it's grouped or single task. Looping through
@@ -1644,12 +1652,13 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         if (!taskGroups.isEmpty()) {
             addView(mClearAllButton);
 
-            if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
-                TaskView taskView = getTaskViewFromPool(TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
+            if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED
+                    && !getSplitSelectController().isSplitSelectActive()) {
+                mDesktopTaskView = (DesktopTaskView) getTaskViewFromPool(TaskView.Type.DESKTOP);
                 // Always add a desktop task to the first position. Even if it is empty
-                addView(taskView, 0);
+                addView(mDesktopTaskView, 0);
                 ArrayList<Task> tasks = desktopTask != null ? desktopTask.tasks : new ArrayList<>();
-                ((DesktopTaskView) taskView).bind(tasks, mOrientationState);
+                mDesktopTaskView.bind(tasks, mOrientationState);
             }
         }
 
@@ -2774,6 +2783,10 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
             } else if (taskView.isDesktopTask()) {
                 // Desktop task was not focused. Pin it to the right of focused
                 desktopTaskIndex = i;
+                if (taskView.getVisibility() == View.GONE) {
+                    // Desktop task view is hidden, skip it from grid calculations
+                    continue;
+                }
                 if (!ENABLE_GRID_ONLY_OVERVIEW.get()) {
                     // Only apply x-translation when using legacy overview grid
                     gridTranslations[i] += mIsRtl ? taskWidthAndSpacing : -taskWidthAndSpacing;
@@ -4467,6 +4480,9 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         mSplitSelectStateController.setAnimateCurrentTaskDismissal(
                 true /*animateCurrentTaskDismissal*/);
         mSplitHiddenTaskViewIndex = indexOfChild(taskView);
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+            updateDesktopTaskVisibility(false /* visible */);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -4483,6 +4499,15 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
         mSplitSelectStateController.setInitialTaskSelect(splitSelectSource.intent,
                 splitSelectSource.position.stagePosition, splitSelectSource.itemInfo,
                 splitSelectSource.splitEvent, splitSelectSource.alreadyRunningTaskId);
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+            updateDesktopTaskVisibility(false /* visible */);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void updateDesktopTaskVisibility(boolean visible) {
+        if (mDesktopTaskView != null) {
+            mDesktopTaskView.setVisibility(visible ? VISIBLE : GONE);
+        }
     }
 
     /**
@@ -4633,6 +4658,9 @@ public abstract class RecentsView<ACTIVITY_TYPE extends StatefulActivity<STATE_T
             mSplitHiddenTaskView.setThumbnailVisibility(VISIBLE);
             mSplitHiddenTaskView = null;
         }
+        if (DesktopTaskView.DESKTOP_IS_PROTO2_ENABLED) {
+            updateDesktopTaskVisibility(true /* visible */);
+        }
     }
 
     private void safeRemoveDragLayerView(@Nullable View viewToRemove) {