diff --git a/backend/src/routes/tasks.js b/backend/src/routes/tasks.js
index bdd44d4..d7cdf2d 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/tasks.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/tasks.js
@@ -149,12 +149,18 @@ export async function taskRoutes(app) {
   app.post('/api/tasks', { preHandler: requireCap('use') }, async (req, reply) => {
     const { list_id, title, notes, priority, due_at, remind_at, recur_rule, category_id, project_id } = req.body || {}
     if (!title?.trim()) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'title required' })
-    // Verify the target list belongs to the caller.
-    const { rows: [list] } = await pool.query(
-      'SELECT id FROM lists WHERE id = $1 AND owner_id = $2',
-      [list_id, req.user.email]
-    )
-    if (!list) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'invalid list' })
+    // list_id is optional — omitting it lands the task "unfiled" (list_id
+    // NULL), the same state assign/reallocate already use. Projects need this
+    // so a task can be created straight into a project without first needing
+    // a personal list, since projects are a cross-cutting grouping, not a
+    // list replacement.
+    if (list_id) {
+      const { rows: [list] } = await pool.query(
+        'SELECT id FROM lists WHERE id = $1 AND owner_id = $2',
+        [list_id, req.user.email]
+      )
+      if (!list) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'invalid list' })
+    }
     if (priority && !PRIORITIES.includes(priority)) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'bad priority' })
     if (recur_rule && !RECUR_RULES.includes(recur_rule)) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'bad recur_rule' })
     if (category_id) {
@@ -166,14 +172,16 @@ export async function taskRoutes(app) {
       if (!p) return reply.status(400).send({ error: 'invalid project' })
     }
     const { rows: [max] } = await pool.query(
-      'SELECT COALESCE(MAX(sort_order), 0) AS m FROM tasks WHERE list_id = $1',
-      [list_id]
+      list_id
+        ? 'SELECT COALESCE(MAX(sort_order), 0) AS m FROM tasks WHERE list_id = $1'
+        : 'SELECT COALESCE(MAX(sort_order), 0) AS m FROM tasks WHERE list_id IS NULL',
+      list_id ? [list_id] : []
     )
     const { rows: [task] } = await pool.query(
       `INSERT INTO tasks (list_id, owner_id, created_by, title, notes, priority, due_at, remind_at, recur_rule, category_id, project_id, sort_order)
        VALUES ($1, $2, $2, $3, $4, COALESCE($5, 'medium'), $6, $7, $8, $9, $10, $11)
        RETURNING *`,
-      [list_id, req.user.email, title.trim(), notes || null, priority || null,
+      [list_id || null, req.user.email, title.trim(), notes || null, priority || null,
        due_at || null, remind_at || null, recur_rule || null, category_id || null, project_id || null, Number(max.m) + 1]
     )
     return task
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TaskDetail.tsx b/frontend/src/components/TaskDetail.tsx
index 6e03410..25b7a0c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TaskDetail.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TaskDetail.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
-import { X, Trash2, Plus, Bell, Repeat, CalendarClock, FolderInput, Tag, FolderKanban, UserPlus, Send } from 'lucide-react'
+import { X, Trash2, Plus, Bell, Repeat, CalendarClock, FolderInput, Tag, FolderKanban, UserPlus, Send, ChevronDown } from 'lucide-react'
 import type { TaskDetail as TDetail, Priority, RecurRule } from '../types'
 import { PRIORITIES, PRIORITY_LABELS, RECUR_RULES, RECUR_LABELS } from '../types'
 import {
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export default function TaskDetail({ taskId, onChange, onClose }:
   const [tagEmail, setTagEmail] = useState('')
   const [assignEmail, setAssignEmail] = useState('')
   const [reallocateEmail, setReallocateEmail] = useState('')
+  const [sharingOpen, setSharingOpen] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     fetchTask(taskId).then(t => { setTask(t); setTitle(t.title); setNotes(t.notes ?? '') })
@@ -208,49 +209,61 @@ export default function TaskDetail({ taskId, onChange, onClose }:
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Sharing — tag (anyone with edit rights) / assign (owner + assign cap) / reallocate (dispatcher cap) */}
-      <div className="section-title">Sharing</div>
-      <div className="card" style={{ padding: '12px 14px' }}>
-        <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: task.tags.length || isOwner ? 8 : 0 }}>
-          <label><Tag size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Tagged (view + comment)</label>
-          {task.tags.length > 0 && (
-            <div className="chip-bar" style={{ margin: '4px 0' }}>
-              {task.tags.map(tg => (
-                <span key={tg.user_email} className="chip">
-                  {tg.user_email}
-                  {isOwner && (
-                    <X size={12} strokeWidth={2} style={{ cursor: 'pointer' }} onClick={() => removeTag(tg.user_email)} />
-                  )}
-                </span>
-              ))}
+      {/* Sharing — tag (anyone with edit rights) / assign (owner + assign cap) / reallocate (dispatcher cap).
+          Collapsed by default: a lesser-used function that otherwise eats space on every task. */}
+      <div className="section-title" style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 6, cursor: 'pointer' }}
+        onClick={() => setSharingOpen(o => !o)}>
+        <span>Sharing</span>
+        <span className="muted" style={{ textTransform: 'none', fontWeight: 400, letterSpacing: 0 }}>
+          {task.tags.length > 0 || task.assigned_to
+            ? [task.assigned_to && `assigned to ${task.assigned_to}`, task.tags.length > 0 && `${task.tags.length} tagged`].filter(Boolean).join(', ')
+            : 'nobody'}
+        </span>
+        <ChevronDown size={14} strokeWidth={1.75} className={`filter-section-chevron${sharingOpen ? ' open' : ''}`} style={{ marginLeft: 'auto' }} />
+      </div>
+      {sharingOpen && (
+        <div className="card" style={{ padding: '12px 14px' }}>
+          <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: task.tags.length || isOwner ? 8 : 0 }}>
+            <label><Tag size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Tagged (view + comment)</label>
+            {task.tags.length > 0 && (
+              <div className="chip-bar" style={{ margin: '4px 0' }}>
+                {task.tags.map(tg => (
+                  <span key={tg.user_email} className="chip">
+                    {tg.user_email}
+                    {isOwner && (
+                      <X size={12} strokeWidth={2} style={{ cursor: 'pointer' }} onClick={() => removeTag(tg.user_email)} />
+                    )}
+                  </span>
+                ))}
+              </div>
+            )}
+            {isOwner && (
+              <UserPicker value={tagEmail} onChange={setTagEmail} onSubmit={addTag} buttonLabel="Tag"
+                exclude={[user.email, ...task.tags.map(tg => tg.user_email)]} />
+            )}
+          </div>
+
+          {isOwner && can(user, 'assign') && (
+            <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: can(user, 'reallocate') ? 8 : 0 }}>
+              <label><UserPlus size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Assign (hands off ownership)</label>
+              <UserPicker value={assignEmail} onChange={setAssignEmail} onSubmit={assignTo} buttonLabel="Assign"
+                exclude={[user.email]} />
+              {task.assigned_to && <div className="field-hint">Currently assigned to {task.assigned_to}</div>}
             </div>
           )}
-          {isOwner && (
-            <UserPicker value={tagEmail} onChange={setTagEmail} onSubmit={addTag} buttonLabel="Tag"
-              exclude={[user.email, ...task.tags.map(tg => tg.user_email)]} />
+
+          {can(user, 'reallocate') && (
+            <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: 0 }}>
+              <label><Send size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Reallocate (dispatcher — moves to anyone)</label>
+              <UserPicker value={reallocateEmail} onChange={setReallocateEmail} onSubmit={reallocateTo} buttonLabel="Move" />
+            </div>
+          )}
+
+          {!isOwner && !can(user, 'reallocate') && task.tags.length === 0 && (
+            <div className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>Nobody else is tagged on this task.</div>
           )}
         </div>
-
-        {isOwner && can(user, 'assign') && (
-          <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: can(user, 'reallocate') ? 8 : 0 }}>
-            <label><UserPlus size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Assign (hands off ownership)</label>
-            <UserPicker value={assignEmail} onChange={setAssignEmail} onSubmit={assignTo} buttonLabel="Assign"
-              exclude={[user.email]} />
-            {task.assigned_to && <div className="field-hint">Currently assigned to {task.assigned_to}</div>}
-          </div>
-        )}
-
-        {can(user, 'reallocate') && (
-          <div className="field" style={{ marginBottom: 0 }}>
-            <label><Send size={12} strokeWidth={1.75} style={{ verticalAlign: -1 }} /> Reallocate (dispatcher — moves to anyone)</label>
-            <UserPicker value={reallocateEmail} onChange={setReallocateEmail} onSubmit={reallocateTo} buttonLabel="Move" />
-          </div>
-        )}
-
-        {!isOwner && !can(user, 'reallocate') && task.tags.length === 0 && (
-          <div className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>Nobody else is tagged on this task.</div>
-        )}
-      </div>
+      )}
 
