diff --git a/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/taskListQueryOptions.ts b/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/taskListQueryOptions.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..796c39034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/taskListQueryOptions.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/**
+ * Shared options for the three task-list queries (tasks, summaries,
+ * slack tasks). Force a refetch on return-to-focus regardless of
+ * staleness — the global `staleTime` is 5 min, so
+ * `refetchOnWindowFocus: true` would silently skip the refetch in the
+ * exact window we care about (laptop opened after a short walk).
+ */
+export const TASK_LIST_QUERY_OPTIONS = {
+  refetchOnWindowFocus: "always" as const,
+};
diff --git a/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/useTasks.ts b/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/useTasks.ts
index 9643f8ccf..04142501a 100644
--- a/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/useTasks.ts
+++ b/apps/code/src/renderer/features/tasks/hooks/useTasks.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { pinnedTasksApi } from "@features/sidebar/hooks/usePinnedTasks";
+import { TASK_LIST_QUERY_OPTIONS } from "@features/tasks/hooks/taskListQueryOptions";
 import { workspaceApi } from "@features/workspace/hooks/useWorkspace";
 import { useAuthenticatedMutation } from "@hooks/useAuthenticatedMutation";
 import { useAuthenticatedQuery } from "@hooks/useAuthenticatedQuery";
@@ -14,8 +15,6 @@ import { useCallback } from "react";
 
 const log = logger.scope("tasks");
 
-const TASK_LIST_POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000;
-
 const taskKeys = {
   all: ["tasks"] as const,
   lists: () => [...taskKeys.all, "list"] as const,
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ export function useTasks(
       }) as unknown as Promise<Task[]>,
     {
       enabled: (options?.enabled ?? true) && !!currentUser?.id,
-      refetchInterval: TASK_LIST_POLL_INTERVAL_MS,
+      ...TASK_LIST_QUERY_OPTIONS,
     },
   );
 }
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ export function useTaskSummaries(
     (client) => client.getTaskSummaries(ids),
     {
       enabled: (options?.enabled ?? true) && ids.length > 0,
-      refetchInterval: TASK_LIST_POLL_INTERVAL_MS,
+      ...TASK_LIST_QUERY_OPTIONS,
       placeholderData: keepPreviousData,
     },
   );
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ export function useSlackTasks(options?: {
       }) as unknown as Promise<Task[]>,
     {
       enabled: options?.enabled ?? true,
-      refetchInterval: TASK_LIST_POLL_INTERVAL_MS,
+      ...TASK_LIST_QUERY_OPTIONS,
     },
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/code/src/renderer/stores/rendererWindowFocusStore.ts b/apps/code/src/renderer/stores/rendererWindowFocusStore.ts
index e9b85c4ea..22135b927 100644
--- a/apps/code/src/renderer/stores/rendererWindowFocusStore.ts
+++ b/apps/code/src/renderer/stores/rendererWindowFocusStore.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { create } from "zustand";
 
 /**
  * True when the renderer document is visible and the window has OS focus.
- * Used to pause inbox polling when the Electron window is in the background.
+ * Used to pause polling-style queries (inbox, task list, etc.) when the
+ * Electron window is in the background.
  */
 function computeWindowFocused(): boolean {
   if (typeof document === "undefined") {