diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
index a5ab28cbcbe..289801c1a08 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ public static void composeRecentsLaunchAnimator(@NonNull AnimatorSet anim, @NonN
         boolean skipLauncherChanges = !launcherClosing;
 
         TaskView taskView = findTaskViewToLaunch(recentsView, v, appTargets);
+        if (taskView == null) return;
         PendingAnimation pa = new PendingAnimation(RECENTS_LAUNCH_DURATION);
         createRecentsWindowAnimator(recentsView, taskView, skipLauncherChanges, appTargets,
                 wallpaperTargets, nonAppTargets, depthController, pa);