       {/* Notes */}
       <div className="section-title">Notes</div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/ProjectDetailView.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/ProjectDetailView.tsx
index dba1566..90f4721 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/ProjectDetailView.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/ProjectDetailView.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { useParams, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom'
-import { FolderKanban, Pencil } from 'lucide-react'
+import { FolderKanban, Pencil, Plus } from 'lucide-react'
 import type { ProjectDetail, Task } from '../types'
-import { fetchProject, updateTask } from '../api'
+import { fetchProject, updateTask, createTask } from '../api'
 import { useAuth } from '../components/AuthGate'
 import { useStatuses } from '../context/StatusesContext'
 import { useTaskDrawer } from '../components/TaskDrawer'
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export default function ProjectDetailView() {
   const [project, setProject] = useState<ProjectDetail | null>(null)
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null)
   const [editing, setEditing] = useState(false)
+  const [newTitle, setNewTitle] = useState('')
 
   const load = useCallback(() => {
     if (!projectId) return
@@ -26,6 +27,15 @@ export default function ProjectDetailView() {
   }, [projectId])
   useEffect(() => { load() }, [load, changeVersion])
 
+  // No list_id — the task lands unfiled (same state assign/reallocate already
+  // use), scoped into the project by project_id alone.
+  async function add() {
+    if (!newTitle.trim()) return
+    await createTask({ project_id: projectId, title: newTitle.trim() })
+    setNewTitle('')
+    load()
+  }
+
   // Only meaningful for tasks the viewer owns — the backend 404s a PATCH on
   // someone else's task, which is expected for a shared project view.
   async function toggle(t: Task) {
@@ -63,10 +73,17 @@ export default function ProjectDetailView() {
       </div>
       <div className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 12, marginBottom: 16 }}>{done.length}/{project.tasks.length} tasks done</div>
 
+      <div className="task-add">
+        <Plus size={18} strokeWidth={1.75} color="var(--text-mid)" />
+        <input value={newTitle} placeholder="Add a task to this project…"
+          onChange={e => setNewTitle(e.target.value)}
+          onKeyDown={e => { if (e.key === 'Enter') add() }} />
+      </div>
+
       {project.tasks.length === 0 && (
         <div className="empty-state">
           <FolderKanban size={28} strokeWidth={1.5} style={{ marginBottom: 8, opacity: .4 }} /><br />
-          No tasks in this project yet — set a task's Project field from its detail view.
+          No tasks in this project yet — add one above, or set a task's Project field from its detail view.
         </div>
       )}