diff --git a/src/app/api/tasks/route.ts b/src/app/api/tasks/route.ts
index 2a18acb..b540a51 100644
--- a/src/app/api/tasks/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/tasks/route.ts
@@ -184,12 +184,9 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
       metadata = {}
     } = body;
     const normalizedStatus = normalizeTaskCreateStatus(status, assigned_to)
-    
-    // Check for duplicate title
-    const existingTask = db.prepare('SELECT id FROM tasks WHERE title = ? AND workspace_id = ?').get(title, workspaceId);
-    if (existingTask) {
-      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Task with this title already exists' }, { status: 409 });
-    }
+
+    // Resolve project_id for the task
+    const resolvedProjectId = resolveProjectId(db, workspaceId, project_id)
     
     const now = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000);
     const mentionResolution = resolveMentionRecipients(description || '', db, workspaceId);
@@ -203,7 +200,6 @@ export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
     const resolvedCompletedAt = completed_at ?? (normalizedStatus === 'done' ? now : null)
 
     const createTaskTx = db.transaction(() => {
-      const resolvedProjectId = resolveProjectId(db, workspaceId, project_id)
       db.prepare(`
         UPDATE projects
         SET ticket_counter = ticket_counter + 1, updated_at = unixepoch()
diff --git a/src/components/panels/task-board-panel.tsx b/src/components/panels/task-board-panel.tsx
index d7a276f..ed601ae 100644
--- a/src/components/panels/task-board-panel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/panels/task-board-panel.tsx
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ export function TaskBoardPanel() {
             </div>
 
             {/* Column Body */}
-            <div className="flex-1 p-2.5 space-y-2.5 min-h-32 overflow-y-auto">
+            <div className="flex-1 p-2.5 space-y-2.5 min-h-32 h-full overflow-y-auto">
               {tasksByStatus[column.key]?.map(task => (
                 <div
                   key={task.id}
@@ -1253,11 +1253,18 @@ function TaskDetailModal({
                   if (!confirm(t('deleteTaskConfirm', { title: task.title }))) return
                   try {
                     const res = await fetch(`/api/tasks/${task.id}`, { method: 'DELETE' })
-                    if (!res.ok) throw new Error('Failed to delete task')
-                    onDelete()
+                    if (!res.ok) {
+                      const errorData = await res.json().catch(() => ({ error: 'Failed to delete task' }))
+                      throw new Error(errorData.error || 'Failed to delete task')
+                    }
+                    // Close modal immediately on successful deletion
+                    // SSE will handle the task.deleted event and remove the task from the UI
                     onClose()
-                  } catch {
-                    // task.deleted SSE will sync state if needed
+                  } catch (error) {
+                    // Show error to user
+                    const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Failed to delete task'
+                    alert(errorMessage)
+                    // Don't close modal on error
                   }
                 }}
               >
diff --git a/src/lib/recurring-tasks.ts b/src/lib/recurring-tasks.ts
index b8d78c7..ca6f141 100644
--- a/src/lib/recurring-tasks.ts
+++ b/src/lib/recurring-tasks.ts
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ export async function spawnRecurringTasks(): Promise<{ ok: boolean; message: str
       const dateSuffix = formatDateSuffix()
       const childTitle = `${template.title} - ${dateSuffix}`
 
-      // Duplicate prevention: check if a child with this exact title already exists
+      // Duplicate prevention: check if a child with this exact title already exists in the same project
       const existing = db.prepare(`
         SELECT id FROM tasks
-        WHERE title = ? AND workspace_id = ?
+        WHERE title = ? AND workspace_id = ? AND project_id = ?
         LIMIT 1
-      `).get(childTitle, template.workspace_id)
+      `).get(childTitle, template.workspace_id, template.project_id)
       if (existing) continue
 
       // Spawn child task
diff --git a/tests/tasks-crud.spec.ts b/tests/tasks-crud.spec.ts
index 9b85dd5..0d04e8d 100644
--- a/tests/tasks-crud.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/tasks-crud.spec.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ test.describe('Tasks CRUD', () => {
     expect(res.status()).toBe(400)
   })
 
-  test('POST rejects duplicate title', async ({ request }) => {
+  test('POST allows duplicate title', async ({ request }) => {
     const { id, body: first } = await createTestTask(request)
     cleanup.push(id)
 
@@ -91,7 +91,11 @@ test.describe('Tasks CRUD', () => {
       headers: API_KEY_HEADER,
       data: { title: first.task.title },
     })
-    expect(res.status()).toBe(409)
+    expect(res.status()).toBe(201)
+    const body = await res.json()
+    cleanup.push(body.task.id)
+    expect(body.task.title).toBe(first.task.title)
+    expect(body.task.id).not.toBe(first.task.id)
   })
 
   // ── GET /api/tasks ───────────────────────────